Tag: CDT

CDT Day 77: July 21, 2025

Start: 1554.4

Stop: 1561.6

Today’s Miles: 7.2

Total CDT miles: 1233.4

I slept so dang good last night, the wind was blowing and the night just felt perfect. We stayed up late for hikers, laughing and cutting up with Gary. We shared wine and stories and it was a good time. Gary started to get a little-almost flirty with me and occasionally with Wolf, too. Firefly picked up on it without a word and started to insert himself between Gary and me or Gary and Wolf-all without being obvious. It was kind of refreshing to see someone just “get it.” 

People assume a 74 year old is just being friendly-but the little touches here and there while constantly directing the conversation back to Wolf or I gets exhausting and creepy. I’d like to say I doubt it was intentional.. but at times it felt intentional, and causing a scene wouldn’t have helped any. So, Firefly smoothly took care of it after he first noticed me being uncomfortable. And no scene was required to be made. Seriously awesome dude. 

This morning the birds were wide awake early, but I refused to get up until after 8am-not that my bladder was going to give me much more time than that anyway. Redline quickly packed and walked to the diner we ate at yesterday while the rest of us sipped coffee and contemplated being awake. Sadly, he text soon after that the restaurant was out of propane so they weren’t cooking breakfast. Ugh. 

Gary offered up his refrigerator and kitchen to us while he went into another town for his physical therapy appointment. Pika made scrambled eggs and I cooked up some bacon, and we made due. I felt bad for being disappointed, but I wanted another huge breakfast like yesterday, this wasn’t going to cut it. 

Once Gary got back from his appointment, we all packed up and loaded into the truck. Everyone else had sent a resupply box here, but sent way too much food, so I took what they didn’t want and then we got a few extra things from the general store before Gary dropped us off at the trailhead around 12:45. 

I hiked in just over 7 miles, Pika is ahead of me and Wolf is probably a mile or less behind me. Redline and Firefly BACKTRACKED about a mile.. because, at midnight we’re all starting the 24 hour challenge! We’ll get up at 11:30pm, pack up, and start walking by midnight and see how many miles we can get by midnight tomorrow night. Insane, right?

It’s 61.2 miles from the pass we got dropped off at into Rawlings, Wyoming. The guys want to do at least 62-70 miles, Wolf wants to do 55 miles, and Pika and I are leaning towards 50 or more.. so that’s why we’re all staggered. The last 36 miles is all road walking, so we’re hoping that helps make it happen. We’ll see! It’s 5:35pm and I have some sandwiches prepped and I’m ready to go to sleep now so I can wake up in 6 hours! 

Fingers crossed it all goes well and everyone stays injury free. Pika, Wolf, and I have decided that if something happens and we’re not feeling it, we’ll just camp like normal and make whatever is left a 2 day stretch. As kind as Gary was for letting us camp in his yard, I’m really looking forward to a hotel room and a bed to myself! So, that might be motivation enough to keep pushing tomorrow. I guess we’ll find out!

Wish us luck! Goodnight! 

CDT Day 76: July 20, 2025

Start: 1549.6

Stop: 1554.4

Today’s Miles: 4.8

Total CDT miles: 1226.2

I left camp at 6:55am, before anyone else, but everyone was awake, stretching, having coffee.. I sort of like their morning routine, I’m just afraid I’d never start hiking if I took my time in the morning. 

It was an easy 4.8 miles to the road that we needed to hitch to Encampment, Wyoming from. There were some hills, but nothing bad-there were a ton of water and mud bogs-which made for wet feet. At one point I sank up to my left hip when I misjudged how deep the other side of a water crossing was. That was NOT fun. I popped up looking to see if anyone coming behind me saw it.. they didn’t, but I’m sure it would have been quite comical. I counted it as my first fall in Wyoming. Thankfully it wasn’t painful at all.

Redline caught me soon after and continued flying by. I was hoping to see some moose or deer or elk in the big grassy meadows, but no luck there. I really haven’t been very lucky spotting big wildlife on this trail. 

On the final downhill to the road, Wolf caught up to me and we walked through the parking lot together. She diverted to the privy while I walked up to the other hikers expecting to see Redline-he was no where to be seen, apparently after hearing the other 3 hikers there say they had been trying to get a hitch for 2 hours, he just started walking the 13 miles to town. Crazy man. 

The other 3 hikers were Thomas, Lone Wolf, and Chestnut! I haven’t seen him since sometime in New Mexico! Funny how these things happen. Wolf walked over and so did Firefly, we all agreed we weren’t walking to town, but obviously realized we’d wait our turn when a car did stop for anyone. I walked down to the big turn to see what the oncoming traffic situation looked like, hoping there were cars in the other parking lot nearby-but it was empty. 

When we all heard a vehicle coming, I went out by the curve and started waving and doing praying hands-not one but TWO pickup trucks pulled over! The both drivers agreed to take us into town, but said we needed to hop in quick because he had a dead moose on the trailer he was hauling and needed to get it out of the sun and to the processing plant asap. 

We all piled in the 2 trucks, all but Firefly who said he’d wait for Pika so they wouldn’t have to hitch alone. He’s seriously such a nice guy! Wolf, me, and Lone Wolf got in the back of the pick up hauling the moose, the other 2 guys got in the truck behind us, and off we went. 

When our driver noticed Redline walking, he pulled over and let him hop in back with us. Not 10 minutes later, we were pulling into town. Driver number one stopped at the gas station close to the RV park we planned to stay at, but when we realized the only breakfast place was back about a mile, he kindly took Wolf, Redline, and me there. We were starving!

The little cafe was pretty awesome. I ordered sausage gravy biscuits topped with 2 fried eggs and a side of hashbrowns. Plus a cinnamon roll. And coffee. While we waited, we plugged in our power banks and text Pika and Firefly so they knew where to come when they got their hitch. Our food came soon after and we absolutely demolished it. 

About an hour later, Firefly and Pika arrived and ordered food, so I ordered a burger and homemade chips.. which I also ate the majority of. Firefly finished off a bite or two of my burger, but I mostly took care of it. I was finally full! Thank god! We hung out a bit, then started walking through town to get back down to the RV campground. 

We popped into a liquor store, Redline getting some beer and Pika and I getting a bottle of red wine to split. We walked about halfway, maybe more, when a man in a truck pulled over for us! His name is Gary. When we got to the RV park, he ended up asking us if we wanted to come back to his house for ribs.. 

About 10 minutes of talking, we got snacks from the little market and then rode with Gary back to his house. He let us shower, do laundry, and hangout at his house for the night! We camped in the back yard on the most lush green grass I’ve ever felt. We had BBQ smoked ribs, baked beans, and Hawaiian rolls, Wolf and Pika had a fresh picked from the garden salad since they’re both vegetarian. 

The kindness we were shown was so out of this world and honestly a little overwhelming. The guys went with Gary to pick up some sand, and then they helped him shovel it where it needed to go in the back yard, other than that, he flat out catered to us! It was so incredible, I’m still in awe of it all! A complete stranger welcoming 5 hikers into his home and life. I’m just so grateful. On that note-goodnight yall. Time for some good shut eye!  

CDT Day 75: July 19, 2025

Start: 1528.8

Stop: 1549.6

Today’s Miles: 20.8

Total CDT miles: 1221.4

I’m in WYOMING!! As if Colorado wanted to make sure we went out with a bang-it started thundering and lightening around 8:30pm and then raining around 10.. and it didn’t stop until after 2:30 in the morning. I’m so glad I set my tent up last night! I almost didnt, but when the lightening and thunder kept going and going, I decided not to risk it. Redline didn’t and ended up having to cover himself with his tent to stay dry. If he had gotten up to set up his tent, all of his sleep stuff would have been soaked before he could get the tent up and everything inside. 

He didn’t seem too bothered by it, I’d have been a mess! Funnily enough, I was dreaming about helping him set his tent up in the rain.. so when I woke and saw him rolled like a burrito with his tent draped over, I felt bad. When I told him about it, he just laughed. He’s such a good natured guy, everything just seems to roll off of him. 

I slept good because of the rain, even though the lightening felt very close and it would sometimes wake me up with how bright it was. I ended up sleeping in a little and leaving camp just before 7am.. but when I woke to start packing, Wolf and Pika were already awake. They must have a morning routine that includes breakfast and coffee and waking up gradually.. to where I have to just get up and go since I can’t eat breakfast for an hour after I take my Synthroid. I left before them and enjoyed knowing everyone would start passing me soon enough. 

Wolf passed me while I was trudging up a near vertical dirt road.. that thing was STEEP! I didn’t have to stop and take breaths though, I just kept moving, albeit very slow. Colorado had to make sure to get in one more stupid climb before we left. 

I took a wrong turn just before the border and had to backtrack little bit. In that time, Redline had passed me. So, when I got to the border, it was Wolf, Redline, and another hiker, Thomas, already there. We whooped and hollered and danced at the border, happy as hell to be done with Colorado and the crazy steep climbs.

Firefly and Pika weren’t far behind us. And then Lone Wolf showed up, too. We took pictures, drank Jack Daniel’s honey whiskey, and celebrated the victory that is another state completed. I have a continuous footpath through two states now! I really hope nothing happens to mess that up. 

Slowly, we all started to pack up and start hiking. I decided to camp with this group again, because I didn’t want to push 26 miles and try to hitch alone. We’re camping 4.7 miles from the highway, and in the morning we’ll hitch into Encampment. I’ll have to resupply and charge my power bank, but other than that, I’m good to wait for a shower and laundry and a bed until I get to Rawlins.. it just depends on how everything goes. 

I think I’ve talked myself into doing the 24 hour challenge, where you see how many miles you can make in 24 hours. They’ve all been talking about it, and I think I’m going to give it a try. The only thing is trying to decide what time of day to start it.. because it ends in a road walk and if possible, I’d like to end in Rawlins and in a hotel bed. But, if I get there at say, 1am, that might mess up the checkin process since it’s a small town. I need to think on this some more.. if I hitch out and make it 10-14 miles, then sleep some before getting up at an odd hour to start the challenge, maybe.. but I know me and I know I probably just won’t wake up until sunlight.. sooooo. I’m torn on what to do. I’m sure these guys will help me figure it out.. I really hope to do it with them, even though they’re all way faster hikers than me.. which makes me think if I start when they do-I may never seen them again. That would be so awful. 

Maybe I’ll gain some clarity tomorrow! My feet ache and I’m super tired, time for bed! Goodnight yall.