[at-l] (Guest Post) Follow That Elk (was Cow)

[hiker_trash@yahoo.com (Sly)]

* Message posted to AT-L from the National Scenic Trails Website
* by our guest Sly <hiker_trash@yahoo.com>.
* Please use <mailto:hiker_trash@yahoo.com> to reply to the sender.

6/20  Leadville, CO the town Doc Holiday shot his last man.

I thought I better change the title because the only cows I've seen in Colorado were on the road to Pagosa Springs the 1st town stop in CO nearly a month ago.  On the other hand we've seen hundreds of elk, mostly in southern CO.

Other animals spotted, moose, not more than 50 feet from my tent one morning with a fresh cover of snow just below the Pyramid of the Rio Grand and The Window, golden eagle, marmots, pikas, deer and a mountain lion on the 1st day in the SSJ's.  Lots of evidence of beaver but haven't seen any. I still haven't seen any bear, nor have I seen any scat or prints. 

Needless to say CO has been absolutely beautiful.  From 12 and 13,000 feet the world looks different and it's all yours!

Some of the trail is open to atv's and I'm not too happy about that, but I've made peace with the mountain bikers as most of the trail we share has been some of the smoothest thread and well graded.

I've only seen one horse packer with two clients and while trying control his horse (it wasn't used to seeing a tent off the trail) was quick to point out that smoking is illegal in the forest and that he'd have to report the incident.  I told him I had no problem putting the cigarette out and to do what he had to do.  Strangely enough I haven't seen any of the rules posted on any of the trailheads, only large signs saying no campfires or charcol grills.  I been extremely careful of where I smoke and cook.  Hopefully my hike won't end in a jail cell, but until I see the rules posted I'll use my common sense as I always have.

One negative of the "drought" conditions, low snows and early passage is that the wild flowers haven't bloomed yet in numbers, something that normally happens later in the year.

Thru-hikers aplenty, both ahead and behind, those closing quickly.  Even at 20 plus miles a day (less in and out of town) others are catching up.  Some, I've heard, took the Creede Cut-off saving themselves about a hundred miles, but in the meantime missed some of the prettiest backcountry anywhere.  

The South San Juans, the 1st section in CO still had plenty of snow, which made the section quite beautiful, but painfully exhausting post-holing.  One leg would go in the snow up to my waist, then the other trying to raise myself out, over and over what seemed like hours on hours.  Not a fun time at the time, but stronger by it.  Compounding the early going, adjusting to altitude, post-holing, etc. was a abcessed tooth whiched I had looked at in Pagosa Springs.  The dentist said it needed to be pulled but I explained what I was doing and that I didn't have time for the infection to go down.  He took an x-ray and wrote me out a script for an antibiotic and pain killers.  When I went to pay the lady said I was all set, no charge!  How nice is that?  Since then, the swelling has gone down and I'm not having any problems eating.  Not having any problems eating at all!  I think I've lost a total of about 25 pounds so far, 12 the 1st 400 miles through NM, 8 in the 65 miles of the South San Juan and another 5 since then (maybe more, no scale here) in the last 300 miles.  Regardless, I'm feeling fine and could stand to lose a few more pounds.  

Today is a zero day, only the third since I started May 1st.  We're staying at the Leadville Hostel which only opened three years ago and is one of the finest I've ever stayed.  Wild Bill, the owner, and his wife have been very kind.  His only rules are no smoking in the house and to act like an adult.  I can do that when asked!  Tomorrow, after an ayce breakfast for $5, he's going to shuttle 5 of us back to the trail for $2 apiece, about 12 miles.  Well worth it in time saved hitching, although the 1st truck that passed gave us a ride to town.  My other hitchhiking experiences in CO haven't been as good which has suprised me.

Anyway, I better go now, pig out, have a smoke, watch a movie, get my pack together, maybe have a beer or two, you know, all that good stuff hikers do when they're not hiking.

Don't forget to get out there, the summer's short even if it hasn't started yet.  

Talk to you later,

Sly