It was a beautiful morning after all the rain. We only had about ten (9.6) miles to go and we started at 5:40 am.
We had been well sheltered.
Happy had arranged a shuttle at 10:00 via InReach and it looked like a glorious day.
We met some section hikers (Green Chili and Pockets) and we were moving fast enough to be early.
Then we hit five miles of blow downs.
Article on the spruce beetle problem.
But so much blow down.
So we updated the shuttle to have a 10:20 pick-up.
We got to the state line and the marker.
The famous cooler was well stocked with beer, Pepsi and Seven Up. All the litter was Coke so you can tell the cooler people are packing it all out.
Suddenly the trail was beautiful.
But it was beautiful as we got into the last three miles in Colorado.
We got to the trail head at 9:56. Just waited for the shuttle and all was good.
The outfitter runs a shuttle and makes custom AlphaDirect gear.
Turns out our daughters reserved and paid for a hotel for us and pastry at the bakery.
They are so delightful. I’m so grateful for them.
We decided to take a zero for Father’s Day.
This trip we’ve actually taken real zeros not Neros and Hike In Resupply & Out on the same day (which we started with Rabbit Hole on the AT, hike in, shower & laundry and resupply box and then hiked out).
We are about a thousand miles in and not beat up like we have been before.
We used to plan for a zero but always only take a Nero at best. Then we would get more and more ground down.
Has been neat to actually take zeros again.
It was also neat to see Skip and Dozer again. Skip was part of the group we started with and Dozer we saw a few days back.
Then Coco and Timu from Ghost Ranch.
And Caffeinator at Chama Trails Hotel where we are staying.
While Happy grilled steaks for Father’s Day’s dinner.
A grand day.
Tomorrow we take off with an 8:00 shuttle back to the trail with resupply fifteen miles away.
I’m able to finally have a good Father’s Day now. My kids and grandkids fill my heart.