CT Part 6- The One With the Stars

Salida to … (Highway 114)

Segments 16-18

Pup-date

I left Salida with only Kai in tow, opting to give Elijah a small break in hopes that he would be able to finish the rest out after that. We ended up hitting a twenty mile day due to water sources and camp locations. He did great but the terrain was incredibly rocky, and I could tell by the end of the day that his paws were getting a little soar.

Nervous for him I came up with a bail out plan, segment 17 trailhead was under 5 miles away, and notified my dad in case. When we woke up he was moving a little slow, but shook it off quickly and got back to frolicking in the grass. 

Angry Cows

I spotted a heard of cows coming up and got excited. I know it’s not a cool wildlife sighting but I am an unconditional lover of all animals. I smiled and said my hellos as we walked by. When I turned to check on Kai he was staring wide eyed at a cow as if trying to figure out what the heck it was.

I quickly called him to me, but he had already riled them. There was at least four calves among the group and the adults moved to protect them. They started mooing loudly and stomping toward us. At first I laughed it off, but they were quite big and seemed serious. 

I kept Kai in a close heel and panic-walked past the rest of them. They followed us for at least a quarter mile. Not sure at that point if they were still scaring us away or trying to follow us to food, but it was quite the experience. 

I was still unsure about Kai’s paws since we were enjoying a nice soft dirt path. I asked a nobo hiker we passed about the upcoming terrain and she immediately began complaining about how miserably rocky it was for so long. I didn’t want to take the chance of forcing him to hike long miles if his feet were hurting so I made the call to get him off trail. 

We walked a mile down the road to a more drivable area for a 2wd van and waited for my dad. Unfortunately there was no straight shot from Gunnison to this trailhead (plus he got a little lost) so we waited a long time.

Conquering Fears

Finally off at 2pm I started pushing to make up miles. I had heard this segment was one of the worst anyway, so I wasn’t worried about missing views. Around 7pm I had a choice to make. I reached a good campsite, but getting a few more miles would set me up better for the upcoming days. 

I had also convinced myself at some point that night hiking was a rite of passage to be called a thru-hiker. Seemed like a great time to check that one off the list. So I filled up with water and carried on. 

There was still plenty of light at that point but I immediately became paranoid just knowing I would be in the dark soon. I started seeing shadows and hearing noises. And laughing at myself for it of course. 

After walking 5 more miles I made it to the campsite where I thought I would stay. It was dark, but not so dark I needed a headlamp yet. I wasn’t sure if that would count. And if I was going to do it, it was going to count. I kept walking until there was no sun left in the sky. (But did stop quickly after).

Finding a campsite in the dark was harder than in the light, but not as bad as I expected. I wasn’t so sure setting up the tent would be the same. And I was so tired. 

Cowboy camping is another item on my made up list of things to do to become a real thru-hiker. Also something that scares me. I understand logically that the thin piece of material that makes up the wall of a tent will not protect me from predators but it feels much safer. 

I pumped up my sleeping pad and pulled out my quilt, still unsure. I ate dinner further away than normal from my sleep spot. I heard some animals running around and yelled “hey bear!” a few times. 

Ah screw it. I told myself I had to do it once. What better time would there be? I placed my bear spray and knife on the ground next to my head and laid down under the stars. 

It had been cloudy all day, but when I looked up there was a clear dark sky with bright white stars speckling its surface. I didnt even read myself to sleep that night, I just stared up into space until I drifted off. Now I get the appeal. Maybe I’ll cowboy camp more often. 

More Magical Moments

The next morning I woke feeling freer and proud for conquering some fears. But the monotony of this viewless rocky section quickly dampened the mood. I put in music, just wanting to get through it. 

Then I came upon trail magic! A sprinter van with a canopy, two sweet trail angels, and tons of food and drinks. I started salivating when I saw the watermelon. Ate my share of that and had a cup of fresh brewed coffee. It came at the perfect time.

I practically skipped the next few miles to the highway where I met my dad to grab Lijah and a quick resupply. Before scurrying onward.