Day 9, 20.5 miles

Hello again! Man it’s crazy, everyday (just before bed), when I write the blog I’m in a super good mood! I’m all set up in camp, my belly is full, I’m warm and everything is as it should be. During the day… not exactly the case! I think today was the toughest mentally on me.. My pace is just so that I don’t have any friends, any familiar faces out here. The nicest people are the people I’ve only seen once. :( 

I would cross this if I wasn’t only 1/3 done with a 500 mile hike! 

Elbert in the distance 

Most of todays terrain :(

My knee is acting up bad. I believe it’s caused by uneven grade or me going downhill too fast in uneven grade. It’s my outer right knee and it definitely affects my uphill steps as well. By the end of the day I had to baby it, only stepping up with the left. I hope I don’t injure that one by overuse! 🤞 

One highlight of my day! 

Great spot for a foot soak

These gents are best buds! They gave me extra snacks! 

Met Brenda. I traded him some TP for some more snacks! I love the barter system, and I love snacks 

Elbert is one big momma 

At the Mt Elbert junction, I had already gone 19 miles. Even with my bum knee, I decided to hobble up 1.5 miles to the one “flat” spot on the whole mountain. I was thinking about continuing 5 more mile on the CT to the South Elbert trailhead, then in the morning, leave my tent and sleeping stuff set up and just take my empty backpack with my food to the summit.

Buuuuuuuuuut…..

MAMA DIDN’T RAISE NO SLACK-PACKER!!

Up and over this mountain I go! 💪 😤 

This trail goes 4,1000 ft up in 3.5 miles 😯 

Summit is teasing me! 

I’m proud that I fit my tent here! Can’t tell but the whole left side is slanted and the right side is the only 2ft wide flat spot on this whole mountain!! (I’m lucky no one was here already!)

Spicy Ramen for dinner! 

Sorry for not writing much today.. the trail was really tough, I climbed a LOT! Mosquitos were the worst so far, one got me 4+ times on the back of my right leg right in the crease (the leg pit?). The weather is (allegedly) taking a turn for the worst, just as I’m about to start the Collegiates. If I had people to talk to daily, I’m sure I’d feel different. What I’m lacking out here is camaraderie. 

It felt great to share some of these things with Claire on the phone today. I sure do miss her. It’s hard because I know at any point I could call her and pretty please her to come pick me up at any of the random dirt trailhead lots I cross everyday, and she’d do it in an instant! But I am strong and I want to do this!

Tomorrow I hope to make the last 3ish miles to the summit of Mt Elbert early, and then down into Twin Lakes. 

Ooooooh my gosh I just heard the loudest crash of bushes, something definitely running down towards the area I’m sleeping! Pleeeaaaase be a high altitude deer please! Ahhh, it’s time for the earphones and some reggae music I guess! 😱 

Thanks for reading! Night night!

Edit: Holy guac I am IN it!! It’s been raining hard, lightning followed by thunder about 4-6 seconds later. I heard a FAMILY with at least 2 kids coming down the trail at 10:20pm. Then just now, 10:30, the hugest flash of light with a CRACKING thunder the exact same second! It’s right over me! Luckily I am amidst a bunch of trees but it’s pretty scary! I would hate to be out there right now! My tent is being out to the test for sure! Going to have 5 extra lbs of water tomorrow to carry up to the summit. 🤣