August 14th
Segment 9
We returned to Tennessee Pass TH and camped at Wurtz Creek and awoke this morning feeling fine, great actually! Maybe I’m finally reaching the point where I’m getting stronger! We’re two weeks in and at mile 142.8 when we reached HWY 24 to go to Leadville. My goal was 100 miles a week and done in 5 weeks and get home to Jay. But even though this through hike isn’t as long as any of the other big ones I feel like this is probably one of the toughest hikes out there. We are seriously climbing some mountains! It feels so much like being in the Sierras but bigger. Funny how their snow markers are so much lower than ours though. Maybe longer and colder winters with less precipitation I suppose. Our snow markers are about 20 feet up and I could touch them as I snow shoed by in the past. We hiked through meadows this morning warily watching for moose. We’ve decided we’d much rather meet a bear than a moose. We’ve seen two new types of scat that may be Elk or moose, we’re not sure which. So we’re keeping a close eye out and there are warning signs at the trailhead.
Leadville! We got a wonderful ride into town from a couple headed to Aspen who went a little out ot their way to take us all the way to the Post Office to get our resupply box. Thank you, you are so generous! We got our resupply box and headed to the White Llama for a sort of hot breakfast and disappointing service, it still tasted really yummy even luke warm. Then we found a patch of public lawn to shake down each other’s packs and see how else we could lighten our load. We sent a few things home but ultimately to be ultra light means ultra money. So I guess we just have to keep being macho and build big strong muscles.
We stopped at the Melanzana store and entered a raffle for their famous sweaters and Jodie got a hat she was very happy with.
Then onto the laundry mat that had “hot showers” and was right next to Safeway where we could finish our resupply and get lunch. Amazing convenient! Unfortunately for me I got and $8 cold shower that I toughed out in desperation to feel clean. Later the cleaning lady called the manager and I got my money back. Of course after my shower someone told us the hostel will let your shower for $5 for as long as you want. Great…Jay finally got out of court and we talked on the phone for quite while, while he was running errands for me back home. It was wonderful to have so much time in sync together, you never know if it will work out. Jay gave me the huge gift today of time freedom! I’ve been worrying about time and miles and it felt like a burden. My life, my job, the world in general are so controlled by time, schedules. Always feeling rushed, crunched or pushing for more time. To live for a moment in time where you can let it go and experience the freedom to thoroughly and enjoy something without the pressure is an amazing feeling! I’m not someone who gets emotional or tearful, but maybe i’m softening. Today when Jay told me ‘you’re doing something really big, take the time you need.’ I almost cried, my heart welled up with gratitude. Not that I want to stay away from home, in the woods, away from my husband, my son, my animals. my responsibilities. But the pressure fell away. If we could Jodie and I would be doing 20 mile days and pushing for more. Hopefully our days will get bigger as we get stronger and acclimated. Anyways I’m very grateful for this moment in time.Back in Leadville we finally escaped the claustrophobic vortex of the laundry mat, forever charging things and barely catching up with important stuff on line. I saw Colton and Swarmy at the Safeway and said Hi. We eventually got a great ride from Michael and Gracy back to the Tennessee Pass trailhead and laughed and share stories with them. Thank you! When we finally got back on the trail it felt joyous to be in the woods. Even though my pack was loaded with more food than I could possibly eat it still felt fine. My body felt good and strong, the trail was gentle and kind. After a few miles we crossed a wooden log bridge that was strung with cables and rocked and bounced when you walked on it and it reminded me of a bridge I used to cross the creek on when I waa girl at my grandmothers in Cazedero.
We set up camp by a beautiful stream and did our chores.
We had eaten so much in town neither of wanted a real dinner. Then when it started to darken I said hot chocolate protein powder sounds good before bed, Jodie agreed we also had left over marshmallow meringue cookies, chocolate and I ate left over Fritos…the ones that wouldn’t fit in my backpack.
Left over Fritos and a grapefruit in my bandana.
Jodie’s blog bikehikerepeat.com