oh, noise.

My feet are wet but my cuffs are bone dry!

2011-01-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

Was that Parramatta Road? Sure looks like it.

After weeks of buckets, hanging, washing and filling the garage with the sweet smell of 2600 miles of groin sweat I finally discarded the tattered remains of my hiking shorts. It was a sad farewell. Why are the best clothes always the first to go?

I hate looking for a job. I'm not very good at it. I have a largely empty resume and cover letters are full of lies and bullshit. Just because I can write a better cover letter than anybody doesn't mean I like doing it.

After our knees collide.

2010-12-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/12/21mustian.html

It's hard to listen to a word you're saying when you're spitting in my ACE.

2010-12-29T01:22:00.000-08:00

I clearly didn't learn a thing from this.
I always though of myself as kind of something like pretty good at Freecell.

That's right.
I play Freecell.

I'm not going to say what my best streak is but I thought it was impressive.
It's not.
And I thought my win percentage was about as good as you can realistically expect.
It's not.
Apparently, I suck.
http://jeffwerner.ca/2007/01/freecell_best_s.html (this guy feels my pain)
http://www.solitairelaboratory.com/fcfaq.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freecell

This is exactly what Rob warned me about.
I am humbled.

Can't even know.

2010-12-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/now-heating-pop-art-pop-tarts/?ref=t-magazine

Huh, you're serious yeah?

Just sat there, as your plane took off.

2010-12-10T02:31:00.000-08:00

Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!
Fire fights!!!!

Back in New Zealand, already miss America. I do.
What happened on the Eighth? I didn't have one...`

Let go...

2010-12-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Arizona.

Arches national Park, Utah.

Death Valley National Park, California.

Racetrack Playa! D-D-D-Death Valley.

Portland.

...

Best ice cream. Curiously good beer.

Seattle from Paul's balcony.

The end...

Teach Me How To Dougie.

2010-12-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

Yas experiences the joy of XXXXL.

White Sands National Monument.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Mural. Roswell, New Mexico.

Thanks, Tim.

Pottery fragments, near Grants New Mexico.

Grand Canyon National Park.

Yeah, that's exactly what it looks like.

Zion National Park.

Hoover Dam!!

Mr State Farm vs Ms Progressive.

2010-12-06T16:21:00.000-08:00

Flying home tomorrow, arriving home in three days time or something like that.
Post CDT went a little like this:

White Sands, Grand Canyon, Roswell, The ToC! Zion, Carlsbad Caverns, Vegas and regular buffet stops with Tim, Nina and Yas and one sweet van. Seeing everyone in San Lorenzo again and visiting Hugo and Carole in Grants who we had a blast exploring with. Stealing WiFi, running out of petrol on the Interstate, sleeping beside highways and eating more poptarts. Bizarre.
Continuing High Gravity Larger and associated beverages Sample Tour. The Core was horrid and features an immediate hangover. Loko is wonderful, shame about the bans, I guess the alcohol + caffeine thing is over... Wait, could you Irish up that coffee? Jager up that Red Bull? Black Heart up my Coke?
A mighty seventeen degrees of Fahrenheit at the Grand Canyon, and that guy that had his line stolen by Tim and Nina. "You stole my line motherfuckers" was quite literally what he said. What does that even mean? You're on a trail that resembles a sidewalk. Learn how to walk. Dick. Aside from that, GC was well friendly and incredible.
Listening to 28 Days and spreading the Bogan word to innocent Americans.
Any Cool Kids ft. Tennille, best.

Canyon De Chelly, Zion, Arches, Bridges, Extraterrestrial Highway (!!!), Death Valley and Vegas, again, with Kristin.
Learning the secrets of the Vampire Deer of Zion NP. Yeah that's right, Harold, I know. Went back 'cause it's worth it. Arches NP was exactly what I wanted.
Baffled by Utah's wonky animal signs and random herds of wild donkeys walking the main street of that town I cannot remember. Death Valley was hot and wonderful and Racetracks!! Not looking forward to running that, but I will.

Back to Portland, rainy, freezing, wonderful Portland. Via Vegas. Again again. Three times for a total of less than twenty-four hours. Vegas is anything you want it to be, especially at 6am on a Saturday morning. Stayed with Mike and Naomi and drank proper beer Portland style and more Loko maybe. Best city in America still. Overwhelmed myself with internetz and ate some sausages and some beans. Tried not to spend too much at Powell's. Went to the coast which I loved, ran on the beach eventually and naked swam on the other side of the pacific in the dark on my own very briefly. Cold and awkward.
Finally got to go to a Costco, very exciting. Finally got to watch a Ducks game, they didn't put on fifty, I feel let down. Watched LOGO a lot. Beyond amazing.

Met Paul and Melissa and friends then up to Seattle. Hung out and good times. Stumbled across the Fremont Troll unintentionally, which was nice, I wanted to see it. Ruined Paul's life when I introduced him to the glory of Brown Cardigan (over there). No Salmon.
Read this wonderfully agreeable piece: The Odds of That. Where the hell was I eight years ago?

Thirty-five hour train down to LA, past all the good stuff in the dark. Met up with Scout and here I am in San Diego.

Thanks to Tim, Nina, Yas, Kristin, Mike, Naomi, Paul, Melissa, Barney and Sandy for the company, beds, food, driving, laughs, fun and being some of the best people I know. I'm going to miss this country.

Still the best cover of any book ever.

2010-11-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

Kill the cool kids.

2010-11-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hey, I just lost that last little sliver of respect I had for Henry Rollins.

Insecure, Henry?
http://streetbonersandtvcarnage.com/blog/rollins-vs-hipsters/

http://streetbonersandtvcarnage.com/blog/hey-teacher-leave-those-kids-alone/
http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/this-week-in-new-york/8355/why-the-hipster-must-die

I don't even care if Gavin's taking the piss a little. He's still right. And that Christian Lorentzen article is garbage to a point where it's not even remotely funny how much he has no clue.
That was a poorly constructed sentence right there.
Fuck your anti-hipster bullshit.

I can unlock all of your locks.

2010-11-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

Michael's Le CDT plans and challenges (I want more challenges. Challenge me):

1000 Poptart Challenge (wonder if they would sponsor me....)
100 mile One Candy Challenge (maybe).
One Meal One Section Challenge (I swear I'll do it this time).
McUltimate Challenge.
Double Double Down Challenge.
Break the 50 mile day Challenge.
Cut down the casual swearing Challenge.
On Trail Zero Day.
No Beard this year because it looks awful.
Only use my tarp if I really have to. Cowboy!
10+ Peak Bags. At least.
Actually take photos of interesting things. I'm going to be one of those ultra-irritating camera all the time people, if my camera co-operates.

That was me in early June. So how successful was I? How proud would June Michael be of November Michael?

Oh yeah.
108 Miles. Thanks Timmy. Never again.
After completing the previous challenge, this one seemed somewhat redundant.
Forgot...
Nope.
I still hate the fact that I was sick that day. Dangnit.
Nope, joker didn't help...
Nope, got a nero in the Winds, that's about it.
Yes! No beard!
Montana was too wet and I never was able to trust Wyoming. Colorado I cowboyed a lot and probably slept out all but six nights in New Mexico. Also, was rained on once in each state, delightful.
And how.
Nope. Thankfully, RT took piles of amazing photos.

5/12 I suck.

And that is it for the CDT. Done. Awesome. Thanks. Word.

2010-11-25T17:14:00.000-08:00

When you attempt things like this,

The Heaps Recovery Position is oft required.

Yas has his version, I'm sure it is better.

Cake.

Hawkeye's needs more horizontal.

Half-dozen Hotdogs.

Credit to Ben, my co-creator (in ChCh with 2 litres of icecream).

Photos by RT again.

Hey! Remember when I was complaining about the giant lump in my Thermarest?

2010-11-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

Dangnit.

Northernorthern Newew ¡Mexico!

2010-11-25T11:00:00.000-08:00

Box Canyon!!!

Saint Johns (they were right, you were magnificent).

2010-11-25T00:08:00.000-08:00

Drinking the source of the Rio Grande.

Wonderful hiking and distracting views. The rubbly mountains could have used a dusting of snow but I'm not complaining.

Hawkeye and Kombucha hiding from a hailstorm.

The day it rained. And then it rained some more. It didn't stop. We death marched.

Wigwam for ever.

Yeah, we did.

The truth of the matter is I am Satan and on the guitars we have Devils. This is Devil music.

2010-11-24T23:31:00.000-08:00

Hiking with people is the greatest. But I still enjoy musically assisted hiking. Even if the Creative Zen is a terrible mp3 player (with some good ideas, shame really)
What I listened to this year:

Street Smart Cyclist.
Brand New.
Foals.
Conversations with Richard Fidler (ABC Radio National).
The Hood Internet.
Harrison Bergeron.
C.W. Stoneking.
Against Me!
Mitch Hedburg.
I Would Set Myself On Fire For You.
Marble House by The Knife
Mathletixx by Emergency! Emergency!
I Poke Her Face by Kid Cudi (feat. Kanye West, Common and Lady Gaga).
100 Minutes Of Silence by The Mint Chicks.
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (laughing version) by Elvis Presley

More than you.

2010-11-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

Joker, Heaps, RT, Hawkeye. The Half-Gallon, Pie and Chicken Tenders Challenge.

Boston Creme Cake.

That Burger.

Resupply, Tecate and HotPockets.

All photos by RT (yeah, even that one he's in).

Don't reinvent what you don't understand.

2010-11-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

In Portland, OR. Still want to live here.
Have a few more photos and stuff to upload so keep checking back. I'll get there.
Flying home in a couple weeks, back to New Zealand, back to summer.
Back to a job...
Have to find a job...
Should get a job...
Maybe I'll hike...
No...
Need a job...
Probably going to hike the Bib in WA next year, very much looking forward to it. Especially after hearing positive things from Buck-30. Care to join me? Please?
http://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/
Don't let the fact that their logo is a snake discourage you, Australian snakes are afraid of me, I swear.
Then back to NZ for another summer before I finally go back to git educated some.
Maybe a speed hike of the TeAraroa before January?
Yes?

Compliment each other like Colorado.

2010-11-22T23:22:00.001-08:00

Moon rises.

Don't fuck with America ski-people.

Three naked Hawkeyes. San Luis Peak

Freezing our lives away on Snow Mesa.

xxx, Wyoming by The Summer We Went West. I miss you.

2010-11-22T22:04:00.000-08:00

DnA at the Idaho/Wyoming Border.

Yellowstone colours.

Yellowstone Bears.

Wind River Range.

In The Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range.

Fording, in the rain, in the 'dry' Great Divide Basin

Sylvester

2010-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.aloeblacc.com/

Run this border right?

2010-11-22T00:34:00.000-08:00

Southern Montana and the Montana/Idaho border run. The most unexpectedly beautiful area of trail. Some tough hiking but well marked and cool towns.
Anaconda Pintler Wilderness was my favourite place on trail.

Wet feat. bear.

2010-11-22T00:06:00.000-08:00

Glacier watery good times.

From Red Gap Pass (I think).

Garden wall and North.

Maybe...

Nice weather on Triple Divide Pass, Glacier National Park.

Bear baiting.

Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Coach and Whitefish on Caribou Peak, Scapegoat Wilderness

Storm on Lewis and Clark Pass.

If I had a pound every time I saw a sucka...

2010-11-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

2668 Miles, or something like that.
1307 Miles in that pair of NB910's.
137 days.
14 zero days.
32 Miles, longest day, I like that.
21.7 Miles per day I guess.
1002 Poptarts.
108 Miles Peanut M&M's (feat. Hawkeye, who did much better).
5 weeks on trail before I had drunk more beer I'd purchased myself than what came free, thanks.
5 participants in the one item resupply, respect.
5 plate special over and over and over.
4lbs of burger (five, really).
0 times treating water.
9 pairs socks.
3 pairs shoes.
2 shirts.
1 pair shorts, with
3 giant holes.
??,???,???,??? shell casings.
30 degrees of sleeping bag again, no problem.
20 degress of moist, cold, miserable night on otherwise incredible Snow Mesa.
10(?) nights alone.
5 bears, an improvement.
3 mornings I awoke to find my feet had wandered outside my tarp.
3 hours Chama, not cool.
1 skunk (GO AWAY!).
1 very short dress.
1 ride in a police car (again).
1 fake gun.
1 night of literal torture in Berthoud Pass Hut.
1/2 nights no tarp.
0 Sasquatch, again. Where are you?
Another thru. Done.
Walking is still, still honest. Right Tom?

Laziness and lack of interest is a good attitude to bring to a list making event.

Yup, you noticed.

2010-11-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

I know you saw this already:

But, did you see this?

You're welcome.

I'm gonna go get me a honey bun...

Don't let go.

2010-11-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

Crazy girl GO!!!

2010-11-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40222080/ns/health-addictions/

This is worse than when Canada refused to sell the Double Down. Perspective people, perspective.

New Muscles is cool.
I'm still working on stuff, I'll finish eventually.

Think Thonk Thank.

2010-11-15T14:36:00.000-08:00

The community of support around the trail is unbelievable. The people of the divide were friendly, welcoming and frequently went above and beyond to help an unclean, unshaven, homeless, unemployed foreigner. I won't forget the kindness and friendship. Forever thanks to: St. Naomi, Phil and Beth Unger, Lost's Mum, Hawkeye's Parents. Hugo and Carole in Grants, Nita, Kathy, Wrong Way and Megan in Pie Town, Andy in Lake City, Kevin and Louanne at the Three Bears Hotel in Lincoln, Pete, Julie, Mike and Abie in San Lorenzo, Keith and Mary in Deming, Mike and Connie at the Mountain View in Lima, Bill and Pat in Leadville, Zed and Che in Chama and Annie for holding my stuff.

Jonathan Ley for the maps. These are absolutely the best and most useful navigational resource for the CDT. Aside from telling me where I was, what I really like about these maps is freedom they give you and the encouragement you get to explore, try alternates and embrace the corridor. Jim Wolf for the guidebooks. Perhaps the single most important figure in the development of the CDT. The guidebooks were invaluable in Southern Montana and Southern New Mexico and are a great companion to the maps. Also, far, far less infuriating and presumptuous and holier-than-thou than a certain set of PCT guidebooks...

Thank you to everyone who picked me/us up from the side of the road, offered me/us food, beer or water (even the elk steaks I couldn't eat), cached water and treats, the guy who dropped that Bud Light by the trail in Montana, the people who hurled abuse and gang signs as they drove past and the American puplic for giving wild America cows.

And to you, my fellow hikers. NOBO's IceAxe, Sage and Wrong Way. Flippers Lake, Whitefish, Pace and Coach. SOBO's DIY, Dave and Becky, Macon Tracks and Not Yet, Carbo and Jellybean, Masa, Stretch, DP and Wing It for the water reports. And most importantly the 2010CDTSOBOH.E.R.D. Dan and Anna, Hawkeye and Kombucha, Joker, Rolling Thunder, Rock Steady, Myke, Lost and Jack. It was a pleasure. You were great company, are the best of friends and all around wonderful people. Congratulations to all and especially you PCT'09 kids. Good to see you again/put a face to a name.

Joker, Hawkeye, Kombucha, Lost, Candyman, Queen Frostine, Found, Heaps, Rolling Thunder, Myke, Rock Steady.

Thanks to my mp3 player for keeping me company and my brain for keeping me entertained and on trail. I'll admit it, I'm an awesome navigator. Just don't follow me...

The pop is great, it's just that the tart sucks.

2010-11-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

100th: Somewhere in NorMT, the day I found that Bud Light

200: After a lake I can't remember. halfway between Salmon and Leadore.

300: Yellowstone National Park.

400: Winds, just after The Cirque.

500: Roadwalk out of Steamboat Springs.

I did it! Probably the perfect number between a challenge and what I can realistically eat.

I ordered the flavours from best to worst because I can. Low Fat Strawberry can burn in hell.
1. Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
2. Frosted Chocolate Banana Split
3. Frosted Apple Strudel
4. Frosted Cinnamon Roll
5. Frosted Cherry
6. Frosted Raspberry
7. 20% Fibre Brown Sugar Cinnamon
8. Frosted Choc Chip
9. Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
10. Frosted Choc Fudge
11. Frosted Cookies & Cream
12. Unfrosted Strawberry
13. Frosted CC Cookie Dough
14. Frosted Strawberry
15. Frosted Pumpkin Pie
16. Gingerbread
17.UF Blueberry
18. Frosted Blueberry
19. Frosted Wild! Berry
20. Frosted Blueberry Muffin
21. Frosted S'mores
22. Frosted Wild! Grape
23. 20% Fibre Strawberry
24. 20% Fibre Choc Fudge
25. Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae
26. Frosted Strawberry Milkshake
27. Frosted Vanilla Milkshake
28. Low Fat Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
29. Low Fat Frosted Strawberry

600: Aside Mt Elbert.

700: San Juans, a pass I can't remember the name of.

800: Just before San Pedro Parks/Peaks Wilderness.

900: Gila River.

999: Border Mexico/Los Estados Unidos de América

1000

2010-11-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

Banana = Hawkeye
Bumblebee = Kombucha
Convict = DIY
Grim Reaper = Rolling Thunder
Hooker/Disco Girl (that's what the box said) = Me

...

2010-11-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtySeven, November 1, 7 Miles
At Mile 2668 (5 more than the PCT...), Poptart 1002!!!!!!!!!!!!
Easy four miles into Columbus. Chatted to some friendly Border Patrol on the way. Aside from LAX I've yet to have a bad experience with those guys. Maybe it's my imposing height or my non-threatening face. Who knows...
Went to the Patio Cafe for breakfast, and to collect the star. Dan, Anna and myself had been talking about making a star forever. Ley marks waypoints on his maps with stars and we wanted to make a red star (Ley official route), a purple star (Ley alternate) and a rainbow star (our own alternate) and take photos of us with them. Never actually happened until Dan made one for their finish (with Anna, Myke and Rock Steady about a week ago). Dan did a wicked job (thanks and congratulations to you awesome people) and it's our southern terminus as there isn't one down here, not being the official trail and all. Three miles of highway to the border, plenty of photos and curious stares along the way. Reached the border, in costume and devouring my 1000th poptart. Crossed into Mexico, they don't care much apparently, I didn't even have to get my passport out. Palomas is a small border town and is either exactly the same or a world away from many American towns on that side, depending on how you view the world. Ate at The Pink Store like the tourists we are and that's about as far as we got. Back into the US via the easiest crossing ever. At one point I was certain I could just walk back unchallenged but wasn't willing to try. If anyone wants to get into the US easily, try a Mexican crossing on foot. Oh, wait...
Got an unexpected hitch back to Columbus and checked into Martha's, a very relaxing B&B, perfect to chill. Which we did, I wouldn't call it celebrating, just a weird, detached feeling that something was finished. It's kind of like moving house (that's the best I can come up with). I am happy to be done, but glad I still don't have to return to normality for another two months. Thanks to Hawkeye, Kombucha, Rolling Thunder and DIY for making the end so much fun and not awkward. You guys are the bestest.

One, two, three and to tha fo' Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre is at tha do'.

2010-11-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtySix, Halloween, 25 Miles
At Mile 2661, Poptart 994/1000
Finally, a warm morning. Have to suncream up with all this fresh, exposed skin. The Banana, Bumblebee and myself headed west and up into the Florida Mountain's. Both Ley and Wolf (maps and guidebook respectively) suggest this cross country mountain crossing as a tough but worthwhile alternate to the road. We knew of others who'd gone through and strongly warned against it. But that just makes me want to go more. And Ley especially was so darn convincing. Couldn't be that bad right? Well. Holy swear words it was. The terrain was rough, steep, loose and pointy. The ground was carpeted by cacti, waiting patiently to thrust their needles into our soft flesh. Branches of thorns towering above and around meant that even the air was dangerous. It was hell. If you're ever hiking the CDT south and aren't quite ready to be finished, go through the Florida's. You'll be ready to be finished. The Banana was swearing worse than I'd ever heard and we'd lost sight of Bumblebee in the forest of pain. We called it right there, about 300 metres after leaving the road. We quit. We bailed. Down a canyon side road and back to open, easy walking. We later found out Yas had gone through and taken a cactus to the back, unable to remove all the fine needles for a couple of days 'cause he was on his own. And he still thought it was worthwhile. Harder than us he is. Took longer than forever to get to the highway, hung out for an extended and final lunch at Carol and Ben's house which is open to hikers to chill and get water. Rather uneventful afternoon, the sun gave us a show as it set on our hike one last time. Can see Columbus and Palomas but it doesn't feel like we're done. We pretty much are. Much like last year, this is far too big of a thing to reflect on right now. I am still having fun. LAST NIGHT!

The cursed Floridas! Curses!

never never never never.

2010-11-09T10:29:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtyFive, October 30, 13 Miles
At Mile 2636, Poptart 976/1000
Left Keith and Mary's about noon-thirty. Big thanks to them for putting up with us and for all the information Keith had for the last section. With a solid weather report and a short final section it was minimal packs. We all costumed up; Hawkeye as a banana, Kombucha a bumblebee, RT the Grim Reaper, DIY as an escaped convict and me as a disco girl/hooker. The banana proved to be wonderfully attention grabbing, which I was especially grateful for as my dress was rather revealing. Credit goes to DIY who chose his costume in about 4 seconds as the rest of us fussed about and went with perhaps the bravest outfit in this part of the world. I have also come to the realisation that the difference between 70's disco fashion and that of post 70's sex workers is nothing more than a year thing. The costumes are awesome though, way fun and a great way to finish the trail. I think we were all getting tired and ready to be done but this has injected smiles and enthusiasm into our group. Hiked some roads and met up with Keith at a BBQ restaurant. On trail. I have been craving Texas-style BBQ for ever and they always seem to be closed for the day, night or ever. Not this one. And it was glory, some of the best I've eaten. Back on the highway, waves and smiles (and some glares) from passing motorists and water from a friendly house. Turning onto dirt The Grim Reaper got attacked by a dog that was interested in him and him only. The banana, convict and disco girl having passed unharmed. The owner came down but seemed unconcerned and almost uninterested that his dog was aggressively attacking a harmless passer by dressed as Death. In sweet irony he got bit, although The Grim Reaper did receive a scratch for his troubles. The next house was significantly more friendly, thinking we were trick-or-treaters Edwardo called out that he had no candy, but did have beer. So we turned sharply towards his home, with three friendly dogs that had no interest in eating Grim for tea. Edwardo and his wife Lupe were the best and we had a great half hour break with them. Saw another tarantula, then the Banana found a handgun. Not really surprising, I was actually more surprised to discover it was nothing more than a super-realistic cap-gun. So we walked all badass and packing till we got bored and the banana tossed it aside for the next hiker to find. As the sun set and we hiked the road in darkness we were stopped dead by a rattle. A rather irritated diamondback rattlesnake was in our path and refusing to move. Before I could bust out a snake-flicking-stick it moved aside. Kind of relieved at that, my attempted good deed for snake and hiker alike may have backfired. It was big and pissed. Very quickly all agreed to camp, hiding from the wind behind some low shrubs. Despite all that we've come across this evening I'm still sleeping out 'cause I'm tough. Can see the lights of El Paso/Ciudad Juarez off to the east. So close.

It's definitely a little awkward, but they're dancing anyway.

2010-11-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtyFour, October 29, 21 Miles
At Mile 2623, Poptart 964/1000
Another pre-dawn start. Sixteen miles into Deming. Hawkeye and myself spent about a mile collecting shell casings and the variety we picked up in that short time was scarcely believable. Ended up with about twenty different ones of all kinds of calibre. Americans and their guns. You have to be here to truly appreciate it. Never will understand though. Unless The Zombies come, then I know where I wanna be... The five miles of pavement dragged, but every mile eventually gives way to the next. Apparently Deming is the biggest town that the CDT goes through (even if we aren't actually on the 'CDT' any more, it's our CDT). And it goes right through the middle. Good because it has more than everything we need, bad 'cause we have to walk through it and it goes forever.
Had lunch at Palmas Italian which was deliciousness then caught up with trail angel Keith who took us back to his place. After showering and chatting we took Keith, who was celebrating his birthday, and his wife Mary to dinner at the funky Adobe Cafe. Which features many a dead animal and is rumoured to be haunted. Went back downtown to resupply at WalMart where I purchased up to and including the 1000th poptart. Halloween costumes were also acquired. We'd decided a while ago to do the last section in costume as we'd roughly planned to finish on November first, right between Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). Don't need to ask me twice to partake in a dress up. No cardboard though. Choosing was made somewhat difficult when hiking appropriateness had to be taken into consideration but we all look awesome. Hiked the five miles back to Keith and Mary's place 'cause it's our trail and it makes tomorrow easier. Word.

Oh did you see those lights!

2010-11-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtyThree, October 28, 32 Miles
At Mile 2602, Poptart 954/1000
Nice early start. As much as I enjoy sleeping in a bit, hiking as the sun rises is one of my favourite things in the world. The light is gorgeous and the world is peaceful and calm. That is, until you walked through cows and normality is restored. Damn cows. I have to admit, over the last few days I have been looking at cows with a more sympathetic eye. Evolution and selective breeding have not been kind to the species and they're too delicious for their own good. I'm sure they don't care though. All they do is wander about eating, drinking and sleeping. If only they would relax a little. Everyone took a break at first water. A copious flow brought to us by a solar-powered well. I went exploring around the ultra creepy abandoned farmhouses, anticipating attack from the crusty hermit living amongst the decay and rotting building. Fortunately for me, my imagination did not come to fruition. Truth is most certainly not stranger than fiction.
More cross country through pointy grass, each of us pausing periodically to remove the needles of grass from our feet. It wasn't too bad though, with large patches of open, lightly vegetated desert for us to pick our way through. A curious pronghorn antelope kept a safe distance during our lunch stop, but hung around for a good ten minutes and got close enough for us to check out. Continuing with the cross country, past more windmills. All flowing as long as the wind's blowing. And it almost always is. The water in New Mexico continues to be regular and of excellent quality. Saw a young rattlesnake just after I reached the road. Used a stick to shoo it off the road, was quite irritated but I probably saved your life snakedude. Made me think, crashing through the desert off trail while listening to music might not be the best of ideas. I continued on, music in ears. Bless my complacency. Fort Cummings was cool but there aint much left. Walking through the sunset is almost as wonderful as the rise and we set up shortly after with the lights of Deming in our foreseeable future.

Vanilla-Ice-T-Pain.

2010-11-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtyTwo, October 27, 25 Miles
At Mile 2570, Poptart 938/1000
As gusts of wind were sending shudders through the hut last night I was smiling, happy, warm and under a roof. By morning, unfortunately, the cold had worked its way inside and we took our time getting ready. By eleven we had completed a mighty five miles. It was worth it though, to sit at Emery Pass drinking the Guinness that Hawkeye and Kombucha had cached for us. Enjoying our last week on trail. Stretch also caught up with us. The wind over the previous two days had littered the trail with branches and blow downs, so we took to some trail work. Kicking, flicking and tossing aside anything in our way that would submit to our violence. It was way fun, and when I dropped to the back to de-layer it was clear we were making life easier for those behind us. The trail become clearer but less defined after we topped out on the shoulder of Signal Peak and headed down towards the desert. A scrubby, overgrown hike through Berrenda Canyon followed before we emerged into the open and onto road. Hiked into the night and set up on a wide corner, avoiding ant hills and pointy vegetation. Beautiful clear night and I'm happy as usual.

Must of bean that been I ate. Wait, did I do that right?

2010-11-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirtyOne, October 26, 22 Miles
At Mile 2545, Poptart 922/1000
Pete dropped us at the trail head. More thanks to Pete, Julie and everyone at San Lorenzo. Make me happy so. I guess I left today's maps and the guidebook for the rest of the trail at Pete's. Lucky I'm not on my own far out. Followed a road till it petered out then some cross country through forest 'cause we lost the lightly trodden trail. Hope no-one follows the cairn we made. The downside of cairn building is when you're not actually going the right way. Pretty sure this is only the second time I've done it and it's too late to go back once you realise. Oh well, I mean well right? And my useful cairns vastly outnumber my wrong ones...
Don't like hiking without any maps or guide, I feel useless. Plan was to head for the hut on Hillsboro Peak. Hoping it would be open. Once we got on better quality trail just pushed hard and into the night. Hillsboro is the last 10,000ft point on trail (10,003 to be precise) and dang if it wasn't windy up there. With no comfortable choice other than the hut I has horrified to find it locked. Circling round again in disbelief and fear of a windy night I completely failed to notice DIY had opened the door to the hut. The other hut. The one that was for hikers to use. Very thankful to be inside right now. It's proper howling out there.

I guess a quote from City of Angels??

2010-11-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Day OneThirty, October 25, 0 Miles
At Mile 2523, Poptart 910/1000
Walked over to the store for breakfast where we learned from Pete who worked there that Hawkeye and Kombucha wanted us to wait for them. They had found their van (VW Westfalia, which they will spend the next year in seeing the country) and were bringing it to San Lorenzo. It was so good to see them again and it didn't take much to convince ourselves to stay all day. Got to meet Julie and a whole bunch of other wonderful people that have made San Lorenzo one of the friendliest towns I've ever been to. Got our chores done with the aid of the new van and spent the night at Pete's place. Got a wad of poptarts from WalMart via Hawkeye and Kombucha. Very important, I'd be eating 92 in the last two-and-a-half days if it wasn't for them.

Blue, Red, Yellow.

2010-11-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

Day OneTwentyNine, October 24, 26 Miles
At Mile 2523, Poptart 908/1000
Up before the sun for the first time in a whiles. Very cold, getting sick of that. Also very moist, again. Mass dry outs in order. Sheep Corral Canyon was not flowing, which was a concern because there was potentially no more water all day. Eventually pulled from a pool of stagnant water that looked OK. Still haven't treated yet. Trail was a bit vague, but well graded and after wacking through a heavily overgrown stretch that was becoming less and less fun we came across a trail crew. Which made everybody happy. Some nice views of the flat, hot desert to the west and conversations with Richard Fidler brought me to highway 35. Lunch with RT and everything drying under the sun. Took a road alternate I'd spotted, saved some climbing, was shorter and quicker (not always hand in hand, those two) and avoided the killer bees. Found the trail again easily and enjoyed the last little stretch of official CDT we would hike on. Except we were going the wrong way... The official route had come down from the Gila Mountains (which we didn't hike) and was going west before heading south to the Southern Terminus at Crazy Cook (which we also didn't hike). Oh CDT. So after briefly experiencing a NOBO hike it was off official trail for good.

I and most of the other hikers heading south this year have opted for the alternate ending going through Mimbres, Deming and terminating at the US/Mexican border at Columbus/Palomas. It's easier logistically, Crazy Cook is nowhere away from anywhere and the towns are easier. There are established trail angels, it's supposed to be nice and water shouldn't be a problem. Crossing into Mexico will also be a fun way to end the trail. Margaritas and all that.

After passing another trail crew in pretty Allie Canyon we caught up with DIY and got out to the highway in time for a quick hitch down to San Lorenzo. Everything was closed but some locals pointed us toward trail angel Julie's house. Still were unsure exactly where we were going RT volunteered (because I'm horrible at asking for things) to go door knocking and a gentleman named Albie came to our rescue. After pointing out Julie's house he asked if we were looking for a place to stay and offered his workshop. Which was warm and contained beer, a TV and good conversation. Albie brought out some tasty chillie which was destroyed. Watched the Vikings lose to the Packers dangnit. Massive thanks to Albie, again proving that the good people in this world are all around and make life wonderful.

2010-11-07T05:17:00.001-08:00

Rather than try, and fail, to describe the beauty of the Gila see for yourself. For the record I'm at a truck stop somewhere on Interstate 40 in New Mexico, enjoying a huge sunrise. The first of a post daylight savings America for the winter.

Get through this.

2010-11-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

We done.
Will try and finish the journal but I get distracted easily.
Photos and all that soon.
I ruined the will he or won't he finish. Again.

Now what?
I've got a month to kill in the US before I fly back to NZ. Real life again, guess I should get a Facebook account, job and a car, right?

Rub your eye don't rub your eye.

2010-11-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyEight, October 28, 21 Miles
At Mile 2497, Poptart 900/1000
Damn skunk.
No hurry this morning, instead we went back up to Doc Campbell's store. My appetite has returned. Relentlessly. Unfortunately this is far from a good 'town stop' for that. Thunder got yelled at for not microwaving his burrito the correct way. It was pretty funny. I was too nervous to microwave my own, fear of the wrath, my hunger eventually won. Sunny, cold morning. Went the Gila proper route instead of the road walk. Very glad we did. The trail was great and the Gila valley was a continuation of the awesomeness we've had over the previous few days. Had low expectations for this lower section of the Gila but it's been as nice as the Middle Fork. River is a little wider and deeper, as you would expect after the confluation (I know conflation is the word but confluation sounds better so yeah) of the west, eat and middle forks. Appears as though the trail receives many footsteps but all is quiet in the early autumn chill.
After four days of hiking splendour and wet feet we left the Gila for good at Sapillo Creek. No idea how many fords but all that matters is that I only fell once. Climbing. Oh, you. Warms the soul like nothing else, so I had to remove my windshirt for the first time in days. Passing splendid views and tarantulas I returned to the land of cactus. After topping out and playing with the abundant .22 shells RT caught up and we pushed on through the sunset to a ridge top campsite.

Have you ever bean?

2010-11-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentySeven, October 22, 13 Miles
At Mile 2476, Poptart 896/1000
Everything dried out last night, 'twas quite warm above the canyon floor. Another dozen or so crossings of the Middle Fork, past some of the biggest ponderosa pines I have ever seen. Little Bear Canyon trail junction. Strange. I guess I was wrong in where I thought Jordan Hotsprings were on the topo. It's hard to pick with all these twists and turns. Oh well. Little Bear was incredible, a tight wee slot canyon for about half a mile then opened out with nice tread as RT and I headed for the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Which were amazing.
Like the ultimate in abandoned house exploring. Mogollon people lived in the rooms built into the caves between 1275 and 1300 and there is still plenty of the structure standing (some was rebuilt by USFS). It was fun snooping around and listening to the stories told by the on-site guide. It was also redank cold.
Highway walk to Doc Campbells, which was about what I'd expected. Not much choice food-wise and not especially friendly. The ice-cream, coming highly rated, was average at best. Some hikers must have low ice-cream standards. Real low. Went down to the Hot Springs Campground, which was awesome. Spent the second consecutive evening soaking. These were quite a bit hotter than Jordan. Can't complain.

A skunk is stalking my tarp. Of all the animals in the world. I can't sleep for fear of waking up with a skunk snooping around my stuff, me frightening it and yeah. That.
GO AWAY SKUNK!!
Dang...
I'd take a bear right now.

Red. Neck.

2010-11-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentySix, October 21, 13 Miles
At Mile 2463, Poptart 890/1000
Cold night, very moist. You know what that means. Frozen sleeping bag and a layer of frost on everything. Probably should start using my tarp as it reduces the condensation I get on my stuff when I sleep out. Better yet, New Mexico could just be dry like it's supposed to...
Not ready to ford. Too cold. Being deep in the canyon, the sun didn't ever really appear today. Thanks 200-foot cliffs and clouds. Geez. Every time I approached comfortable warmth the trail led me through the frigid water. As the river and trail continued their meander down the narrow canyon we met regularly. You get used to it. And as the day passed the water became pleasantly warm. It's spectacularly beautiful down here, the massive walls towering above prove mightily distracting and I stumbled frequently. Made it to Jordan Hotsprings about 3:30, just as it started to rain. Managed to set up before it got to heavy, not that the tarp offered much protection against a particularly heavy down poor. Splash, splash, splash. Spent the evening in the clear, warm spring pool. Splendid.
Now I'm all warm and dry.
First time under my tarp in two weeks...
LEY TRIPLE!!!! Finally... (three days on the same map, has been a 'challenge' of mine for a while).
Choice.

Cross X O.

2010-11-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyFive, October 20, 24 Miles
At Mile 2450, Poptart 878/1000
Despite the Elk buguling, full moon all in my face and the generators going all night in the hunters camp somewhere down there I still got a great nights sleep. The junction was unsigned and we were chatting. Of course we missed it. By the looks of footprints DIY had too. Through more pointy grass with powerlines guiding our way, we found our road and dropped down into T-Bar Canyon. Which was nice, but I wouldn't walk it again. Last road for a while took us to Snow Lake and the head of the Gila. The Gila Wilderness is the world's first wilderness area, designated in 1924. It's one of the highlights of New Mexico, if not the entire CDT. Even if it's not officially the CDT (the official trail heads up into the mountains). The route we'd chosen was the popular Middle Fork which would take us down the river on the canyon floor, fording the Middle Fork Gila River many times. Like hiking in New Zealand...
So we threw some fords, brushed against some pointy vegetation, sheltered in a cave from the rain and enjoyed the magnificence of this beautiful area.

It's the only way to learn.

2010-11-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyFour, October 19, 26 Miles
At Mile 2426, Poptart 866/1000
Cold last night. Sort of. Not the coldest night of the trail. Not even close. Snow Mesa has that distinction (un)comfortably. Problem is, my sleeping bag is very tired, there is very little loft left in the shoulder area. No fun. Had some more trail to place our feet on this morning. A rare treat in this fine state. Very up and down, another rare treat. Perhaps the last elk we'll encounter too. Some big racks out there if you leave the roads...
Pretty tired, RT got well ahead and was waiting for me at Davis Spring. I'd gotten a heads up on the quality of the spring but could not remember what that heads up actually was. RT had a strange look on his face which did little to help my hopeless memory. As soon as I peered into the tank below the dry spring pipe I was struck with a wave of memory and dead animal stink. Three dead squirrels. Sprawled out like a macabre pile of one-drink-too-many sixteen year-olds (wait, I mean eighteen, no twentyone here, right?), gross. That's what Wrong Way had told me. Luckily, thanks to a note from our friends Hawkeye and Kombucha who'd been there a couple days earlier, we found the spring source and it's barely-there trickle. Had lunch while the seep filled our bottles, took well over an hour in the end. The afternoon was hot and cruisy. A cross country shortcut filled our shoes, socks and feet with pointy blades of grass. Sucked. Made camp before sundown in a nice grove of Ponderosa, wonderful.

Oh, I missed it? Perfect!

2010-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyThree, October 18, 16 Miles
At Mile 2400, Poptart 856/1000
MY RED PEN THAT ALMOST MADE TWO THRU-HIKES DIED. THIS IS TERRIBLE NEWS. SO CLOSE!!
Pretty sick of hitching, glad there is only one more town left that needs to be hitched into. Took two rides, both were awesome. So again I am conflicted in my feelings about hitch-hiking. Curses. Managed to cash some travellers cheques in town so I have money again.
That windmill and it's usually reliable tank were bone dry. Luckily RT and myself weren't counting on it. Easy road walking and some brand new trail, which was loverly. Easy climb up Wagontounge Mountain then cairn-following and a leisurely stroll through a trackless canyon floor.
Found the cabins and the "oily" spring. The cabins were both in good shape, one would have been nice to sleep in 'cept for the rodent crap and the fact that it creeped me out. A lot. The oily spring was oily. But I pulled and drank anyway 'cause my stomach lets me. Really not that bad. The moon is full and bright. Cooked for the first time in I can't remember and sleeping outside for only the second time in a week.

Harvest the fall savings?

2010-10-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyTwo, October 17, 15 Miles
At Mile 2384, Poptart 848/1000
Easy road walking all the way to the highway. I learned about Fructose. Rolling Thunder was at the highway and we got a relatively quick hitch to Aaragon. Then waited a while before getting a friendly 65mph back-of-the-truck ride down to Reserve. Small town, pretty nice. Got a big, comfortable hotel room and called it. As much as I enjoy being with everyone, it's wicked relaxing having only the two of us in a hotel room. Watched Colts/Redskins and Vikings/Cowboys. Enjoying the football a lot more this year, it takes time.

Gas station.

2010-10-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwentyOne, October 16, 25 Miles
At Mile 2369, Poptart 842
Finally left Pie Town about ten. Not before I enjoyed my beer-infused Jell-O. Which was a solid breakfast. Road all day. Started getting stomach cramps. Really bad. Had to rest a whiles then just man through it. Which was not fun. No idea why either cause they left about 8pm and never came back. DIY and me lost RT, think he's on top of the hill behind us. We have an awful spot and I can't really set up my tarp. Please don't rain...

Kings and compromises.

2010-10-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwenty, October 15, 0 Miles
At Mile 2344, Poptart 834/1000
Myself, RT and DIY half packed this morning, I swear. We had to check out the Pie-O-Neer ( http://www.pie-o-neer.com/ ), the other Pie restaurant in Pie Town. And very glad we did, it's a really cool little cafe and Kathy is one of the greatest people in the world. The best pie I've ever eaten, anywhere. No doubt. I officially retracted my "pie is just pie" statement. It's always nice being welcomed and Pie Town has been perhaps the most welcoming town on any trail I've ever hiked. A little too welcoming even...
"You know, we don't really need to leave today..." RT mentioned.
And that was that, another zero. Another afternoon of chilling on the porch, drinking and eating. Found some burgers in the back of the freezer and had some makeshift bagel burgers. Which even featured tinned beetroot, in true Kiwi style. RT and I were all over it, DIY was somewhat skeptical. Americans...

Reverse order, Pie Town to Cuba. Oh.

2010-10-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

Budweiser + Jell-O = Michael's America.

Pie Town! Finally...

Kombucha and Hawkeye, Pie Town 60.

Car.

Peanut M&M's on Mt. Taylor. This was the beginning of the end for so many reasons.

Mesa country between Cuba and Grants.

Points.

Another storm that didn't bother us. Over Cuba, New Mexico.

Bad idea sucka.

It makes me look so much more creative. I'm awesome!

2010-10-17T19:01:00.001-07:00

Day OneNineteen, October 14, 0 Miles
At Mile 2344, Poptart 832/1000
Yeah zero. Hawkeye and Kombucha headed out, should be able to meet back with them in Mimbres or Deming when they get back from a wedding. Washed clothes, tidied the house a bit, read, typed a fortnight (fort! Night!) worth of journal but mostly did nothing. All is well.
Massive thanks to Nita and the Pie Town Community. You are greatness.

Sneaking peaks at the wall.

2010-10-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Day OneEighteen, October 13, 0 Miles
At Mile 2344, Poptart 832/1000
Zero at the toaster house. Myke, Rock Steady, DnA headed out. Hawkeye and Kombucha succumbed to my zero creating 'powers' (it's really not that hard, but my tally is now five). DIY, RT and Scout showed up along with some divide cyclists. Scout and Mykes parents headed of for Albuquerque and Nita's gone to Malibu. All these comings and goings are just another reason why this place is so cool. Luckily, RT has a zero in mind and I can stick around for that. No problem.

He fell asleep with a poptart in his hand.

2010-10-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Day OneSeventeen (unlike the Transplants song...), October 12, 25 Miles
At Mile 2344, Poptart 830/1000
Fell asleep last night halfway through a poptart. Woke a couple hours later, took another bite and promptly fell asleep again. Guess I wasn't in the best of ways. Cold, restless night, awoke early and got myself moving before 5am. Have kind of missed hiking this early, the last two mornings have been nice. It is a wonderful time to be hiking. Feeling pretty good, the rest did me well. Disappointing because virtually any other day and the 60 would have been a bit of a slog but I'd have got through fine I think. Had to be one of the days my body crapped out. Oh well, another day perhaps... No lava made this morning even easier. Follow the road. Keep following the road. Hardly needed the headlamp except to alert traffic of my presence. Amazingly, there was traffic, on this road, at this hour. I'm sure if they're locals they're used to seeing CDT'ers hiking at all hours through here. Miles went by quickly (not quick enough). The sun rose colourfully where it normallly does and the colour was reflected in the western sky. Cold moning, didn't really warm up till ten. Something of a weird feeling, just finishing what I should have done yesterday, but that distance being 25 miles. About six miles from Pie Town, bouncing along to Emergency! Emergency!, a small Jeep approaches. A hand reaches out. Holding a Sprite. It's Dan, Hawkeye and Kombucha. Sat on the road for a bit, assured them I was fine and soon enough I was seeing them again in Nita's Toaster House in the awesomeness that is Pie Town. Pie Town is a tiny dot on the highway that consists of a Post Office, two pie cafes, a collection of buildings and houses and Nita's. The Toaster House is the most well known of the small handful of established CDT Trail Angels. Nita now lives up the road a bit so the house has no full time resident, remaining open to hikers, bikers and travellers. A very special place. A character-filled old house that holds the stories of hundreds.
Great to see Hawkeye and Kombucha had cleared the PTS. Awesome to see Dan and Anna, and Rock Steady who none of us had seen since the Winds in Wyoming. All are well. Wrong Way is also here, having finished his NOBO. Hung out and chatted the rest of the day as others, local and not passed through. Nita stopped by a couple of times and she is a truly wonderful, generous soul. The trail community is all the better with her support and friendship. I see vortex. Crushed a lot of cans kid.

S.P.F.C.C.S.M.F.T.F.D.T.

2010-10-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Day OneSixteen, October 11, 35 Miles
At Mile 2319, Poptart 826/1000
Woke up to the sound of Kombucha's alarm.
Groaned.
Already??
But they weren't moving.
If they won't I won't.
But I should, we need to get going.
Hawkeye lightly snoring.
I get out my headlamp and check the time.
12:30am
Dang.
Four hours later the process repeats itself, this time we eventually all get up and pack. A little after 5am we're off. This is our sixty mile day to Pie Town. The PTS. Couple miles to the highway then across to El Malpais (The Badlands). A giant lava field. Great. Walking on lava blows. By the time we'd crossed we were averaging 2.5mph. With 50 miles left for the day it was already looking like we'd be in for a long day. Meanwhile RT and Scout were going to stay off road as much as possible, go at a normal pace and meet us in Pie Town in a couple days. After refilling from our cache we started on the 17 miles along the shoulder of highway 117. Passing La Ventana (The Window) Natural Arch and The Narrows then out in the hot, wide openness of New Mexico. Kombucha's brother Keith came out to meet us as we hit dirt York Ranch Road, the road that would carry us most of the remaining 32 miles to Pie Town. We took bets on what time we'd get in. Mine was 2am but a seed of doubt and tiredness was growing. I had began to feel as I did about the same time of day a week or so ago. Not good. Not sure what it is, nothing to do with miles, temperature, rest, anything I can make sense of. All I knew is I wasn't going to walk sixty miles today and I was extremely disappointed. Crashed hard at about 6pm as my two friends pushed on.

Country cool; different coloured.

2010-10-17T18:57:00.002-07:00

Day OneFifteen, October 10 (10/10/10!!), 23 Miles
At Mile 2284, Poptart 820/1000
Great sleep in Hugo and Carole's backyard. Awoke to a massive, delicious breakfast that Carole had whipped up for us. Hard to leave but leave we must. Said our goodbyes and headed on our way. A huge thankyou to Hugo and Carole for everything. Food, shower, company, generosity, water and most importantly the friendship they have given us and the trail. How can one not have faith in humanity?
It wouldn't be a leaving town day if we didn't allow ourselves to be distracted by food. And we had to introduce Scout to the ways of Team Pacific Rim. He's from San Diego too so he definitely fits in. Embrace the distracted. First was the supermarket, then Hawkeye, RT and I simply had to get some burritos from Sonic. Unfortunately (also, luckily for our southward progress) the Hawaiian BBQ place was closed (down?) but McDonalds was open, of course. At eleven we were privileged to watch the changing of the menu. Exciting times. Called Carole to suggest pushing back our on-trail rendezvous by an hour might be a good idea. Save them waiting for us.
Finally, back on trail. All road today. Through Zuni Canyon, then Bonita. Having Scout with us injected fresh spirit and new stories, new conversation and the opportunity to tell trail stories to someone who understands. Met Hugo and Carole, who were cashing water for us. Which is a massive help, without the two cache's they gave us it'd be an unthinkable carry out of Grants. Potentially as high as 64 miles... We were also given beer, ice-cream and a special wee bag of Peanut M&M's. Which I actually enjoy again. Today was wonderful.
Changed the batteries in my headlamp for tomorrow. Love my Petzel eLite, those batteries had been in since somewhere in Oregon last year and this is the first time I've actually managed to run a set dry. Granted, the beam has very weak for a while, but it's enough. Get ma moneys worth for sure.

This could be the number that brings it all crashing down.

2010-10-17T18:57:00.001-07:00

Day OneFourteen, October 9, 6 Miles
At Mile 2261, Poptart 816/1000
Very happy to get going this morning, an extra mile of trail was annoying but got to town a little before 9am. Done. That was my limit. Physically, I think I could handle another couple thirties but mentally no. All other restricted resupply challenges now pale in comparison. 108 miles of nothing but Peanut M&M's, save for water. Legit. Now, onto salt. Walked through the supermarket, getting my resupply and overwhelmed by what would be my first item of salty deliciousness. With all the treats in the world at my immediate disposal I left the store with nothing. Nothing. But there was a reason, what I really wanted, what I'd been craving, was the BBQ chips from the Dollar Store. And there was one close by. And so it was I was reunited with salt. Happy. Headed to the trail angels, who'd put out a cache below Mt Taylor and we'd made contact with. Hugo and Carole, true trail magic of the highest order. Four smelly hikers were welcomed into their home, fed, washed and introduced to their three awesome dogs, bird and a mysterious number of cats (Hawkeye later figured eleven). Spent the afternoon chatting about the trail and the local area. Apparently Scout, who'd come out from San Diego to hike a section, had hiked out planning to surprise us. Unfortunately, we'd taken different routes and missed each other. Actually, this may have been a good thing. He was packing out beer and as still bound by the rules at that point Hawkeye and myself may have cracked. Good to see Scout again when he showed up, as did Myke with his parents Beth and Phil. Watched some college football. About four games simultaneously. Which is the only tolerable way to actually watch games. Very happy right now.

What's R'n'B without the R'ahh?

2010-10-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Day OneThirteen, October 8, 27 Miles
At Mile 2255, Poptart 816/1000
Got a pretty big storm last night which made walking on the clay-mud road a pleasure. Mt Taylor was cool and at 11,301ft the last significant high point of the CDT. Not that we're on the actual divide. We haven't seen it since Cumbres Pass in Colorado and won't till just before Pie Town. Where we probably won't even notice. Camped on the edge of the drop down to Grants, looking majestic this evening. Hardly ate anything this afternoon, well sick of the M&M's. Even Hawkeye is. Thinking about all the awesome town food I've eaten on an empty stomach. Happiness.

Done with all this thinking.

2010-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Day OneTwelve, October 7, 30 Miles
At mile 2228, Poptart 816/1000
Clear, warm morning. Easy hiking 'cause we took the road for a change of pace. Faster pace. Town. Hawkeye's doing better than me but the Peanut M&M's are starting to wear. Definitely will not run out, pretty well force eating. Salt cravings and that hollow stomach feeling from not eating anything of substance. If you think I'm whining, that at least I get to eat, it's true. But we are doing big miles. The body demands sustenance. And despite this, I do like these challenges. This particular one came from me cruising 56 miles last year and my curiosity of how far a thru-hiker can take Peanut M&M's. At least this thru-hiker.
Dropped down to Ojo de los Indios (Indian Springs) for lunch and high quality H2O. More road after lunch, caught DIY, found a nice camp in some pines. Soft duff mmm. Not before some blue sky rain though. No clouds around at all except these wee little puffs. Which were apparently the source of the rain. Grand. Some hunters just offered beer, Elk steaks and potatoes. Which Hawkeye and myself are bound by the rules of the challenge to refuse. Oh, how I hate the world. Resorted to eating all the orange, red and brown M&M's this afternoon. I swear I can taste the difference between the different food colourings. Red Lake 40 is the best, Yellows 5 and 6 are pretty good. Not a big fan of the Blues, except Lake 2.

How long can/does it really last?

2010-10-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Day OneEleven, October 6, 29 Miles
At Mile 2198, Poptart 816/1000
Well, at least that gives me all four states. Rained out of a cowboy for the fourth and hopefully last time, as usual it was all but over by the time I'd set up my tarp. Same Mesa walking as yesterday, which was wonderful. Trail was craving attention as it so often does, winding around, spent much time cairn spotting and snake checking. Landscape here is incredible, like I so often say. Just imagine all those westerns you saw. Cowboy man. Lunch at a tap that worked, despite hearing it didn't (RT later dubbed it Schroedinger's Tap, which I love), really good water. There have been just enough great sources that we're willing to carry and avoid the crap, which has been nice. Wind picked up in the afternoon and some big storms rolled in. It's always much more enjoyable watching a storm that's passing you by. The way they colour the desert is worth stopping and watching. Crossed the wide and slightly flowing Arroyo Chico and enjoyed another orange/blue sunset. Missed Ley's famed quicksand, not wet enough dangnit. Pushing for Ojo Frio, our next water, I lost sight of the others, then stopped seeing cairns. This meant I was no longer on the CDT. I was on a cow path, or a horse trail, or a sandy little draw. As darkness crept towards me I stubbornly persisted. Not until the trail swung back north, a direction I was most definitely not supposed to be walking, did I take a quick survey at my map and realise I needed to be just over there on the other side of the hill. Cross country was not the most appealing of prospects in the gloom with the abundance of pointy flora about. I eventually hit a fence and what I was disappointed to find was not a gate. Headed towards where the trail was along the fenceline, I figured I'd find myself soon enough. Down and scrambling back up a washout I has kicking cacti in the dark when I spotted another figure stumbling towards me. RT. We immediately spotted two headlamps in the exact location we were headed and hopped the fence. Hopped is probably not the best word actually. RT slithered under whilst I, in my infinite tallness got halfway between almost over and pretty-much-over before losing my balance. Luckily a friendly cactus was there to break my fall. Nice water, nice campsite, dead headlamp. Peanut M&M's are still treating us both well. Although I must admit that I'm extremely intimidated by the fact there are two full days left before the final morning. No salt cravings to speak of, worried about that too. My experience with these ridiculous food challenges tells me I should be craving it hard right now.

Once, twice, three times a lady.

2010-10-17T18:53:00.002-07:00

Day OneTen, October 5, 19 Miles
At Mile 2169, Poptart 812/1000
We walked from Canada to Cuba. Unbroken line of footsteps. That's right.
Followed paved roads, then the highway into Cuba. Passed some fairly ratty houses and their dogs. Learned from a local walking ahead of us that carrying dog food saves getting harassed too badly. Got to about the centre of the primarily boarded up town and were stopped by a local police officer named Tom. The trail literally follows the highway/main street through town so we're not an uncommon sight. He asked how all was going, weather, plans etc. We asked where the best place to breakfast was. He suggested Prescilanos and offered to drive us back there. So we piled into the cage and thanked him. Cuba continued to be a particularly friendly town, despite it's external appearances. It has everything a hiker needs and not having to hitch and being able to leave whenever and immediately be on trail makes our simple lives even easier. Hawkeye and myself went on the Peanut M&M hunt for our resupply. Dollar store ended up being the best place and we near on cleaned them out of M&M's. This is the section I had decided would be the 100+ mile Peanut M&M challenge. The make or break. Can you hike 25's for four days on sugar and chocolate covered peanuts? Budget and stock levels restricted us to 3500 Calories a day. Which is very reasonable actually. It is, however, a tiny amount of food volume-wise. Thus, we both have The Fear.
Left town early afternoon, it begins. Five miles along the highway then a well marked but lightly tracked route through all varieties of desert pointiness to Mesa Portales. Which was incredible. On the top edge of the Mesa, above a drop of a couple hundred feet. Cacti waiting to ambush the side of your feet every time you look up. Something amazing trying to slip by unnoticed every time you look down.
Made it to Jones Canyon but not quite the spring, we have enough water. Ate some Peanut M&M's. Still delicious.

Top five emcee's.

2010-10-17T18:53:00.001-07:00

Day OneOhNine, October 4, 27 Miles
At Mile 2150, Poptart 808/1000
Better this morning. Little bit of highway walking then a long, easy climb to the San Pedro Parks/Peaks Wilderness area. Which is basically just some meadows. Camped a little out of Cuba.

But I want a regular banana later. So, yeah.

2010-10-17T18:19:00.001-07:00

Day OneOhEight, October 3, 25 Miles
At Mile 2123, Poptart 796/1000
Left pretty early, passed through the awkward and unfriendly visitors centre and museum at the highway and roaded to the canyon of the Rio Chama. Which I was a little disappointed by, but expectations and all that. Climbing, into a storm and past our first rattlesnake, a juvenile that had no rattles yet. Carrying three litres of water. As late afternoon rolled along I started feeling less than ok. By the time we set up I was shivering and crashed. Unfortunately the weather forced me to set up my tarp for the first time in eleven days dangnit. Fell asleep the second I got into my bag until my own snoring woke me up an hour later (which leads me to believe it would be impossible for me to snore regularly). Fell back asleep and awoke a little before eleven, forced some food and slept away the bad feelings.

Wise man.

2010-10-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhSeven, October 2, 0 Miles
At Mile 2098, Poptart 786/1000
Convinced each other that a zero was the thing to do. And zero we did. Hung out in the library, more internet, more eating, more nothing. Fell asleep watching a huge lightning storm to the north. Ghost Ranch has been a joy to visit.

The tropics of Cancer, Capricorn and a wrecked knee.

2010-10-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhSix, October 1, 3 Miles
At Mile 2098, Poptart 784/1000
Oh, that's exactly what I wanted to happen. In a way.
Box Canyon was unbelievable. Scrambling upstream, over, under and through. Probably need photos. The narrowing canyon, worn smooth by millennia of flash floods and an apparently permanent spring-fed creek, dead-ended in a massive amphitheatre that had us staring, wondering, wandering and smiling. Definitely the best side trip yet. Back down and headed for Ghost Ranch. The landscape here is incredible. Georgia O'Keefe lived here, it's not hard to see why and her paintings say more than words can. Ghost Ranch is also something incredible. A Presbyterian desert retreat and conference centre that is beyond welcoming and friendly to hikers. Dan, Anna and Myke were there, both Myke and Dan had been sick, Dan with a diagnosed case of the 'G' (giardia). Apparently he had mentioned the claims made by Joker and myself that we were asymptomatic carriers of Giardia. My G research had lead me to believe this is not uncommon amongst adults, the doctor claimed otherwise. Asymptomatic no. But I am right. Of course. I don't know, but I still haven't treated anything and I'm fine, last year was the same. If it's delusion, at least it makes me happy. Hung out around the ranch, got some AYCE, watched a storm, cleaned and interneted. Stayed up late and listened to the AFL final replay. Oh Australia, I miss you. Got to bed around 2am, sleeping out in the campground.

Calm down dearest.

2010-10-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhFive, September 30, 28 Miles
At Mile 2095, Poptart 782/1000
Up, early for us, Team Late Rise (TLR). Usually known as Team Pacific Rim (TPR), and occasionally Team Food Challenge (TFC). Three letters are a way of life. A quick and easy morning to Harris Bear Spring. Easy cross country followed by a nice stroll along Mogote Ridge and a road walk through some colourful Aspens and bland grassland. No bears were to be found at the spring, but it's always nice to reach a goal earlier than anticipated. The afternoon found us on the top edge of an escarpment, trailless, through open forest. Very reminiscent of the Blue Mountains at home, great hiking. Dropped down steeply to a road and ran into D.I.Y. Yeso tank was not as bad as it's made out to be. These “tanks” are little man-made lakes/dams which hold water for the stock that are allowed to graze these areas. Americans need their meet and cows need their water. The water is usually horrid and we've not yet had to even consider drinking from any. I probably would though... Without treating...
Leaving jeep road we entered the badland country just north of Ghost Ranch. Completely amazing. That cowboys-and-indians desert south-west type landscape. Cliffs and gullies, little canyons, draws and dry creek beds, the vague trail twisted and turned amongst cacti and sage. I loved it all. The reds and blues, browns and yellows, very happy to finally hike through the desert I had hoped to see in my time here. We dropped into a side canyon, water still doing its thing, carving the smooth rock whichever way it so desires. Relentless. Found a nice sandy spot on the floor of the main canyon after some incredible scenery in the evening light. All cowboyed, flash floods whatever. Got a wee glimpse up Box Canyon and imma going up there to explore tomorrow morning.

That's what happens when you grow up there.

2010-10-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

We're in Cuba.
That's right, I walked from Canada to Cuba. Continuous steps.
It's pretty much exactly what I expected.
You should read Rolling Thunder's journal, the link is down there on the right. It's way more updated than mine.

Now marks the winter of Tim Sullivan's discontent.

2010-10-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhFour, September 29, 23 Miles.
At Mile 2067, Poptart 772/1000
Late to rise, ten hours of sleep always makes me tired. Some mildly confusing road walking. Strange that the new, official CDT is on road. Supposed to be a silent (meaning vehicle free) trail when finished and all that. Hopewell Lake is little more than a small, man made reservoir, probably for cows. But there was a shelter there, with water pump and trash bins. All the important thru-hiker requirements. Fast miles on a busy Forest Service road, which serviced many Dude ranches and others of unknown purposes. Finally left the boundary of the Tierra Amarilla Grant, still no idea what it is but they make excellent tortillas. For a huge profit. Water has been pretty good so far. Haven't had to treat anything yet, not that I would anyway. Fell behind the others, then they straight up disappeared. Got myself on a accidental/deliberate cross country rainbow. Didn't really know where I was as my map and the real world were disagreeing. So I kept walking in the same direction and as my continuous navigational luck would have it, hi trail. No prints, except those of my friends a couple days ahead so I waited a bit then continued on another cross country shortcut that I semi messed up but came out on trail way further along than I had expected. I am still awesome at this navigation thing. Sat down for an hour, Kombucha, Hawkeye and RT showed up and we worked out we only had to walk another six miles. Camped early at a spring.

Bring me the wizard, bring me the master of the science of signs...

2010-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhThree, September 28, 27 Miles
At Mile 2044, Poptart 764/1000
New Mexico is awesome.
Some roads, some trails.
Some open plains, some canyons, some forest.
Some filthy cow water, some tasty streams, some pure springs, lots of dry.
Got a bit of all that is good about this state. The Aspens have been amazing over the last few days (you know right?). Can't help it, I love walking through them. Spent about ten minutes before lunch trying to catch a leaf for good luck. I think we all got two and each a couple more sitting there. So lucky we shall be for a couple days. Nice and hot too, getting back into the 30sC. Roads everywhere, spent the last hour hiking surrounded by bugling Elk and howling Coyotes which was very special.

One of every six wins.

2010-10-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhTwo, September 27, 9 Miles
At Mile 2017, Poptart 754/1000
Numbers, lists, convenience, scrutiny.
What a day.

Quick four miles through Aspen coloured glory to our highway.
Cumbres Pass.
We left way too much alcohol for Pace, Coach and Whitefish. My flip-flopper friends who I shared NorMT with and have recently started seeing in towns again. This is where they end their crazy CDT thru-hike. Hope they found it in high spirits. I know Whitefish has a couple gaps to fill but congratulations guys. Managed to pull that sucka together.
IT TOOK THREE HOURS TO GET A RIDE INTO TOWN.
Our ride was awesome, just don't bring up politics. Two rifles under the seat. A norm in Second Amendment crazy USA, still creepy and ridiculous for this kiwi kid. On that note, one of the cars that passed us on the pass was sporting Texas plates reading: 2NDAM. Guns, guns, guns.
Best Aspens I've seen anywhere on the ride down and into Chama.
In a New Mexico town before the trail takes us here. Kind of like cheating but I'll make an exception for this wonderful town.
Ate at super friendly Fosters (not like the 'Australian' 'beer'.).
PO, library. Chama is the friendliest and most CDT aware town thus far. Joy.
Got offered a ride the two miles down to the supermarket. Without trying. Anti-hitch.
Met up with Hawkeye and Kombucha, resupply.
Got me some 12% Earthquake HGL for the border. Bad beer and Passion Pop's illegitimate child that one is.
While in the supermarket with Kombucha, a friendly local asks about the trail, proves to be welcoming and knowledgeable and offers us a beer at the High Country Restaurant. We were already going there. Turns out the man is Che (Shay? Chay?), the owner of said restaurant and all around CDT Trail Angel.
The High Country is probably the best restaurant on trail, for many reasons The food being the main one. Not to mention our witty, secretive waiter/barman of awesomeness.
Waiter/barman drops a card on our table as we finish eating. "Special Zed, Minion of the Night" and a phone number. Completely stone faced as he returns to the bar.
We are baffled and more than a little intrigued.
The bill follows. Our servers name was, apparently, Zed.
More intrigued...
Realise we need to get hitchin', it's getting dark.
Yeah, nothing, no surprise.
Lets try Zed?...
Zed does provide and soon enough Che is driving us back up to the pass. He also explains a little about Zed.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING CHAMA.
The plan was to hike the four miles to the border, drink, and sleep right there.
Walking the train tracks (yeah, until last year it was the official trail) we took an extra dark and drunk infused mile-and-a-half loop that would have been saved by a 100m cross country jaunt.
We were very confused. It explained a lot though. Details.
NM/CO border is a cattle guard on a forest road. As Coach had told us, "That's all you need to know about New Mexico.".
Drank some amazingly horrid high gravity larger, lit 2000 candles and slept amongst the cowfilth. In New Mexico.
Final state!

You and I could fight this.

2010-10-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhOne, September 26, 25 Miles
At Mile 2007, Poptart 748/1000
You stir, roll, groan. Your eyes open. The moon is shining the sun's light into your face but the grey predawn tells you it is time. All around you, the world is covered in frost. The sleeping bag is wet from condensation. But you are warm.
Up. You pack your bag methodically. The same exact way you always do.
Up. Up goes the trail, switching back and forth. Up, across, down and around it swings to Blue Lake.
The lake is blue. Inviting.
Around, up, across open grasslands. Twelve thousand feet high.
The trail is evading you. You walk, cairn to cairn, as the trail appears above, below, over there. Taunting you.
But the trail needs you. It needs your footsteps. Without you it is nothing. It knows this. You know this.
It cooperates.
Sparkling Trail Lake, identical in colour to the cloudless sky. Lunch is consumed, throttled, devastated.
You dry your wet items, including the tarp that has not been used for days.
Across, down, between two majestic valleys of splendour to Dripping Lakes. Shimmering.
The lakes today have been as picturesque as any, anywhere. Colorado's one last surprise.
Up, up and across. The abrupt end of the mountains. There is still divide to walk, but it stretches southward with a much flatter, rolling tone. Save for a few monsters in our future.
Aspens, lakes, mountains, trees and cliffs.
Down the ridge, the sun golden before it sinks below the horizon.
You find a suitable place of rest. Amongst blowdowns and logging paths you eat.
Between two tents you sleep, nothing between you and the inky, star filled sky.
Joy.
Today was the same as the hundred before it.
But different in every way.
This is your bread and butter.
This is how you walk across a country.

2000 miles!!!!!

They steamrolled past the lobby. Did you trip on your shoelace untied?

2010-10-01T23:51:00.000-07:00

Day OneOhOh, September 25, 25 Miles
At Mile 1982, Poptart 736/1000
Nice day on or near the divide, the last time we'll be above 12,500ft. South San Juans are being all amazing. Camped high, surrounded by mountains and ridges. I suspect this may be the last campsite like this on trail so no tarp. Making my awesome dinner of Roasted Chicken, Avocado, Rice and Beans on a Tortilla. I'd pay for this at a restaurant.
Oh! The joys of a 63 mile section and thru-hiker fitness.

I think that I like...

2010-10-01T23:47:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyNine, September 24, 10 Miles
At Mile 1957, Poptart 724/1000
Watched Big and Wall Street this morning. Hawkeye cooked us Spam, Rice and Eggs, solid Hawaiian breakfast. Finished that burger. Took Dan's rainbow up to the CDT and walked through a nice area where the trees are alive.

Still, they don't write a chorus like iForward, Russia! does.

2010-10-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyEight, September 23, 0 Miles
At Mile 1947, Poptart 720/1000
Nice zero. No rain, yesterday's weather has passed these mountains by. Pagosa Springs is perhaps the friendliest town yet and my favourite. Ate a burger. Oh, wait, no, but I tried. RT ate a burger. He destroyed it. Two pounds of meat and a pound of bun and fun. Plus half of his pound of fries. It was called the Monster. RT was the monster. I was coaxed by my three friends and my stupid foodego into the never-before-finished "Double Monster". It was placed in front of me, imposingly, the size of my giant head. With a pound of fries.
"I got it."
Nah.
Same as the monster, just double meat. 'Just', in this case, representing four pounds of hamburger patty. Plus the extra two, a total of six pounds of food.
My plan of attack was some fries, half the meat, the eat the burger like a burger. Throwing down mouthfuls of fries and water. Easy right?
Nah.
Took out half the meat, good, hot, juicy. Needed saucing but I got this. A pound in...
Nah.
I had an hour.
Ended up getting about three quarters through and impressing the chef enough for the both of us to get a free t-shirt. I still had to, for the first and hopefully last time in my life, pay $30 for a burger. RT, Hawkeye and Kombucha had pitched in though, just to watch. It eased the pain a little. Didn't feel too full, but couldn't eat another bite. You can't force burger and bun like you can ice-cream and cake. Don't work like that kid. Good burger though, actually the best I've had in a long time.
So I got the carry out container and carried my failure back to the hotel. Tomorrow.

Yeah, I got photos. When I get to a computer that has a card reader.

Graf Orlock gave me the ability to quote movies I've never even seen. Thanks Graf Orlock!

2010-10-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Day NinetySeven, September 22, 22 Miles
At Mile 1947, Poptart 716/1000
Dreams of Lil' Wayne and Drake (yeah, I know) as football stars destroying whatever team I apparently support were interrupted by rain. That was 4:30 this morning. That was when it began. We'd been told by many a local that rain in Colorado "never lasts more than a couple hours", and up to this point that statement had proven true. Not today. It began. With this in our mind and the rain not too heavy, I almost enjoyed the early, exposed trail as the clouds rolled through and over exposing little pieces of the world here and there.
It got heavier.
I didn't want to go to town today (gotta save $$$$$).
It got heavier.
It wasn't stopping.
I gave up.
"Hey RT, I'm thinking of death marching..."
"I already am."
"I'm in then. Kombucha... Death march?"
"I'm in. Hey, TimTom! Death march!"
"Yep"
And so it was.
Finally dropped down to trees, hoping for a little shelter from the heavens. But no.
It got heavier.
Stopping to get some food and add a layer of clothing to my already soaked and rapidly cooling body everything got a little more wet. My jacket is waterproof enough, usually. Pack cover waterproof enough, usually, and my pack stops the rest. Today was not usual. I was starting to get worried about some of the more valuable and water unfriendly items in my pack but the rain never stopped and I just wanted to get to that highway. Moving fast, but with no idea really how far to go (maps were buried in my pack) I eventually spotted the highway. Should be a couple miles and all down now I think? By this time even my usually impenetrable rain pants had given up. A piece of exposed plastic on the heel of my falling apart shoes was diving violently into my foot making flats and downhill painful. I was chaffing like crazy making uphills an awkward, painful waddle. I was exhausted making the act of walking itself painful. And I've been drier while swimming. Then the trail went up. And away from the road. I began swearing. A lot. Myself and RT hit an unmarked junction. The obvious answer was to go right, downhill and towards the highway. We went left. After half a mile I looked up, out of the gloom leered a radio tower. Wrong way sucka. I swore. Loudly. "RT, radio tower!" He didn't hear me, but looked up about the same time. He swore. Loudly. We turned around and that's about when my body gave up. I started to get very, very cold. Hypothermic cold. Hands, numb. Face, numb. Legs, numb. Not good.
We hit the road.
Dangerously cold, we weren't even waiting for the other two. They knew where to meet us. Then they appeared. Four wet hikers do not get rides. After about half an hour a kind soul finally stopped for us. We crammed in and she blasted the heat. My right calf cramped hard but I began to warm a little. She knew Pagosa Springs and dropped us off at the hotel we wanted. Even after showers we were shivering. Checking the damage in our packs EVERYTHING was wet. Camping tonight would not have been fun. Waterproof is only so waterproof. Luckily everything water damageable survived, except Kombucha's Ipod, which may need a bit of working. Dan, Anna and Myke appeared with DIY and complained about how hot our room was. At this point I was still shivering on the bed under my damp sleeping bag. Eventually we warmed up, had some food and watched the Food Network for a couple of hours. All was well again.
I thought we'd escaped.
I thought we'd be warm and sunny and dry.
The San Juans always, always win.

What are you talking about, you're always there right?

2010-10-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Day NinetySix, September 21, 21 Miles
At Mile 1925, Poptart 708/1000
Followed the divide back up above treeline. Got out ahead on my own and came across the Elk I'd heard bugling for a while. It was incredible, the obvious, huge, alpha male, two smaller males and two females. Too busy bugling and being all sex-crazed and competitive to notice me about five metres away. Until they did, and just like that, one of the most incredible wildlife encounters of my life was over as they scattered up the hill. Another day of high, treeless divide walking, small ups and downs. Hit a narrow knife ridge which was incredible and still holding yesterday's hail. Kick steps? Just before lunch the trail rose to a gravelly succession of peaks that was a pure joy to hike. I didn't even care about the wind.
Dropping down to between eleven and twelve thousand feet trees were more frequent but many of them dead. Plenty of climbable rock around makin' ma fingers itch. Wind stopped and clouds disappeared in time for camp. Finally finished the butter I got in Target Silverthorne 325 miles ago. Yeah, that's right. It was still fine.

Downhill is the logical way...

2010-10-01T19:19:00.001-07:00

Day NinetyFive, September 20, 17 Miles
At Mile 1904, Poptart 698/1000
I knew that whatever decision I made last night would be the wrong one. Tarp or Cowboy. Yeah I made the wrong one. Yeah I set up my tarp. Yeah it stayed dry and above freezing (though barely). Yeah it was tarp-flappingly windy. Like flappingly enough to wake me up. Repeatedly. Dang.
Awoke to clouds forming over our future and none of us were 100%, especially Hawkeye. Down to Weminuche Pass where we investigated alternates, then decided we all had enough food to extend our time in the San Juans another day. Because it would be a good idea to slow down a little and go easy on ourselves. Because the weather had been awesome and the scenery was likewise, and both would remain so, right? Right?
So our goal for the day suddenly became a simple 12 miles away. Crossing Weminushe's wet meadoweyness, featuring a slightly-too-far-to-jump channel of undeterminable deepness, we then headed back up towards our mighty divide. On the way I spotted a log floating upstream, I realised it was a Beaver. Got above trees about the same time the skies opened up with a short, heavy burst of wet rain. Which was a pleasure. Along, down, across and back up. Up to the first in a series of basins that were killing me. These are places I will remain forever happy I was able to experience. Photos, words, stories, not even close. But anyway, we were about to round another lake when a second storm rolled on over, this one brought the fight. Hail. Cowering under tiny pine trees that protected us way more than they ought to have done, we laughed, chatted and looked out at the lightning and rapidly whitening ground. Smile.
I still really enjoy this time of year and this weather, even being out in it. It helps when the rain is brief and the sun dries you out again. You can feel the winter coming, summer is leaving, very quickly, heading south (so am I...). Bare mountains waiting for snow, soon to be bare trees. Yellow, gold, orange and brown.
The storm passed, they always do, and we headed off again. I got thinking on that famous hiker quote, "The worst day on trail is better than the best days at work". Get a new job man. Or hike more, 'cause you clearly ain't not had no truly bad days out here. I do love it, but some days just suck. Not that this day did... wow, I am rambling...
That smile grew bigger as I topped the ridge to meet RT, standing under a tiny patch of blue sky and gazed at all before me. Hail thick on the ground and my beat up, treadless shoes made for a slippery, slushy drop down to Squaw Pass where we found a suitable camp. Being only 4:30, a true gem of rarity for through hikers, RT and I decided to explore the pass and see if we couldn't find a better site before Kombucha and Hawkeye came down. We didn't but it was fun all the same. The skies had cleared but hail still blanketed the ground. Turns out my tyvek is not as waterproof as it once was. A pack of Coyotes just ran yelping and howling across the pass...
Before this section, when I was asked about the San Juans, our big Southbound obstacle, I said I didn't care. If the weather was bad, I'd roadwalk around and not give it a second thought. It's just another range in the divide, how amazing can it be? I still think that, but how amazing can it be? Well.
I don't want to be anywhere else, but you could have been here with me.

When you act out, the rocks come down.

2010-10-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyFour, September 19, 26 Miles
At Mile 1887, Poptart 692/1000
Beautiful morning, amazing day. Also, Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Around fortress-like Canby Mountain to the utmost source of the Rio Grande. Super annoying PCT-style switchbacks that I no longer have any tolerance for. Too much cross country has ruined me. Round a corner and we saw:
a) A Unicorn
b) Artax
c) A USFS Mule
d) Shadowfax
???
Interesting canyonish terrain kept me interested, then the trail took us up onto the wide, open plateau divide. There we left the Colorado Trail for the last time as it descended down a valley of magnificence. Lunched on Hunchback Mountain's scraggy summit (13,136ft) with some amazing views all round. The peaks have taken a significantly more pointy and solid tone in these parts, a welcome change from the piles of rubble Colorado has offered thus far. Towards and then around Rio Grande Pyramid and 'The Window', a massive square notch on the ridge line to our camp. To cowboy or not? The tarp won.

And our skills are as follows:-

2010-10-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyThree, September 18, 19 Miles
At Mile 1861, Poptart 684/1000
Hung out in the yurt till 10:30. It was hard to leave. This is why you never hike more than 15km a day on a NZ hut-to-hut hike. Got above trees quickly and only saw them far below us after that. Lots of divide walking, tough and slow miles but sure is beautiful up here. Found a superb campsite and waited for the others to catch up in complete silence. That whole 'silence is deafening' thing is for real.
Three months on trail. Yeah.

Where these rappers never been before.

2010-09-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyTwo, September 17, 15 Miles
At Mile 1842, Poptart 676/1000
COLD last night. Like -6C cold. Ridiculous. Also very moist, which left a layer of frost on everything. Used my bivy sack for half the night till its trapping of moisture proved counter-productive enough to sacrifice it's extra warmth. My sleeping bag froze instead.
I did, however, refuse to sacrifice my fleece jumper pillow or balaclava thigh warmer for their more heat trappingly effective purposes. Spent the last couple hours of the night lightly shivering. If that's the worst we get though, my decision not to buy a warmer bag was the right one. Oh how I hope it does not get colder.
Wore almost everything for the 5 miles to the highway. Got real hot real quick. Won't do that again. Andy, RT's friend from the PCT, was awaiting our arrival at Spring Creek Pass. Patient and no doubt sleepy from his pre-5am wakeup to drive down from Leadville he proved to be great fun, invaluable help and tireless in his watching and shuttling us around Lake City doing our boringass town chores. Unfortunately we missed the local breakfast buffet by two days. Apparently they stop serving it after Labour Day. You just know it was unbelievable. In the confusion, we left town only having one small meal. Myself and Hawkeye softly requesting the local BBQ place on the way out, we did remember to get some Brandy for the Juans and back up to the pass. Andy hiked with us for a couple of miles, with we quizzing him on his recent completion of the Leadville 100, then ran back to his car. Many thanks for everything Andy. Heavy pack with 6+ days of food but we made it to the Yurt. Yeah, that's right, a yurt. It's left standing and open during the summer months for CDT/CT hikers to use. And use we are.

I guess seeing is...

2010-09-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

See what I mean. And I take bollocks photos.

Tick allow.

2010-09-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Day NinetyOne, September 16, 27 Miles
At Mile 1827, Poptart 672/1000
Up all morning to San Luis Peak, 14,014ft. First and likely only fourteener of the trail. Perfect day weather-wise, amazing view from the top, of course. Up and down afternoon, hiked late and cowboyed on Snow Mesa at 12,300ft. No snow. Everything today was huge, one of my favourites for sure.

Aspen.

2010-09-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Day Ninety, September 15, 32 Miles
At Mile 1800, Poptart 660/1000
Easy day, lots of road walking afternoon was almost like the GDB for a while. The Aspens are in full colour and are amazing. Caught RT at lunch, then Fugitive caught us mid-afternoon. Nice sunset, nice to be able to throw miles easily for a change.

New Zealand, Rocks!!!!

2010-09-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Day EightyNine, September 14, 28 Miles
At Mile 1768, Poptart 650/1000
Mostly forested divide walking all day. Kind of like Oregon. Sometimes there were meadows. Looks like this section will be easy, comparatively. Nice for a change before we delve into the San Juans. Last time we saw Starman he mentioned that a mountain biker he had spoken too had referred to the excessive rockiness of the trail lately as "like going over baby heads". That is a truly horrible thought. So why does the phrase 'baby heads' not leave my head? Why?

Two to too one 1.

2010-09-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Day EightyEight, September 13, 9 Miles
At Mile 1740, Poptart 640/1000
Another drag assy attempt to leave town. We're getting really good/bad at this. RT left early to do his extra five miles on the highway. In a series of food related building stops Hawkeye, Kombucha and myself went Coffee Shop, Safeway, Chinese, got really tired and wanted to nap, Natural Food Supermarket and finally, WalMart. Got a new camera which is pretty much exactly the same as my old one, the only difference being that it actually works. Not bad for $90, love America for that. Also got a new watch for $5 feat. Spiderman. My Rs350 Nepali watch had finally called it quits after yet another unintended drenching/drop/exposure to below-freezing temperatures. Saw Coach for the first time in forever and Lost and Jack too. Got some $1 Limeaid from WalMart but didn't try 'n drink it all at once, we all know what happened last time I did that vomit. My last town duty was to see where my shoes had been sent. Not good news. Not sure what to do about that.
Hitch was a pain but we got back up to Monarch Pass in time to see Fugitive who'd been hauling to catch the H.E.R.D. and a rendezvous with his brother. Back to the CDT, beautiful trail and easy hiking. Kombucha fell over. The Sun set magnificently. Purple and orange, lighting up the sky, the trees and my life.
Happy as usual.
Fin?

Missed da furst.

2010-09-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Day EightySeven, September 12, 0 Miles
At Mile 1731, Poptart 632/1000
First zero since Lander. Far too lazy to walk downtown especially when Back To The Future Parts II and III were followed by the same numbers in the Lord Of The Rings series. That's a lot of movie time, I do say. No idea what happened to the first ones though. RT is way better at LOTR location spotting than I am. Joker has left us. He had to get off for financial/job reasons. Shame and it won't be the same without him. Team Pacific Rim losses another member. Nobody to eat ridiculous amounts of dairy and meat products with. Pull your socks up RT, you're in.

Something happened... right?

2010-09-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

Day EightySix, September 11, 5.5 Miles
At Mile 1731, Poptart 632/1000
Up to our trail, on the divide, in the wind. Where we love to be. Saw the remnants of some man-made rock walls used to funnel edible animals into slaughterable locations. Awesome actually. Hiking through another ski-area, which is Colorado for "you're about to hit a town, kid". Ate in and stanked up the Monarch Pass store before moving to the highway to start hitching. Unnecessary. St Naomi and Myke arrived, dropping off Tock, picking us up. Timing. Salida seems nice, if a little spread out. Reunited with DnA, it has been an age, then RT found us. Apparently he was chasing us. We were behind him. That never works out. Halfway interested in college football, Kombucha's friends, Jeff and Amanda showed up and we all returned to Quincys for meat.

I can Philip Collins in the air tonight.

2010-09-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Day EightyFive, September 10, 23 Miles
At Mile 1725.5, Poptart 630/1000
Cold, cold, cold. Got some road in up and over TinCup Pass. Colorado is becoming a little bland, I hate to say. It'd be nice to see some snow (not tooooo much, easy easy), Dan's description of these mountains as a quarry is bang on. At least we have the Aspens. Oh, Aspens.
Windy again, so we stayed low where we had the option then took a Wolf alternate that ended up being one of the best afternoons yet. Left the divide and headed down to an old railway/telegraph outpost that was part of a mostly tourist train line and tunnel up here in the late 1800's. Now a museum of sorts, the volunteers were super friendly and happy to let us eat in the warmth of the telegraph station (we'd spotted the smoking chimney a ways off), even offering the back rooms as a nap space... They know the way to my heart.
Down the old railway grade, sheer for hundreds of feet above and below, past ATV's and raspberries and back up to Tomichi Pass. Past an old cemetery and some creepy houses and began our easy bushwack back up to the trail. Another clear, starry night so imma sleep out again. Great day, thankyou James.

Paul's Boutique, or how Pierre Shaeffer created hip-hop.

2010-09-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Day EightyFour, Spetember 9, 27.5 Miles
At Mile 1702.5, Poptart 618/1000
Slow legs up and over the pass above Lake Ann. An attempted rendezvous with I Spi that didn't happen, we missed him somehow, but we did find beer and whisky. Up to a ridge as the sun set and so began another cold, clear, beautiful night. S.T.A.R.Z.

He learnt disappointment.

2010-09-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Day EightyThree, September 8, 25 Miles
At Mile 1675, Poptart 606/1000
Didn't get the early start I wanted, but neither did the other three so I caught them after an hour, still packing up. Past the trail up to Mt Massive, another day perhaps. By the time we got to the Mt Elbert trailhead clouds were building and a slight time pressure on this section made the decision to not undertake the 4000ft climb (yeah, ten whole GPU's) very easy. A slight shame, Elbert being the highest of the Colorado 14ers and obviously the high point of the divide. It's forgotten as soon as I walk past though, and focus on Poptart number 600. Down to Twin Lakes for lunch, nothing like we expected and everything was closed excepting the unfriendly store. Which only sold things we had in our food bags anyway (seems some of the things for sale actually came from other hikers food bags...). Happy to leave, with Hawkeye as close to angry as I've ever witnessed, we headed towards Hope Pass. We'd been following the route of the Leadville 100 for a few miles and would all the way to its turn-around in the semi-ghost town of Winfield. Started to rain just as we began the 3400ft climb up the pass that I will one day attempt to run (sans 20lb pack) and didn't stop for a couple of hours. A long, beast of a climb that seemed neverending until I got well above treeline and began enjoying it and the rain. At that point it could have been neverending and I wouldn't have cared. The rain eased and the skies began to clear as we crested, the sun shining off the wet rocks and the fiery yellow Aspen scattered across the mountains, yeah it was good. Down to the 'dank emergency shelter' that was dank in neither sense of the word for a break, then continued down the knee thrashing descent to road. Winfield was cool and we found a nice campsite under some trees. Splendid.

I finished the PCT a year ago...
Oh.

Sometimes, when perfection surprises. Slurp.

2010-09-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Day EightyTwo, September 7th, 19 Miles
At Mile 1650, Poptart 596
Ate breakfast with Myke, Naomi and Tock before sewing on a flame orange patch to the ragged shoulder of my shirt. Things are falling apart. Like my pack. 1000 more miles kid, thats all. Saw Whitefish and Pace in town which was awesome, haven't seen them since Lincoln. Actually, that was right after some drunk guy was telling me about how he's a pro-golfer (he did not look the part but who am I to say anything right?) who spends his time between Leadville and Palm Springs before announcing he was "Off to drink some beer" 2-for-a-dolla at 10am can't be wrong eh?
Back on trail at middaythirty. More thanks to St. Jugs Naomi. Finally a cooler on trail, guess the PCT really does spoil you. But thanks to the Leadville Hostel for the DrP. Myke had warned that the miles would not come easy between Tennessee Pass and Twin Lakes. He was right, six hours for 13 miles what? It's easy hiking just long miles. Got about the best Huckleberries yet though. Made the most of my 6pm haul tonight and hiked a fast couple hours till dark which is a little before 8pm these days. Not sure why, but I generally feel lethargic most of the morning, a little better after lunch but once 6pm rolls along I could run for hours. It's nice. Saw my first Elk since hunting season began. Clouds eventually gave their rain as I got into my tarp, which I do appreciate.

Angel of Desire, retire.

2010-09-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Day EightyOne, September 6, 5 Miles
At Mile 1631, Poptart 590/1000
Got to Tennessee Pass early and stood in the cold wind for half hour before a friendly dude and his two ultra-friendly dogs gave me a ride into Leadville (Americas highest city? City is a loose term over here). The plan was to find my crew. So I went to Safeway. No dice. Already out of ideas I headed downtown. Just before I got there, Hawkeye appeared out of a house and invited me in. The house belonged to Bill and Pat and they were our amazing Leadville Trail Angels. Food, shower, comfort, internet, good times.
Leadville is an interesting town. At one point it was the second largest city in Colorado, with closed mines and modern times it's crashed a bit (or a lot) but has a cool feel about it. It's also all about the Leadville 100 Ultra for me. I'll be back to run that sucka one day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadville_Trail_100
Anyway, we got hotel rooms sorted (I claim another enforced-by-me zero for Joker, Hawkeye and Kombucha) and met up with Myke, Naomi and Kombucha's friends Amanda and Jeff for cheap beer. Like 2 for a dolla PBR's cheap beer. Ridiculous good and potentially a little dangerous. Leadville continued to bring the awesome when we hit up Quincy's. One item menu; choose your steak size. And I can't remember ever having Fillet Mignon that good, perfectly cooked or cheap.
Leadville. I love you.

Plays over and over in my head.

2010-09-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

Day Eighty, September 5, 26 Miles
At Mile 1626, Poptart 588/1000
Down past a slew of dayhikers and their dogs to the sounds of a band sound checking? Huh... Copper Mountain is a big Colorado holier-than-thou ski-and-golf-resort. Hung out a couple hours and found the Colorado Trail about midday (turns out I was lucky not to be 'asked to leave' the golf course as I wandered through it looking for trail, others were not so). Much of the CDT for the rest of the state is also the Colorado Trail, which means generally good tread and a marker post every two metres. Have not walked on well marked trail since the GDB in Wyoming. It's nice. I can't get misplaced. Unless...
Mountain Bikers screaming down and past me I went up and over Searle Pass, down past an old army barracks and set up an early camp in a miserable, lonely spot. It wasn't that bad really but I feel shite so yeah.

I swear that was not planned.

2010-09-12T12:04:00.000-07:00

Day SeventyNine, September 4, 18 Miles
At Mile 1600!!! Poptart 576/1000
It's amazing how great sleep can be without obnoxious light lighting up your life every half hour. Got to Silverthorne nice and quick, had a good breakfast and saw Myke and Naomi. Silverthorne is a pretty cool town with everything we need and the trail goes straight on through. Awesome. Hawkeye's been talking up Chipotle Mexican for a long time and Silverthorne has one. So we did. And it was pretty special. The burritos there weigh more than Van Peski's pack and are deliciously excellent.
Hawkeye, Kombucha and Joker are walking the bikepath shortcut, I've taken the trail, we shall reunite in Leadville. So I'm on my ownsome for the first time since NoMo. Busy dayhikery type trail, yet I still managed to get off trail twice 'cause I don't look at my maps and have no guidebook at present. This is what happens when I'm on my own. As usual, when 'misplaced' I just walk in the 'right direction' until I find my trail. Sixty percent of the time it works, every time. Chatted with folk, found out about the earthquake in Christchurch and ate delicious Blueberries. Ended up being a very easy 3200ft climb up to a pass I can't remember and a quick jaunt down to the valley floor. Camped way earlier than usual but I have nowhere to be...

Came back with your last call.

2010-09-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Day SeventyEight, September 3, 28 Miles
At Mile 1582, Poptart 568/1000
So all those "No Camping Overnight" signs in the hut were there for a reason. Not a threat or a even a request. They were advisory. There are these two giant fluorescent lights in the hut. That are on motion sensors. Which we had set up to sleep directly under. Awesome. I think each of the four of us spent much of the night listening to the other three trying not to move. I would stealthily, slowly, carefully move an arm or even fully roll over without setting it off. Then sighing in relief would be enough to light up my night. It was horrible. The second time the lights came on after none of us even moved Joker gave up and went outside. Once I moved and set off the sensor to the light above Hawkeye and Kombucha. Barely slept all night. I'm pretty sure you can torture people this way. I know you don't 'torture' people America, but you could use this sleep deprivation thing... Oh, wait...
Debility. Dependency. Dread.
Big climb off the pass but today's miles came much easier. Much less windy and some PCT style switchbacks down off Jones pass in a painfully long descent. A very /\/\/\/\/\/ afternoon, some sweaty climbs and scrappy use trails distracting all over. Ended up camping out at 11,450ft with the lights of Silverthorne and buzzing I70 below.

Every now and then something happens that reminds me I should look at my maps a more carefully, but I don't. Then something happens that reminds me I should look at my maps more carefully, but I don't. And so on. Till I get lost forever.

Oh, electric shocks, no!

2010-09-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Day SeventySeven, September 2, 20 Miles
At Mile 1554, Poptart 558/1000
Awoke confused. I could hear the buzz of a highway and the horn of a train. What? The climb up to Devils Thumb Pass revealed all, we were high above another heavily populated Coloradian valley. It just hadn't been that apparent we were so close to civilisation. Although, everywhere in Colorada is close to civilisation. Windy and cold on the divide, and knowing we had more to come we walked the road between Rollins and Rogers Passes then back up. This was actually a day I'd been looking forward to for a while, a Ley alternate takes you over five 13,000ft peaks in five miles. Despite the wind and it being ridiculous cold it was one of the best days yet. Had lunch on James Peak, then Mt Bancroft, Parry Peak, Mt Eva and finally Mt Flora. Loved watching the birds have fun in the wind. Down to Berthoud Pass and its warming hut. No water or outlets to charge things but we're sleeping in it.

Wait, what? Did you just quote a Martin Lawrence movie?

2010-09-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Day SeventySix, September 1, 22 Miles
At Mile 1534, Poptart 548/1000
Damn cold near the river last night. Ray Jardine does not approve. Nice walking, high above a lake amongst berries and blowdowns. Lotsa bathrooms and campgrounds. That was important. The CDT phenomenonon of fast hiking but slow miles was in full effect today. Curses. Lunched at a falling over old cabin. Hiked hard and did a massive 2.8 miles in 1.5 hours. What? No...
Camped early at water before the trail takes us up onto the divide for a whiles. We all have the fear. Our food bags are light and this section is seemingly going to take longer than anticipated. Hmmmmmm.

Reunition.

2010-09-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

Day SeventyFive, August 31, 8 Miles
At Mile 1512, Poptart 540/1000
Well, at least we planned on doing half the Rocky Mountain NP Loop and go into Estes Park. But it was all cloudy and we were all lazy and already in a town. DnA, RT and Myke all left, couldn't bring myself to join them just yet. Ate a six pack of ice-creams and the Monster Burger at the brewpub. Had a nap at a coffee shop which was only legit 'cause Kombucha and Joker were slowly nursing their coffee. Dragged ass along Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Lake/Reservoir. Saw a Bull Moose and a Beaver, both for the first time on trail. Watched some confused fish fail to jump the damn and walked along the Colorado River. Spotted a familiar MSR Hubba tent through the trees, Lake! Awesome to see him again and double awesome that we could camp together, with Lost and Found for the first time in fourages as well.

... well, maybe all 'ceptin' hym.

2010-09-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

Day SeventyFour, August 30, 16 Miles

At Mile 1504, Poptart 534

Never rains in Colorado, always hail. Shortcut up to the divide with nice views back to Parkview. Bowen Pass and Bowen Mountain were amazing. Much more impressive than that Bowen Mountain I used to live on at least. Our eyes nervously watching to the north and west as we headed for the cover of trees. Hawkeye didn't make it. Sat shivering, wearing almost everything before slogging the long, boring walk down into Grand Lake. Life is much easier when the trail goes through a town. Caught up with DnA and Joker, had an awful lunch and spent the afternoon between the friendly library and rather unwelcoming hotel. First shower in weeks but still no laundry 'cause there's always the next town right? Spent $30 on my dinner after a mildly drunk Joker convinced the mildly drunk me that a $22 meat platter was what we both really wanted. It was. Stealthing is a hard thing to commit to when buzzed, the effort and all. So we crashed DnA's party. Everything in Grand Lake is for sale if your interested. I'm not.

... make no sense to anyone...

2010-09-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

Day SeventyThree, August 29, 25 Miles

At Mile 1488, Poptart 526/1000

Redank windy this morn. Eventually got sick of cursing it out so I began yelling at it to blow harder. It didn't so I guess I win. That's right wind. Embrace.

Past Haystack and the two Sheep Mountains (lots of "Sheep Mountain" in these parts, no sheep though, curious). Past a hunter crapping on a rock all of a metre below the trail, Kombucha didn't notice but I sure did. Thanks man. Long, windy, exposed climb up Parkview to the wee hut atop it somewhere around 12,300ft. Hung out in there, all six of us, crammed in amongst the radio equipment and various varieties of animal and human waste. Down the rocky, stumbly, scrambly ridge to cross a highway and start on up again. Camped in a beautiful basin and watched the stars do battle with clouds.