SUMMARY:  We spent a lot of time today trying to stay with the CDT in all its twists and turns. Some we spotted, and the scenario would be “Wait! Stop! The trail went that way!” Then whoever was in front had to do a course correction. But several times we both missed a turn and kept happily heading along a grassy ridge or across a meadow or through the woods, thinking we were on the CDT. Finally we would realize our mistake, and then Garmin GPS to the rescue!

We also had a couple of long, steep hill climbs that wiped us out quite nicely. But in spite of it all, we still managed 24 miles and found a place to camp with a beautiful view of Mt. Garfield.

DETAILS:  Our goal today was to make at least 20 miles, or even 25, if possible.  But the trail had other ideas.  Not too long after we started this morning, we arrived at what looked like nice NEW trail, freshly built, and contouring around the mountain rather than going straight up it and straight down on the other side.  There have been several of these new “contouring” sections, and we thought this was another of them.

So we walked happily along, enjoying the nice trail, until we realized, “Wait a minute–this isn’t going AROUND, it’s going DOWN.”  A check of the Garmin confirmed our concern–the CDT was behind us,  up there on top of the mountain.  So we turned around and walked back up to find the real trail, and finally located it–a faint trace that (of course!) went straight up.  We are still not sure what the nice new downhill trail was all about.

This continued off and on all day.   Several times we were sure we were on the right route, then something would seem “off” and we would stop to look at the Garmin and groan and figure out a way to bushwhack back over to the CDT.  One of our bushwhacks took us down a grassy ridge where a herd of cows got very upset when we showed up and started running down the ridge ahead of us.  We felt really bad about this–I know the ranchers hate it when hikers scare their cows.  Back home, many of the trails go through cow pastures, and the cows there are so used to hikers that they hardly even move at all, even if we are very close to them.  The cows we met today were freaking out when we showed up.

One of our concerns as we came down that ridge was “We have to find water!”  We were just about out of water, and when we got to the creek where we expected to find water, it was dry.  Oh no!  But we kept on going and kept on looking, and finally spotted a spring, up the hill a bit, where we could get water.  Whew!

Finally the CDT left the grassy ridges and went into forest, with lots of ups and downs and twists and turns.  Fixit was hiking ahead of me and he was in what I call “thinking mode” which means he is actually sort of oblivious to what’s going on around him because he is thinking about something.  I’m such a klutz that I have to stay focused on what the trail is doing so I don’t trip & fall, so I have to do my thinking when I am NOT hiking!  Anyway, in one half-hour stretch, THREE times I had to yell and yell to Fixit, “Stop!  Come back!  There’s a junction here!  We have to turn!” because the CDT route had once again done a twisty turn and headed off on another “side” trail, and he didn’t even see it.

Scenery wise, this afternoon was awesome!  We were back in the real mountains, with meadows and creeks and forests.  It was really pretty and really rugged.  The trail was mostly lumpy and rough, too.  I kept thinking about wanting to do at least 20 miles, and getting frustrated, but then I’d try to remind myself to just enjoy the beauty of this place.

Tonight we have a great campsite with a view of Mt. Garfield.  Clouds are building–we might get rain tonight.  Fixit and I are totally wiped out from doing several long, steep climbs, plus all the bushwhacking.  But when I checked the maps, I was amazed and delighted to find that in spite of everything, we still managed to do 24 miles!