June 8: I woke up but lingered in camp late. Since deciding that I didn't want to get into Chama until Friday, I could take slow, easy days--and so I didn't leave camp until a relatively late 7:30 in the morning.
The day's hike was generally uneventful. The hazy and smoky horizons persisted, but they seemed to be below the elevation where I hiked so I didn't have to inhale the foul air. I passed one person on a mountain bike all day, so it was a bit lonely of a hiking day as well.
The trail did a little bit of up, and a little bit of down, but nothing particularly noteworthy.
I wound up pushing nearly 20 miles for the day. Even though I wasn't in any particular rush and took my time, there was a long stretch between water sources which meant I could either do a very short day or a 20-mile day, so I chose the 20-mile day. I filled up with water at the Hopewell Lake campground, at which point I could stop for the day. I chose not to stop at the campground since I assumed it required a payment and I preferred camping for free in the wild anyhow. Not to mention that it would be quieter camping by myself than in a busy campground.
So after filling up with water and using the pit toilets, I pressed on another half-mile or so. I had wanted to throw out my trash at the campground as well, but the trash cans were locked up with a note saying to throw your trash in the dumpster, but I didn't see one anywhere. I suspect that the people who service the campgrounds were short-staffed and didn't want to empty the individual trashcans each day, but who knows for sure? In any case, I continued carrying my trash. For now, at least.
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| Elk on the trail! |
Despite starting so late in the morning and hiking 20 miles, I still finished the day two full hours before sunset which gave me plenty of time to sew up the hole that had formed in the crotch of my pants. I'm not sure when or where the hole formed, but at some point I had noticed the quarter-sized hole, but I figured it could wait until I reached camp.
Shortly before sunset, a few mosquitoes came out to pester me. They weren't bad, but the fact that any mosquitoes were around at all was a new development. I had assumed that I'd start seeing them in Colorado, and there would be some days that would be absolutely horrible. This was just a small reminder of the challenges still ahead on the trail.....
And that was that. The end of a completely uneventful, boring day. Why are you still reading this post? I told you right in the title that it was a boring day on the trail! You have no one but yourself to blame for this waste of time. *nodding* =)
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| Lizard! |
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| I took a short break in this shade tree. |
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| One of these "flowers" is not like the rest.... But in all seriousness, I have no idea why there would be a golf ball out here. I certainly wasn't near any golf courses today! |
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| Go, CDT! |
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| Trash cans at the Hopewell Lake Campground were closed off. =( |
3 comments:
A boring day on the CDT is better than a snowy day waiting for the snow plow to open up our rural roads. I thought about your dread of going through snow in Colorado while I trudged to the barn in my snow boots with spikes. I wouldn't miss an episode of your blog. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Jabber
A day out hiking can never be a boring day!
Because I look forward to, and miss seeing your shadow photos.
Simple pleasure for a simple person.
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