Distance = 36 Miles; People Met = 27
What a difference a day makes! We stopped short at Graham Gulch because the cross-country work at the end of the day was too exhausting, with knee shocking descents and bushwhacking through willows where allegedly there was maintained trail. Today featured paved road walking down to Twin Lakes Village, from where we picked up the combined Colorado and Continental Divide Trails. Now I know where all the trail maintenance for hiking trails is focused! We entered Leadville via Forest Service and then paved road.
We first met Fran along this stretch as we stopped by the General Store in Twin Lakes Village. He parked his car and approached us to see if we needed a ride. A chat with him revealed that he goes around picking up discarded items such as appliances for Habitat for Humanity builds. He also informed us that the Catholic Church in Salida puts on Thanksgiving feasts for all the community.
Fran
We ran into a pair of bicyclists twice, though we failed to get their names either time. They seemed like a pretty perky couple, as our photo of them reveals.
- Two Perky Bicyclists
We next ran into Dan and Ben as they were bicycling down the Colorado/CD Trail, which we discovered was a popular recreation activity. They were traveling the length of the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango with loaded paniers. Dan shared that he worked part time for an accounting firm, which is just how he liked it.
Dan and Ben
Katie and Bob were coming down from climbing Mt. Elbert. Cindy and I had entertained making that climb, but stopping short the day before prevented that. Bob had gone on a bike trip from Michigan to Key West and knew what we were talking about in regards to the kindness one receives along such a journey. He had been a cop in northern Utah, but I did not discover what his employment was now that he was located in Colorado.
Katie and Bob
Gina and Mike were also coming down from Mt. Elbert when we met them. Gina was the first woman to undergo men’s boot camp training in 1976. We discovered that after sharing that Cindy was the first woman to complete the Continental Divide in 1985. Gina had a contact in Pueblo that may open the door for speaking at the college there.
Mike and Gina
We camped at a lovely spot along the Colorado Trail: everything was better along this trail. The next morning we ran into several twosomes climbing Mt. Elbert, the last one being Jessica and Anna.
Jessica and Anna
We discovered how these trails get so well-maintained when we ran into Disco Dan, the trail name of a man who hiked the Continental Divide Trail last year and was now doing trail maintenance for the Continental Divide Trail Alliance. When we hiked the CDT in 1985 the one and only interest group was the Continental Divide Trail Society, a one man operation headed up by Jim Wolf. My group made a recommendation that the CDT never be completed, leaving parts of it for map and compass. Jim was somewhat sympathetic to that opinion but the newer CDTA is determined to get a finished trail for the entire length.
Disco Dan
Yona, Tim and Ed invited us into their camp for coffee and cereal. Yona and Tim came down from the Chicago area to climb Mt. Elbert. Ed came up from Texas with the same objective. They all met when Ed gave Tim a ride back to his camp after getting lost. All three seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their little “mens only” vacation.
Yona, Tim, Cindy and Ed
Bill, Darryl and Steve came down from the South Dakota and Minnesota area to hunt, both bow and muzzle loading. Bill had been making this trip for years and brought along the brothers Darryl and Steve this time around. We were talking about bears and I made a comment that I’ve stood down a black bear before, but would probably crap my pants if confronted by a grizzly. Darryl joked that might be more effective than pepper spray.
Bill, Steve and Darryl
Jay stopped to offer us a ride into town. He recently graduated from college and was now working for a group home for troubled youth in the Colorado Springs area. He had been in the area for a trail run.
Jay
The most special meeting was with John Nicholas once we reached Leadville, but I’ll save that for the next post.
