Day 53: June 15, 2019
Destination: Salida
Today’s Miles: 0
Start Location: Salida
Trip Miles: 861.0
Today was a day of town chores, but also just enjoying being in Salida. I shipped my axe, spikes, and maps (bounce box) to Leadville and went to Safeway to take care of my resupply. I was bored with tortillas and peanut butter for lunch and at a loss for something creative that didn’t involve cooking, so sadly I got pop tarts. I mean, they’ll taste good, but not the most nutritious. I will do better in Twin Lakes (maybe!).
I treated my clothes with permethrin and purchased a fuel canister. The outfitter had the small fuel canisters. I was excited about that – I don’t like lugging the big ones most of the time!
Blasphemy and I had coffee at the hostel then grabbed breakfast. I was fairly tame at breakfast. I had a veggie breakfast burrito and a smoothie, but I then topped it all off with a cookie, so there was that. I played some guitar at the hostel and chatted with folks, cleaned my spork and pot, and all that jazz.
I went to Moonlight Pizza again, but this time got take out to bring back to the hostel. I chatted with a young woman named Harriet who is an incredible kayaker. She’s staying at the hostel to compete in a few of the whitewater events here, and was competing in the GoPro Games in Vail prior. The whitewater community is still pretty small, so we know a few of the same folks and had fun talking about paddling and rivers. I hope she kicks butt if she competes tomorrow. She told me she’s on the fence, but she went out to meet Stephen Wright and the Jackson family, including EJ, so my gut says that those guys will get her jazzed and she will end up going for it. If you don’t know who these folks are, it’s ok. If you’re really into kayaking, or have followed any Olympic kayaking, you will. I thought about trying to tag along with her so I could fangirl a bit and maybe meet EJ, but I had gear and map prep to do. Focus Daniel-san, first learn stand, then learn fly!
I got my gear organized and am feeling good about my plan. I’ll hitch to Poncha Springs tomorrow since I’ve already walked that 4.8 miles. Then I will road walk from Poncha Springs to the Colorado Trail trailhead. That 9.8 miles maintains my continuous footsteps. Then I’m finally off roads and on trail, hopefully for a while! The section to Twin Lakes should take me about 3.5 days including the road walk tomorrow. I’ll rejoin the CDT there and resupply, then get back up into the snow at higher elevation to get to Leadville. I’m hoping that I can continue to move north from there, and I really want to climb Mt. Elbert, which would be my first peak over 14,000 feet, the day I leave Twin Lakes. We shall see what is possible. Time for this cat to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a good day and I will do a little dance when I leave the road!
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