We had an extra day and night in Creede which was a good call. After Uncle Joe and Aunt Ellen got us all situated in our lodge, they traveled back to Denver. We, being Sabine, Jen and I made quick time of organizing our stuff, picking up boxes from the post office and catching up. The three of us have been on different paths as of late, with Jen making the most of her time working and developing contacts. She should be a politician!

We all headed to town in the rain, and ran into a Sobo named Blast. She is from Montreal and started in Glacier after us. She is another young and very fast hiker. But she was close to hypothermia when we ran into her on the street. We all ducked into the Post Office and she nearly cried. Her entire body was soaking wet from head to toe. She left early this morning and walked all day without stopping. No food, no warming up, just head down and straight to town. After picking up her box, I brought her back to our room for a warm shower and hot cocoa. I hung up her wet clothes, made her some hot food, and she spent the night with us.

This trail has been brutal at times, especially with the extreme weather. All the locals remind us that it’s not usually like this. But it has rained more the month of September than the entire year. Well aren’t we the lucky ones. For Coloradans, it’s a welcome relief as they have been in a severe drought. and it appears that it’s not stopping any time soon. With the recent hurricane in Mexico, we will get one last punch. The most amount of rain since 2023 is coming in a couple of days.

So now what? We can’t just hide inside until the sun shines or we’ll never finish this trail! So Jen and I decided to get some miles in while we can. After a great breakfast, Jen, Blast and I left for the Blue Line. Instead of fording the rivers that have over extended their banks, we are road walking to South Fork. Needless to say, this is not my favorite way to hike but it is the smartest way to keep from being swept away down some unstable ravine. And so we walked. Sabine decided to stay in town for a couple more days, waiting out the storm and going rock hounding! This is her happy place and true love, geology.

Fearless and I walked down the road and honestly, I am as happy as a pig in the mud! My hiking partner Fearless is back, and life is grand! Fortunately the road walk has a shoulder and all the drivers were giving us a wide birth. As we looked back on the town of Creede, the mountains were covered by snow.

Our original plan was to keep the miles low being this was Fearless’ first day back on trail. The route was flat and we stopped at Cottonwood Cove. It was the lodge we stayed with Jen’s Uncle Joe snd Aunt Ellen. It’s a cute place with cabins that line the Rio Grande. We had lunch at a picnic table, watched the Big Horned Sheep graze and stopped for a Latte. One of the perks to road walking.

Once we left, the road became much more narrow and we moved over to the decommissioned railroad tracks, following them for the remainder of the day. Walking on railroad ties takes a lot of concentration. The ties are old and sometimes rotten, some are overgrown with grass while others have lava stones between the ties. Not sure why lava stone is thrown all over, being it’s not native to this area. Between the creosote on the railroad ties and the lava rocks, you definitely don’t want to fall or have a misstep! After another five miles or so, we found a flat area with big tall trees. This will be our perfect home for the night.

We walked around for a bit and finally found a little hobbit area that was protected by big fir trees. With the storm of the year on its way, this would be our little sanctuary for the night. Fearless secured her hammock and I pitched my tent for the night. Now all we have to do is wait for the rain, or not. As I went to sleep last night, I was so grateful to have my hiking partner camped right next to me. What a blessing to share this journey, with all its ups and downs, together with another believer. Fearless is a true gift and friend. Thank you Lord.

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” ‭‭1Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬