CDT – Day 48 – Hot Springs Trail to Steamboat Springs

6/11/15 Day 48

Hot Springs Trail to Steamboat Springs 6804′

Hotel – Nights Spent Alone: 7

8, 904.4 Trip Miles

Overcast with rain at times

Day’s of Snow: 7 – Day’s of Rain: 15

# of Zero days: 5

7 am to 10 am

Gila Crossings Final Total:  221

Tick Count: 4 (3 more crawling on me)

Critter Count

1 Chipmunks

1 Squirrel

Totals

524 Pronghorn*

119 Lizards

116 Wild Horses

80 Elk

72 Chipmunks

59 Deer**

37 Cotton Tail Rabbits

26 Squirrels

22 Horny Roads

19 Prairie Dogs

17 Jack Rabbit***

15 Ground Squirrels

8 Snakes

4 Moles

3 Coyotes

2 Marmot****

2 Rattle Snakes

2 Toads

1 Mouse

1 Skunk

1 Weasel

1 Porcupine

*181 from car, **3 from car, ***1 from car, ****1 from car

I made it through another lightening storm last night. It was nothing compared to San Padro but it still kept me up until it had past. It didn’t help we were under the largest trees for miles.

Little did we know we were only about a mile from the Strawberry Park Hot Springs. We thought they were much further away. I used the bathroom there. It was hands down the best pooh shed I’ve ever used on any trail.

Best Pooh Shed I’ve used on any trail.

After the hot springs it was almost all down hill to Steamboat Springs. Once into town I was mission “Find a Bakery”. We ate at Winona’s. Great pancakes and breakfast sandwich. We sat there forever just chilling. Seth and Genny came by, we talked to Stabby on the phone about places to stay and finally got a move on around noon.

This was most of my morning.

Next stop was BAP, which is an outlet store now for Big Agnes makers of outdoor gear. Rafiki got a new tent and poles. Stabby, Banjo and Donger stopped in for a bit. Finally Seth and Genny came to discuss hotel options. We made a plan for them to look into hotels and we’d hit the PO.

I had five boxes waiting for me. Lucky for me we got a ride to the hotel of choice. Double lucky as it was pouring rain.

Ponies I saw along the way.

The hotel time was spent doing laundry and logistics. Kido who Stabby, Banjo and Donger were staying with invited us for dinner. Kido’s friends who were hosting them put on a huge Mexican spread. We ate and drank beer until almost 11 pm, way past hiker midnight.

Yet another day where I was excited about getting to town but once there I was on edge.  I really like to get into town and get all my shit done ASAP.  I hate wasting time, I’d rather spend my free time resting.  This never seemed to happen with Rafiki as we had different approaches to town time.  It went beyond our approach on the trail to what plans we made before the hike too.  Things like what gear we took and other things.

I did enjoy the dinner at Kido’s friends place.  It was nice to act like regular people for once and for a short time forget I was hiking.  It did make for a long day though.

 

Back to Day 47, Forward to Day 49

Scatman

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Get out there!