Flying miles into Steamboat Springs

Day 71

Date: 11.07.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 1'437.8.5

Miles hiked: 30.3 miles / 48.5 km

Elevation: 7'090 feet ascent (2'162 m Aufstieg) / 5'741 feet descent (Abstieg 1'751 m)

Camping at: KOA, Steamboat Springs

It was a cold but dry night. One of these rare mornings in Colorado where my tent is dry and I don't have to pack up a wet tent. I can already feel that the days are getting shorter again, the sun is rising later and it was quite cold in the morning. I was on trail shortly before 6am. It is gonna be a big mile day, but just a little uphill in the morning and then it is all downhill on dirt roads. The last eleven miles are pavement road on the highway. But I am super motivated to get to town. And Steamboat Springs also marks the last town in Colorado! Around 2 or 3 days more and I am in Wyoming and hiked half of the CDT!

I started my hike and hike more than 8 miles by 8am, and already more than 12 miles by 10am. That is how easy the hike is today! Hiking on dirt roads is easy and super fast, but can be hard on your feet after a while. I run into 'Senor Guapo' and we hike a couple of miles together. When I stop for lunch at a shady tree, I get given apple juice and a religious phamblet by a car driving by! I just stop quickly for about 30 minutes and continue my hike. Shortly later I reach the highway. It's an 11 miles hike along the highway 14. It is hot outside, a boring hike along the street with a little sidewalk only, so a little dangerous too. More than halfway in a car stops, giving me water, a fresh peach, some bourbon (!), a diet coke and candy, I am super amazed again. Their daughter hiked the AT, and since then they help out if they see hikers. That's so sweet! I was shortly breaking along the highway a couple of times, because my feet really started to hurt from all that gradual pavement hiking and could really use this trail magic!

When I finally made it to the access point to hitch into steamboat I was ready to wait a while for a hitch. But the second car already pulled over! And he was a super nice guy, driving me all the way to Steamboat and showing me around town and even house. He is biking the CDT from Steamboat to Salida, starting tomorrow! He would have taken me out tonight for dinner with his wife, but as I hike with Vista and Ducky I had to decline.

When getting to town I texted Boss. He did a 0 day here and together we get dinner at a sushi place. I was graving for sushi a long time already as it is always nice to get something different rather than pizza or burgers. Ducky made it to town too, but she went straight to the KOA, which is 3 miles out of town. So I get beers, wine and burgers for Ducky and Vista and pack everything out, taking the free Bus.

At the KOA we showered and even get to do laundry. While walking to the shower, I pass rental Cabins and at the deck of one of these Cabins I can hear latin music, laughter and spanish talking around a bonfire. I must smile and called in spanish 'tell me when dinner is ready!'. And what happens is the begin of a wonderful friendship and 1.5 amazing days to follow! They invite me for dinner and wine. However, I first have to shower and get laundry done. At a KOA they don't provide towels and I get one from my new venezuelan and puerto rico friends. After the shower I return to them with my box of wine. It was a wonderful evening ending up that I get invited to stay at the cabin for the night and being invited for single trail biking and hot springs tomorrow! However, I first have to figure out how I can manage a day off with my hiking plans. Let's see tomorrow.

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