Start: Colorado Trail 150.7
Stop: Leadville (Inn the Clouds Hostel)
Today’s Miles: 26.3
Total CDT miles: 920.7
Our day started with a climb out of the campground, but it had switchbacks and pretty views, so it wasn’t terrible. The terrain feels more dry and desert like-and yet it’s also muggy. Weird stuff. Thankfully there were clouds in the sky blocking the sun, or it would have been much hotter!
We ended up backtracking a little after taking a wrong turn. Otherwise, it was very hilly but smooth going to get to Tina and her husband Larry. They were waiting for us at a trailhead parking lot 9.7 miles from where we camped! We hung out with them, talking and eating hotdogs, potato salad and chips! What is it about trail magic that just makes everything better? The food was delicious, the company was awesome. Talking with them had me so excited for all that’s to come. Tina is planning to do the Portuguese Camino and Andrea and I just so happened to be texting about doing the same thing THIS MORNING. Talk about getting a sign!
We eventually told them our goodbyes and started hiking towards Twin Lakes. Before we made it to the trail, the wind picked up and we watched the rain drop in sheets across the lake-and then it dropped in sheets across us. Awesome. It’s funny that we were so hot and muggy two hours prior, and now we’re soaked and chilly. Bleh.
Because of the rain, and the clouds looking like they weren’t planning on passing us any time soon, we decided to take a backroad to the highway to go into Leadville, Colorado tonight instead of going up and over a huge pass in a storm, sleep in the rain, and then have to hitch into Leadville tomorrow. Yall know I’ll do just about anything with the promise of trail towns and restaurant food!
We road walked for what felt like forever. Three different women stopped to ask me if I wanted a ride into town, I said no every time but that maybe they should ask Pebbles up ahead-no one asked him.. so he started walking behind me, and a guy turned around and asked me-but not Pebbles! It was pretty amusing to me, but he was ready for a hitch and to forgo the road walking! Haha, sorry dude-my continuous footpath is still intact!
We stopped at a gas station for a snack and ate it outside the store before continuing to walk the highway into Leadville. When we got close, my stomach started turning in knots! I think the gas station sandwich was probably bad. I started to get the tingles and sweats, and then I saw the sign for a motel up ahead. Pebbles kept walking towards the hostel we planned to stay at, I all but ran while squeezing my butt cheeks together to the motel!
The sign inside said “no public bathrooms,” but when the man behind the counter saw my panicked face, and I started to beg, he just pointed and said, “down the stairs, in the laundry room!” I barely made it with my undies intact! Yall. This is embarrassing, but I absolutely destroyed that bathroom, and the poor woman doing laundry in there had front row seats to my unplanned trumpet concert. Yikes. God, please bless that man behind the counter and his poor coworker! I obviously left it clean, but no one should have to hear a stranger go through all of that while trying to work.
Anyway. Feeling 100 pounds lighter, I left the motel and continued walking through Leadville to Inn the Clouds Hostel. Downtown is so cute, with pretty houses painted funky colors-fun yard signs and tons of awesome flowers. I even passed a bunny on one of the side streets! I made it to the hostel at 6:30pm and Pebbles and I got checked in. We picked our bunks in room that holds 8 people, and then we ate some left over food that a previous family staying at the hostel left for everyone: spaghetti! Free spaghetti! You’d think I’d learn my lesson after so recently having a stomach issue-but, who can turn down free spaghetti?! Not me!
We ate, showered, and did our laundry. We’re going to zero here tomorrow and go to a store tomorrow that makes nice fleece hoodies on site. And we’re also going to eat at a pizza place that Tina and Larry raved about. I’m pretty excited! I’m pretty sure I won’t sleep all that great in this bunk room tonight, but knowing I don’t have to hike tomorrow makes it ok. Ha. Goodnight, yall!