June 17th

I was up and packed up most of my gear whilst still in my tent.

Great practice for a wet morning !

When I finally emerged the sun was just beginning  to rise and no sign of any  mossies yet.

I finished packing drank my  hot chocolate  and I was ready.

I was on trail by 6am  and today I am  heading to town or hopefully I am.

I started the climb that I didnt 

want to do yesterday.it looked worse last night. But it was a fairly easy one. A little way up I passed through a gate and over a stream .much better than the water I grabbed last night. 

The trail  followed the contours  of the hill before opening out into the forest,but the trail was a mess due to dirt bikes cutting huge ruts into the dirt that then fill with water and become a complete bog. 

I manoureed  my way around the best I could trying to avoid the mud .At last I exited out ofvthe forest onto rock, but it was slippery gravel and the next minute  I was lying on my back.

I’m okay  so scramble up and continue.  In the distance the trail appears to  wind  downwards  below me . It wod be easy to short cut down.but  I’m not sure if it’s “My trail”!… so I continue on and luckily  its a different trail  s the CDT  takes a sharp left. Just as I turn I notice a tent to my left.

And smile to myself.

The morning is waking up and ahead I see a deer standing  in the middle of the trail .I stop and call out “Good morning Deer” to my surprise a second one appears then a third. I watch them force few minutes  before moving on sendingbthem bouncing through the woods.

In front is now a sign  telling motorised vehicles  to now take a different route. YES!! The trail now returns to a lovely path and I can walk normally, but it’s getting warm and I’m over heating .so as soon as a suitable stop  appears I drop my pack to take off a layer.

It was then I noticed  that when I fell over my ice axe pireced one of my water bottles (the full,one)

Oh well I can get a replacement in town.

I headed off down the trail  I was then surprised to see a lady on a bike cycling towards me  I was more impressed as she was cycling up a very steep hill so I thought maybe it was electric  .but no she was peddling.  We greeted each other as we carried on our journeys .

The trail now skirted around another hill  but in the distance I thought I could make out a road.

Eventually I arrived at the trail head. I checked my app to make sure I was heading the right way.

Yes its goes through the  park(Trailhead)

As I walking along road a car appears and stops. It took adies who are day hiking part of the Colorado trail (CT).we chat for quite a while  before  I head off. Atbthe bottom ofvhevoark is a toilet so it would be rude not to use.

Okay back on trail and on another jeep track that typically climb  steeply, unlike me.  A little way up is  piped spring  so I stop to get water. As I’m filling up the two ladies  I spoke to earlier appear

I will catch you  later I say and laugh.

The jeep track now turns into a a single hiking path and levels out,thank god.

I’m then startled by a huge dog followed by 5 blokes and two other dogs they are out for six days and are all very chatty. I wish them well and push on .

The trail then crossed a large scree and sat in the middle enjoying the amaxing views were the two ladies.  I was just  taking a photo when Mountain-goat appeared.  It was good to see him as he was a little poorly  when I last saw him at Lake City.

As we both walked past the ladies they offered us half an orange each.

Mmmm that tasted so good.

I walked with mountain goat for a few miles  before i gave up on his pace. ONLY 10 MILES Snail…

Wow really.  But we were now heading up and it was a steep.climb.. Mountain  goat  was already half way up.omg that’s steep

I tooka big breath and began climbing.once up invoiced two more big climbs in the distance 

Really I said  to myself..Fuck.

I could see my fellow hiker in the distance..

Actually the  climbs were not as bad as they looked and I had soon completed both .

I stopped to stare at a signpost 5 miles to to monarch pass

I pushed  on,on  a meandering path that vanished into the distance. I must have zoned out as the next minute i was startled by a big dog,who.i also  startled he belonged to two cyclists. We all appogised  to each other.

Then the lead cyclist said three more behind.  

Thank-you  I said and walked on.

It wasnt long until I was passed by the other cyclists. 

As I came over the brew of a hill,sat by a snow bump  was mountain goat . He was making good himself a slushy  with snow.

We set offagain together but as it was now downhill untill the pass I was able to natch his pace

He was very chatty. Told me  off for saying “Fuck ” alot . Told me about God and his theories  about the state of the US.

Well these conversations  took my mind ofvthe hiking and we were soon cruising into the pass.

There is a cable car that takes tourist’s up the mountain.we walked under it snd too the store. 

We dropped our packs,I grabbed a gayor aide and a bottle if lemonade that i had been craving for a while.  I then ordered some  chillie nachos,  they were so tasty We were joined by another hiker but I forgot his name.

He recommended a hotel. Seemed had got a great deal. 

Okay i need to try and hitch into town. But as I walked to the door it began to poureith rain.

Okay I’ll wait a while.

Wow amazing in 10 minutes the storm had passed and the sun was back out.

I said good bye to my freinds  and headed back by the road. 

10 minutes and I had a ride.he was a surveyor  who worked on the roads. 

He dropped me off  at the hotel.

I walked in they had vacancies. 

But when she quoted me $480 I almost died  (festival weekend)

I did some grovelling and negotiating  and $120 a night Inc breakfast.  Yes please 

I  have a lovely room  untill I exploded my pack.  

Shower first…oh that’s better I’m clean.then I headed up to walmart.  I didn’t need much but still.managed to spend a lot.  Abd carrying  it back to the hotel was heavy, luckily a group.of great guys stopped and gave me a ride back

Thank-you so.much guys.

I decanted most  of the food.ice cream in the freezer. Beer fridge.

( important items) Next was laundry.  Okay  now to chill

Oh and update videos and Blog

Milage  16 and change