CDT Day 72: July 16, 2025
Start: 1468.1
Stop: 1482.5
Today’s Miles: 14.4
Total CDT miles: 1154.3
I wish I was still snuggled up in that king sized bed at the Quality Inn. Or, better yet-my own king sized bed, since the Quality Inn has decided to charge my credit card 3 times for my one night stay. How fun!
Anywho. I eventually got out of the comfy bed and made my way down to the free breakfast. Waffles and bagels were alright.. not my favorite options but beggars can’t be choosers and I didn’t have to pay for it (unless you count them continuously charging my card like crazy people). I sat with Pika and Firefly, and Wolf and Redline were a few tables down. Everyone else in the breakfast room had at least 30 years on us. Wolf and I both seemed to be people watching. Quality Inn is quality entertainment.
I ended up showering again, the water pressure being incredible, and then finally dressed and packed for the day. I made a sign on the back of a cardboard box from my food: “CDT HIKER TO TRAIL” and headed out. I handed off the last bit of my old bottle of bug lotion to Firefly, saying my byes, and made my way outside to the intersection across from the motel.
I wasn’t out there 10 minutes before a nice guy maybe in his late 30s or early 40s turned around and came back for me! He was quite handsome, lives in Steamboat Springs, but also spends half his time in Tasmania. My kinda guy! We talked the whole way out to the junction I had gotten picked up from the other day.. it was so easy! Travel and hiking and adventure. I enjoyed it so much, I forgot his name.. something with a W.. I know Waylon probably isn’t right, but oh well. Now he’s just a memory.
He let me out at the intersection and another hiker was there hitching.. so, “Waylon” ended up picking him up and taking him back with him to Steamboat! Nice when things work out that way! I left my pack at a sign pole and trodded down Colorado 14 to the spot Greg picked me up from the day before yesterday. I’ve been so determined to keep my continuous footpath, I’m honestly a little surprised I’ve been able to! So, I walked half a mile down and then turned around and walked back to my pack.
From there, it was 2 miles of highway road walking to get to the turnoff for the trail. It started off as a dirt road with a weird paved section in the middle for a bit.. weird, but made for easy walking. I passed the parking lot for the Rabbit Ears trailhead, and then got to walk around some gorgeous lakes.
I think I was more stunned with the beauty of all of the wildflowers than anything, but the different lakes made stunning backdrops. I took picture after picture of so many different varieties of wildflowers. They were truly spectacular. And then the big fields surrounded by trees made leaving the lakes worth it.
The only downside has been the bugs: mosquitos, flies, gnats.. they are absolutely everywhere and non stop. The lotion helps tremendously, but my God that swarming around my ears makes me a lunatic. It started raining after 1pm and I was actually glad because it knocked the bugs down-but when it stopped-they came out in full force. At 4:15 when it started to rain again, I decided to call it quits and put up my tent. Mainly to have time to write out these last few posts and call and deal with the Quality Inn overcharging me before I lose service and they get away with it.
So, it’s hardly 5 something, the rain has stopped again, and the bugs are absolutely diabolical. I’ve seen 3 other hikers walk through, but not Pika and Wolf and their crew. I wonder if they’ll get passed me today with me calling it so early. I’d be happy to keep the same pace with them, I find them all so fun. I guess we’ll see! It’s nowhere near bedtime, but I think that’s all I got for today. Gotta eat dinner and write out a few posts from the last few days! Until next time, friends! Goodnight!