August 31st
Segment 20 & 21
139 miles to go!!!
We got up early and started hiking around 5:30.The moon set as the sun rose.
Such a magical morning. We knew today was going to be lot of climbing, we just didn’t realized how much!
We climbed 5 mountain passes above 12 thousand feet!!! The elevations ranged from 12,190 to 12,900 feet!
The altitude is tough. We climb, stop breath, climb, stop, breath. Over and over again. I can hardly speak and walk at the same time. My legs burn if I don’t rest. But we keep slowly pushing on. Slow miles but great views.
I try to capture what we are seeing on camera but you just can’t capture the vast size and magnitude of what we are experiencing. It’s amazing!
This has been one of the hardest adventures either of has been on!
We met Deb and Dan and their dog Mocha coming over a pass. They’re in their late 60’s and heading towards the trail up to San Luis. They plan on doing a 14 mile day! I’m so inspired to continue to live an adventurous life!
We’re out of cow country and back in the mountains where rocky mountain springs literally bubble out of the ground. I took a little side trip up a mountain today, I’ve been dying to see the water come right out of the ground for myself. It’s absolutely amazing! How does so much water keep coming out the mountain?!
We met a handful of new hikers today and it seams everyone was feeling about the same after the passes, it was time to be done for the day. Everyone clustered at Middle Mineral Creek to camp. So we visited and made hot drinks and meals and set up our tent city. There are 9 of us backpackers here, so cool. Jeeves, Matt, William, Roy, Tony, Right On, Hughe and us. We sat near a beaver pond and moose came eat and ignored us and drank and blew bubbles in the water and ate for about an hour before it wandered off.
Well it’s 8:16 and we’re approaching backpacker midnight. The camp is quiet except for the rustling of sleeping bags on inflatable pads and occasional zipping. Not sure if I’ll be able to stay up to see the moon rise.
Good night
Jodie’s blog: bikehikerepeat.com