Oh what a night we had. We stopped early due to the rain and thunder. And then we stayed put all night due to the thunderous thunder, frightful lightning and sideways 50mph wind gust. I do believe it was the most amount of weather we have had on this trail. And that is saying a lot.

I had pitched my tent under a canopy of pine trees. Jen had her hammock secured to two pine trees. She was not as protected but had her Sil nylon tarp overhead and in the past, it has provided her dry shelter. After falling asleep, she woke up to drip, drip, drip on her face. That’s odd, and then she realized her hammock was completely saturated including her under quilt. This is her warmth layer, yet it was soaking wet. We call this a catastrophic equipment failure!

When I woke up, Jen gave me her assessment of the evening. The winds were blowing in a chaotic manner, almost as thou a hurricane force would rip apart a house. I felt this in my tent, but the difference was, I was dry inside. Poor Jen, was wet to the bone. We packed up and headed back to Chama. I had made a contact with Jonathan Thomas, the owner and designer of Exoticpax and he sent Nate to come pick us up.

We decided on the roadwalk out as this would be less muddy and easier to navigate with heavy packs and wet gear. The road was, in fact, filled with mud puddles. There were even moose prints that were sidestepping the puddles. I thought moose like water? Evidentially only when they choose to eat sludge.

We ran into some hunters from Oklahoma who jockeyed some gear around, and gave us drenched hikers a ride to the road. We arrived shortly after ten, and Nate came barreling in and drove us back to Chama.

Once at Jonathan’s house- Exoticpax, I hung up my tent, emptied my backpack, while Jen stretched out her hammock, quilt and tarp. This is where the magic happened. Jonathon came over, talked to Jen about what had happened last night. She explained her setup while he proceeded to customize her tarp for winter conditions. This is what Trail Family is all about. There always seems to be someone who comes to our rescue. Thank you Jesus.

I booked us a room for one night to ensure that Jonathan had enough time to sew together Jen’s tarp. This gave us a minute to regroup. So, the plan is, yes, this is when you laugh! We will head out of town again tomorrow and continue Sobo with dry and improved sleeping gear. And maybe, just maybe, we will make it to Ghost Ranch by the end of the week. You just can’t make this stuff up. And I’m thinking there will be more to come. New Mexico, wow, you really have showed us that this hike ain’t over till the Fat Lady sings!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Back to the trail again. As I have learned, plans are nice, but typically they don’t stand a chance in a snowball fight. Or something like that?! Jen and I penciled out a route for our upcoming hundred miles. The biggest reason for this is not that we have any intentions of sticking to it, but it’s more about how much food we need to pack. Four days of food is much different than six. After looking at elevation and altitude, we are bringing six days of provisions. My back and shoulders are already revolting.

We met a Chama Local named Chip. He’s very eccentric and if I didn’t know any better, I think he is a bit sweet on Jen. He picked us up at half past nine and gave us a ride towards the trailhead. The steam train was loaded up with all the many tourists leaving Chama and headed to Antonio. We made a few stops along the way to watch it take its voyage up and over Cumbres Pass. Chip dropped us off midway, as his truck was limping along. We took some pictures and bided him farewell.

Fortunately for us, a nice couple pulled over and after telling them our dilemma, they were quite happy to give us a ride to the trailhead. It all worked out perfectly. Both are teachers at a local school and wanted to go out on a Sunday drive. I’m so glad people still do this. I can remember as kids climbing into the back of the Station Wagon and driving nowhere in particular. Mom and Dad just wanted to go for a ride.

We hooked back on the trail, and this time we were on the right one. There was a note left at the alternate trail that read, “This is not the CDT!” Thank you whoever placed that note on the ground. I’m sure they went the wrong way.

We started our little climb, just as the Cumbres Locomotive was making its way up the grade. I’m not sure how many pictures I shot of this train, but I’m sure it was well over twenty! Just a side note: I will be coming back to ride it. And definitely, next fall with George.

Within a little over an hour, we made it. Our fifth and final state of the CDT. Goodbye Colorado. Hello New Mexico. The artwork for the Border Crossing was surely unique. There was a wooden post with barbed wire wrapped around it, license plates from both states Colorado and New Mexico, adorned with moose antlers. That’s a sign!

I made a phone call home to let George know I was on the final leg. We both shared tears of joy. This is such a milestone and a relief that I am closing in on the monument. Praise the Lord, I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

We made it through the woods, up into the fir trees and remarked that this does not look like Colorado. There was moss hanging from the pines, CDT signs were strategically placed along the trail, and we were not lost anymore. What a wonderful welcoming!

We stopped briefly, and I mean briefly for lunch. The wind was howling and the clouds were not as welcoming, as the state. After a few minutes, we gathered our Scooby Snacks and headed back to the trail. However, as plans go, we quickly realized that we were not going much further. The trail ahead was climbing over another 11,000’ pass just as the rolling thunder had arrived. Jen looked at me and acknowledged that we need to find camp NOW! I was all in agreement and so the hunt went on for two solid trees and a flat spot.

Within minutes, we both found exactly what we needed. Jen strung up her hammock and I pitched my tent. We are maybe, five feet from each other. And that’s the way we like it. The rain started, and we both were in our perfect little cocoons, snug and warm, and safe from the impending doom.

Once again, we did not make our miles. But what we accomplished is so much greater. We are in New Mexico. Come snow, hail, sleet or rain, thunder and lightning overhead, we have arrived! And by golly, we are going to finish what we started! Next stop, who know where. We sure don’t! But God always has a plan.

“Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭150‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a great evening we had last night. Fire blazing and the stars were shining. I wish I knew how to photograph the night sky like the professionals do. But all I can do is aim my iPhone to the sky, hold it for three seconds, and see what happens.

It looks like a black screen, but if you really look closely, once you expand the picture, oh my. There are millions of stars and even the Milky Way is visible. Chama, New Mexico is one of the darkest cities in US. We are camped just outside of Chama, plus there is a New Moon, All the boxes are checked and so we get to see all the brightest stars in the night sky. It’s worth walking all the way from Canada to get a glimpse of God’s glory and His creation!

Today we are road walking. Flat Road is a smooth gravelly route that takes us to the Scenic Steam Train. It’s the main reason people come to Chama. We are going for resupply, rest and some town food. And if we can hitch a ride on the train, that’d be a big plus.

It was a short walk down to the main road, Highway 160. Our FarOut app told us that many hikers waited for hours to get a hitch. We tried our luck and decided to walk up to the Train Station. There were tons of people waiting for the train to arrive. This is a perfect place to get a ride, train, truck or Subaru.

Within ten minutes, the big black steam locomotive cane chugging up the hill. Kids were clapping, parents were taking pictures and several professional photographers were set up to take their once in a lifetime photo with a train and all the fall colors. This has to be he best time of the year to ride this scenic train.

After talking with the conductor, the train was headed to Antonito today. And it was fully booked. Well, there’s always a ride with a kind hearted soul. Sure enough, Rick, a Photo Tour Guide was more than happy to give us a ride to Chama. We put our packs in his truck and off we went.

Chama is a small town that is fairly spread out. Very eclectic place to land. Obviously the number one attraction is the train. After that, maybe fall color chasers and after that, I’m not sure. It boasts 907 residents and if you want to buy property, a house or business, you have much to choose from. Just about everything in town is For Sale.

Jen and I landed at the Cumbres Suites courtesy of Jen’s Dad Stephen. Thank you so much. We desperately needed a bed to rest on and a place to get out of the weather! I think this is one of the biggest rooms we’ve had. It was once a Lodge for Hunters. There’s a big open concept downstairs for gatherings and nice backyard for sprawling out.

We were able to get much accomplished while in town. Hit the Post Office, Grocery’s which is also the Hardware and Sporting Goods Store and found Hunters Restaurant, a recommendation from our ride Rick.

Back to the trail we go. We’ll be crossing over the Colorado/New Mexico Border in four miles. That’s hard to believe! Four states walked and one to go. Our next stop will be Ghost Ranch in about a week. Hogged Up has found her trail legs and she is well ahead of us. She took a different route out of Creede and is carrying on. I’m not sure if we will ever catch up with her, but crazier things have happened. We wish her well, safe hiking and God’s grace. .

“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever had a night where you couldn’t sleep? It didn’t matter how many sheep you counted or how bottles of bear on the wall you sang, there was nothing that would turn your brain off? That was me last night. At 2am, Jen awoke in her hammock to ask if I was okay? I must’ve been one loud non-compliant sleeper.

Our morning start was rather late, even for our standards. Finally we were on the trail by 10am. I know, it was really tough getting motivated this morning. We stopped by Dipping Lake, filled our bottles with water and headed up the pass. It was a quick 750’ in less than a mile.

Once on top, I pulled over and laid out my mat. I had all intentions of drinking my thermos of coffee. Jen showed up and I gave her a tour of the place. We were on a flat plateau with many lakes and a massive canvas tent that was most likely, an outfitters. We wandered over to see if anyone was home. No one was there but it had four beds, Coleman stove, fireplace insert, four chairs and some boxes of provisions. Now that’s glamping!

We sat by the lake, drank our coffee and Fearless shared her Cinnamon Rice Pudding inspired by her mom Sylvia. It is one of my favorite meals that Fearsome Fuel will be launching next year. Jen and her business partner/friend Dave, who is a commercial chef, have created autoimmune friendly meals that are delicious. I believe they’ve created a dozen different recipes so far. I’ll be their first customer as they are quite tasty and healthy to boot!

We had planned for a leisurely day today after our hardcore killer day yesterday. Following our long break, we headed to our next destination, Rock Bivy, some five miles south. The terrain was mellow, with expansive golden meadows. The mornings during this past week have been lovely. The sun comes out, the temperature is mild and the white puffy clouds add drama to the sky. It’s what happens afterwards, that has been our nemesis.

After wandering a bit off-track, we bushwhacked through some willows, scraped up our legs and made it back on trail. Story of our lives! It’s pretty much the same scenario everyday. We follow a trail, which we assume is the CDT and after a bit, we instinctually check our map and realized we are not on the CDT. How does this happen you might ask? There are so many criss-crossing unmarked trails, some are game trails, some are routes to far away places, and we just follow them. Hence the reason some of our miles seem off. They are. We add bonus miles almost everyday.

Once we were redirected, we made it to Rock Bivy. It’s a small rock wall that we sat inside and had lunch. It is a pretty tight space but Jen and I fit quite well inside. The sun was bright so Jen grabbed her umbrella for shade. Before we knew it, a gust of wind came up, and off her umbrella flew like “Mary Poppins!” Jen jumped up, tried to retrieve it, but that golden umbrella launched over the mountain side and rolled into the valley below. She might be lucky and find it in New Mexico next week!

The storm clouds started building up pretty quickly. This was our clue to pack up and head south. Before I could get my wind jacket on, a big ominous cloud was thundering from behind. We move pretty darn fast when white puffy clouds turn gray and dark. Then add in the cracks of thunder, and we beat feet. About 500’ below, I passed a red sign warning of dangerous conditions on the mountain. Really?!?!

A couple of thru-hikers passed by and told us of an alternate that drops off the mountain and into Chama. Sure enough, when I opened up my CalTopo, there it was. Jen and I arrived at the junction, just as the big bad cloud was thundering. We wasted no time taking the alternate. From all the footprints, it looked like everyone else was doing the same thing.

We dropped down in elevation fairly quickly and ended up on Flat Road. It’s an old forest service road that must of been used for logging. We followed it for a bit and found a nice area to camp. There was a grassy meadow with a creek nearby, and all the provisions for a lovely evening. Before I knew it, Fearless was gathering wood and we had the warmest fire on trail. This is only the second time we’ve had a campfire on trail. And just to be clear, fire bans have been lifted and we had a absolutely perfect stonewalled fire ring. It was a perfect ending to a pretty darn perfect day.

“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a difference it makes when you get a good nights sleep. Jen and I were up and out by7am. The sunrise was bright oranges and pinks as we crested the pass. Once again, there was no name for our Passat 12,20’ so I dubbed it Prayer Pass. I turned on my phone received a blessing from my hubby George. It was exactly what I needed.

Our game plan was to hike to some perfect campsite that was over sixteen miles south. It was next to a lake and had live trees and an improved dirt camping site. Sounds wonderful. Knowing we’d be covering some miles, Fearless and I decided to hike to Blue Lake for breakfast. It was another 4-5 miles with lots of down. Easy peasy.

If you have ever been to Lake Tahoe and hiked fromDL Bliss to Emerald Bay, the trail around Blue Lake reminded me of that. It followed the edge of this pristine deep blue lake with Gray Scrub Jays following us. I think they were hungry or maybe just curious, but not afraid and keeping a close eye on us.

We had our coffee and breakfast next to a fireplace. It was the only thing left standing from a homestead that used to overlook the lake. It was a massive chimney so I can only imagine what the house looked like.

Our next destination was Mountain Pass. As I was looking at the map, we have climbed many passes named Mountain Pass. That gets quite confusing if you want to tell a friend to meet you at Mountain Pass. Which one? We hiked for another six miles, watching the clouds build around us. Every direction that I looked, there were rain clouds, thunderheads, black skies and just about every possible cloud formation God created. But it was, as if, we were in the eye of the storm. Nothing was showering us. Well at least not yet!

Once we reached the pass at 12,318’ there was no escaping the weather. I put on all my layers, sweater, rain jacket, vest and gloves. As we headed over the pass, it started snowing. This was bonafide stick to the ground kind of snow. It was blowing sideways as times, and then, like a switch, it would stop.

The scenery was so different from what I’ve hiked in the past. It was moonlike with tundra and small alpine lakes with rocks all around. I could see areas where no rain was falling, then curtains of clouds that were producing snow. When you are on top of a plateau, you can see for miles in every direction. It was truly a weather phenomenon that I’ve never experienced before.

We walked for another six to seven miles in search of this perfect campsite. After hiking over dead trees, uncleared trails, and a war zone of fallen pines, we found it. The absolute worst campsite ever! There were dead trees everywhere which doesn’t help Jen and her ham mocking possibilities . So at the bewitching hour of 6pm, we still had no home.

We kept walking, crawling over fallen trees and pretty darn beat up and tired. Then we stubbled upon a flattish piece of real estate with some live trees, next to the trail. Home, not so sweet, home but it’ll do. Just as we took off our packs, it started to rain. Go figure! So is the life of a praying thru-hiker.

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’m pooped. Last night was the absolute worst camp selection of my hiking career. When you show up under duress and a headlamp, the pickings are slim. Fearless didn’t do much better. We both had rocks to negotiate, creeks and marsh areas around us and tons of condensation in the morning. Jen couldn’t get out of her rain poncho/tent fast enough. We packed up all our wet gear and carried on.

We are hiking in the South San Juan Mountain Range so we seldom go below 11,000’. The air is thin, it’s hard to catch your wind, and all I really want is to take a deep cleansing breath. Both Jen and I were lethargic, light headed with a mild grade headache. After thinking about our symptoms, and the fact that we both were having the same issues, I diagnosed us with Hypoxia. Whether we actually have hypoxia or not, I’m not a doctor. But it sure seems like we do. Jen’s appetite has been lacking, I feel like a drunken sailor and we haven’t been below 11,000’ for four days. It seems to me that this could explain our lackluster performance of late, or we could just be plain tired!

So my sights were low today. Let’s do our minimal amount of miles, get over the passes and find camp early. Our first pass was named Pass at 12,021’. Very little creativity on this trail when it comes to naming peaks and passes. It was a slugfest getting up and over it but once again, the views were tremendous.

Our second pass was Mountain Pass 12150’. Both of our climbs were a bit over 1000’ which isn’t much. Except for the fact, that we are not able to replenish our lungs with enough oxygen to account for the mass amount of effort we are exuding. But a big plus, today we did not get rained upon. We heard thunder all afternoon, saw black nasty clouds, but they never showered on us.

Around 3:30pm, I announced that I was ready to find camp. We were heading down to a valley and there were a few trees. But after scouting around, there really wasn’t anything flat that wasn’t completely covered by cow pies. Fearless checked FarOut and there was a comment regarding nice camping in a mile or so, up on a plateau.

We headed onward, crossed several creeks and climbed up, up and more up. As we crossed a rocky shale slide, we both noticed a stand of pine trees off the trail. That’s our home for the night. We crossed over a rock bed, and be-lined to the trees. It was perfect. Tucked away from the trail, fairly protected from the wind and flat with plenty of choice trees to hang a hammock. The only non-negotiable, we were sleeping at 11,595’ but that’s pretty much how it goes in the San Juan’s. Well God, all of my boxes were checked and we were in camp just after 5pm. Thank you Jesus.

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a day I had! First of all, I slept much too late. It was after 7am when I woke up! I’m usually on the trail by then. Even Fearless was out of camp before me. Good gracious! Around 8:30am I was packed and hitting the ribbon of dirt.

It started out as a beautiful blue sky day. I even had a chance to dry my tent out at our second breakfast. We always have a stop about 3-5 miles in. We drink the rest of our coffee, typically read Our Daily Bread and eat a snack. This usually covers us till lunchtime.

The climbing was mild as this entire section to Chama is manageable, so I thought. The ups are reasonable and the downs are tame. We are in the South San Juan’s which many hikers love. I second it. Mountains are plentiful and they are all so different. You have jagged peaks, table tops, there are rounded mountains and ones that you would think you’re in Switzerland. They are all so unique and beautiful.

There were two peaks in particular that we have been watching. One is Summit Peak and the other has no name, which really bothers me. It’s so spectacular and it needs a name so I’m calling it the Triple Matterhorn. As we approached Summit Peak, there was lightning, then the loudest thunder I’ve heard in quite awhile. And it just started hailing. Big chunks of ice falling from heaven above.

We were well over 12,500’ and there are no trees for shelter. That’s when I told Fearless, I’m pitching my tent! This is downright ridiculous to be hiking in an ice storm with thunder and lightning overhead. I had my tent pitched in less than two minutes. We were tucked inside watching the storm from the safety of my single walled home, which only provides protection from the impending elements. Not much more than that. But we were warm and dry, and I felt safe.

The storm moved north and we continued on. We went around Summit Peak and continued towards Triple Matterhorn. I honestly didn’t think we’d be right in front of it, but that’s exactly where the trail took us. The thunder kept thundering and we had snow flurries most of the afternoon.

Fearless wanted to hike till 6:30 which would’ve been fine last month. But it’s getting darker much earlier. We fished around for our headlamps, just in case. And we needed them. We started downhill and there was no suitable landing spot to be found.

The meadows were wet, and the hillsides were sloped. We walked, then we split up trying to find anything suitable. After hiking in the dark, I finally found a quasi flattish area and called it camp. We are smack dab between two tributaries and that’s where we landed. Definitely one of the worst camping sites of this trail!

New rule imposed as of today. We find camp no later than 6pm and that may even change the farther south we get. The days are shorter and it’s getting colder by the week.

“Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The wedding and reception were so nice. Imagine all the hikers you have met in the past three months convening for an overnighter. We all had our sleeping pads stretched out on the floor with a few of us on this huge sectional. I commandeered a corner and slept pretty darn well.

I was the first to wake up as I wanted to catch up with Fearless. As quietly as possible, I obtained my stuff, saying goodbye to the family. Then I headed out and walked the roadway back to 160. There was little traffic on a Sunday morning and no one was interested in picking me up. My walkabout was four miles, but once I stuck out my thumb on the highway, Karen and Corrine pulled over and picked me up. Do you want to guess what kind of car they were driving? Yep, an orange Subaru Crosstrek. Imagine that.

Because of my four mile walk, and the hitch to the pass, I didn’t get on trail till 11am. Fearless was dilly dallying around so I was only four miles behind. This helped me as I’m not the fastest hiker and neither is she. This is one of the many reasons we are such great hiking partners. As soon as I got on trail, a couple walked down the hill towards me. They asked if I was a thru-hiker and I told them I was. Then they shared with me that there was another hiker ahead who gave them stickers! That’s Fearless. She is so good at sharing her MS Story with everyone she meets and blesses them with stickers. Who doesn’t like a sticker?

The scenery today was amazingly beautiful again. The trail hugged Wolf Creek Ski Area, then turned towards Mt. Alberta. This is a popular hike and being fall was in the air, people were coming out. I must’ve seen close to twenty hikers heading up and down the trail.

Mt. Alberta is a bit of a rock scramble but very doable. It tops out at 11,800’ and has commanding views of all the surrounding peaks, valleys and every fall colored aspen for miles and miles. The trail skirted around the mountain and that, I don’t like. And what I don’t like even more is thinking about the trail maintenance crew that built this section. How or more importantly, who does this? Don’t get me wrong, I’m super grateful but I wouldn’t build this section for all the tea in China! It’s terrifying walking it, let alone carving it out of the mountain side. Thank you CDTA and all the hands that build these trails!

The day was so nice with the small exception of a thunder storm as I hiked over Silver Pass. The clouds had been building all day and sure enough, they clamored and made quite the ruckus as I summited the pass. That gave me good incentive to get down lickidy split. And I still had no sight of Fearless.

My plan was to stop at the last creek before the next nine mile water carry. Fearless found a campsite just a mile south of the creek. Perfect, I’ll be camping with her tonight. Caddy Shack had passed me and I told him we were camping up ahead, if he wanted to join us. He also was diagnosed with MS close to twenty years ago. Fearless has been wanting to talk with him so this was perfect.

We all setup our homes for the night. Caddy Shack and Fearless had dinner together and watched the sunset. I find it so inspiring that these two are both hiking this very long and difficult trail, sharing much of the same issues and concerns. Yet here they are, hiking thousands of miles! It really makes me wonder how much harder it is for them than me? God is so faithful. It really doesn’t matter what diagnosis or disease you have, but how you respond. Granite, not everyone with MS can hike long distant trails, but these two certainly do. And to think, I have the privilege to have them both camping with me tonight. How cool is that?

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Oh my. The stars last night were something out of this world! By 8pm, it was pitch black and every star, constellation and galaxy was shining. There is zero light pollution up on top of the mountain so the Milky Way, in all its glory, was brilliant. But it was cold. Bone chilling cold! We both woke up to frost on the tent, vestibule and hammock and underfoot.

All we could think about was hooking up with the Redline. It has been a month since Fearless has walked on the CDT and by golly, it was going to happen today. Less than a mile from camp, Jen sat her pack down to take off some layers and within ten feet, there it was. The CDT Redline, we did it.

We had a little coffee break and then, once again, walked the Redline. It was a nice gentle climb up the ridge until we hit a meadow. Before long, we emptied our packs and started drying out all our gear from the prior icy cold night. Jen had actual snowballs in her hammock tarp which were promptly thrown. And soon ensued a snowball fight. Kids will be kids and hikers are nothing more than grown up kids.

The rest of our day was spent hiking and taking numerous breaks. As we got closer to the pass, we looked for a lunch spot. With nothing really worthy, we found ourselves sitting directly on the trail. No problem since we hadn’t seen anyone for a couple of days.

We took out our waffle pads, layed out our lunch and stretched out on the trail. And of course, within a few minutes, John and his bride came strolling by. Well, neither Fearless nor I were in any shape to get up and move, but the two were gracious and stepped over us. Then they proceeded to ask all sorts of questions about our hike. And we were able to gather much needed intel regarding Pagosa Springs. Win, win for all of us.

After lunch we pushed towards Wolf Creek Pass and before long, we were hitching to town. I had told Jen that we would get picked up by someone driving a Subaru. They seem to be outdoorsy people and just about every ride I’ve had has either been a Subaru or a Truck. Ten minutes later, Amanda and Brock in a fancy Outback stopped and gave us a ride to town. Imagine that.

Pagosa Springs is a great place. It is a mountain community with a ski hill and natural hot springs in the river that runs through town. It has a downtown and an uptown, which is where most the residents live. And we had a great recommendation for both a hotel and restaurant. Alpine Inn at Pagosa Springs and Coyote Moon Bar & Grill. We stayed at the inn and ate at the bar.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to head into Pagosa is the fact that Coyote and Radio were getting married. They are the couple that I started the CDT with. When I arrived at East Glacier Looking Glass Hostel, we pulled a permit together for the first week of hiking the CDT. I hadn’t seen them since leaving Glacier NP being they are extremely fast hikers but we’ve stayed in contact during the past few months. Now they are getting married on the trail.

Jen and I had a great evening, met some nice people at the bar, listened to a band playing country music and walked back to our hotel. The next morning, my son Billy drove to town and we were able to spend the day together. He recently moved to Durango which is a short one hour drive to Pagosa Springs. I was getting my cup filled in more ways than I could imagine.

Billy drove Fearless and I back to Wolf Creek Pass and we got a ride up to Lobo Lookout for the wedding. The day was perfect, clear blue skies and no wind. There was close to thirty hikers that all came to celebrate the union of these sweet young people, Coyote and Radio. Coyote’s Dad officiated the wedding and as they were sharing their vows, two doves flew overhead and landed near them. How absolutely meaningful was that!

Afterwards, Jen went back to the trail and I drive down with Radio’s family and spent the evening at the reception. It was such a great celebration with burgers, cakes and dancing. It was absolutely an amazing evening. This will be a weekend that I will never forget. May God bless the union of these two and give them never ending love for the remainder of their lives.

“And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”” Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God places such beautiful people in my life. Lauren is a local from the town of South Fork. When she gave us a ride, she said she’d be available to take us to the trail in the morning. Sure to her word, she picked me and Jen up this morning and drove us to Archuleta Trailhead. It saved us from walking Highway 160 which is a shoulder less roadway. On top of that, she presented us with OWLS patches. We are now honorary members of the Old Wise Loving Souls Club which means we must keep moving throughout life, and we must share the outdoors with everyone we surround ourselves with. I think I can do that Lauren! She hugged us and sent us on our way. She is leaving for her own journey, to walk The Primativa- a Pilgrimage in Spain. Buen Camino Lauren.

The day was gorgeous. The whispery clouds were floating above the mountains, and blanketing the lakes and riverbeds. As we were walking up the road to hook up with the trail, we saw Scott. He’s from the LA Area and we met him yesterday after navigating the crazy train trestle. His grandparents have a cabin in South Fork that he inherited and visits a couple weeks a year. He was headed to the Big Meadows Reservoir to go fishing with his family.

Fearless and I made it to Archuleta Trailhead and followed the edge of the lake. Scott, his wife Hallie and their sweet little boy Coleman were casting their lines into the lake. We talked for a bit, and little Coleman came over and gave me the biggest hug. Just out of the blue, he wrapped his little arms around my legs. Coleman, you have no idea how much I needed that hug! I hope you catch the biggest fish of the day.

After my sweet little hug, we headed up the hill. Our plan today is to hook back up with the CDT Redline. It’s less than ten miles and that seemed quite doable. Jen is still trying to take it slow and easy for the first week back on trail, so no big expectations. The trail was nice, well groomed and manicured. Except for the Rio Grande. It was flowing like no one’s business. Even Lauren commented on it as we were driving to the trailhead this morning.

And sure enough, we had to cross this enormous river. I am deathly afraid of heights, but Jen is terrified of fast moving rivers. She had quite the scare back in the Bob Wilderness and hasn’t been able to past it. So when we came to our river crossing, this was frightening. It was, in fact flowing well over 1000 cubic feet per second but the saving grace was the section we needed to cross was fairly narrow. Maybe twenty feet, more or less.

Jen put her sandals on. They are substantial and this saves her trail runners from getting submerged. I took my socks and inserts out as my trail runners, as my sandals are not my go-to for river crossings. I went first to test the depth. If I could get across, Jen would have no problem. There was only one section that was rolling white water but very shortly lived. Before I knew it, I was on the other side, and so was Jen.

We had another river crossing but much calmer. All was good and we headed up to the pass. I was up ahead and as I reached the top, there was the biggest moose I’ve ever seen. At first I thought it was a horse but there’s no wild horses up here. I must have spooked him because he bolted before I could get any closer!

We stopped for lunch and decided we would keep hiking towards the Redline. Well, we had no idea that our trail would disappear. That ended our dreams of ridge lines and sunsets! Our trail had been so good for the first half of the day, but the trail helpers must have been called away to other areas west. We went over a few fallen trees, and no more trail was found. This leaves us to our own devices and bushwhacking is all we could do.

For the remainder of the day, we covered one mile per hour, climbing over rocks, boulders, fallen trees and walking through soggy meadows. Needless to say we never made it to the redline. Around 5pm, we found a nice knoll, looked for a flat enough spot for a tent and a couple of trees to hang a hammock. And we hunkered down for the evening. As I thought about the day, it’s easy to get discouraged. But we are still walking, we are enjoying our time in this beautiful country and we are getting stronger! There is always tomorrow to connect with the CDT Redline.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬