Breckenridge!

We made it!

I had hoped to post some incredible pictures to jazz up the blog a bit, but unfortunately, I am at a library that evidently has some pretty ancient computer technology.  So, very sorry, but you'll have to wait until we can find a good working computer.

In the meantime, I'll give you some updates on our hiking adventure thus far (our first 105 miles):

EXCITING, INTERESTING, OR CHALLENGING THINGS:

1.  Fortunately, we have only been caught in one lightening storm so far, and we were amongst some safe trees instead of on a ridge (thank God).  It was still a little scary, but it's expected out here.  The weather patterns are amazingly consistent so far: clear, blue skies in the morning, small cloud formations over the mountains around 11am or 12pm, and then thunder and potential rain around 1pm or 2pm, sometimes later.  It's incredible.  In fact, Ben and I were on Georgia Pass, our highest point yet at about 12,000 feet, and around 11am, we literally saw a cloud forming before our eyes, right above our heads!

2.  We've seen lots of exciting animal poop, but not a lot of animal sightings yet.  We've seen a lot of moose poop and prints, some bear poop, and we've seen a lot of little critters like squirrels and chipmunks.  We've had a few deer sightings, but we're hoping to see a moose (from afar!) before our trip ends.  They are pretty elusive.  We did have information come to us that there was evidence of a bear near where we had camped on our second night.  Good thing we hung our food!  :)

3.  Mosquitoes: the little buggers have not been terrible yet, but we've hit some fierce pockets of them here and there.  My solution is usually long pants and a rain coat.  It works pretty well.

4.  Foot problems!  Ben and I are both battling foot issues, from large blisters to just plain painful feet.  I think it will get better as we go along.  Blisters and pain are mostly to be expected when going on such a long trek.  Ben seems to lack padding in his shoes, so he bought some insoles here in Breckenridge in hopes of helping.

5.  Temps: it seems we go from cold to hot very quickly.  Our coldest night so far as been 32 degrees, and our highest temp has probably been upper 70s (thanks for the thermometer, David!).  We often bundle up only to quickly take off our layers as we hike--and then put the layers back on again when we stop for a break.

6.  Snow drifts: well, the inevitable has hit.  We finally went through some of this infamous snow everyone keeps talking about.  We had about 2 miles of climbing up and over large snow drifts, often plummeting down into them as we "postholed" up to our waist.  Needless to say, it was slooooow travel, but we made it.  I even slid down a couple of them.  Rather than get too frustrated, we tried to see it as a challenge and spent some time laughing at each other when we fell through.  We anticipate more snow as we head out of Breckenridge.  I will say this: it is EXHAUSTING hiking over and through large drifts.  I think we each ate extra dinner that night.  

7.  Altitude: though neither of us has experienced too much of a problem with altitude, we've definitely noticed a bit of a struggle to breath as we hike up to higher altitudes.  We especially noticed on our way up to Georgia Pass yesterday--Ben seemed ok but I was drawing in air like I had been underwater holding my breath!  I think it will get better as we continue south and get acclimated a bit more.

So far, the trip has been everything it was expected to be.  The mountains are gorgeous, of course, and we've experienced a lot of variety of landscape, from meadows to the bare open space above tree line. We've had time to talk about some of our "topics" on a list we made pre-departure, and we've had times of silence as we hike together.  I often forget how important silence is.  When I feel drowned in the noise of computers, cars, people, music, technology, machines, etc., I forget how important it is to escape and experience silence.  It was much welcomed, and I hope I can bring some of that peace back with me into my everyday, often chaotic life.

Ben went to the post office to send some stuff back home, otherwise I'd have him say a bit or two.  I'm sure he would remember some of the funnier things that have happened.  I will try to have him do a post in Leadville.

Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us.  God has kept us safe and healthy, and we appreciate all of your support.

Our next stop: Leadville (about 66 miles away).  We have a box waiting for us at the hostel there in town and hope to make it in on July 1st!

Happy trails to you!

Love,

Hatteras Jack and Do-Rag

P.S.  Our next stop before leaving Breckenridge: the local rec center so we can take showers!!!!!!  :)

Departure Day!

Well, here we are!  We are minutes away from departure and a 45 minute drive to the trailhead.  Thanks to Ben’s parents, Bonnie and Joe, who got up extra early to take us this morning.  We hope to hike about 11.7 miles today and another 15.7 miles tomorrow.  We recently found out that Ben’s brother, David, will be meeting us tomorrow (Saturday) morning at a parking lot to hike one night with us.  We’ll be happy to have company! 

Our hike today will start at about 5520 feet elevation, and we will end the day around 7200.  As the trail progresses, we will slowly gain elevation and reach our highest point further down the trail, topping out at 12760 feet about 7 miles after San Luis Pass.  It will take us a while to get there. 

    

We should be arriving in Breckenridge, Colorado, sometime around July 28th or 29th, and so we hope to have another update then.  Our goal is to get a hot shower at the rec center, pick up our package at the post office, maybe grab a fresh meal, attempt to find a computer to update the blog, and then head back out to the trail.  

Thanks for the prayers and support!  We hope to have exciting stories and insights to share as we go along.  Much love to all of our family in friends! 

-Hatteras Jack and Do-Rag

The Black Swans of the Colorado Trail

Last Memorial Day, I was sitting on my porch enjoying my coffee and my copy of USA Today, when I read a most disturbing headline: Beaver Attacks and Kills Man in Belarus. “A beaver?” I marveled. “A beaver?” I had never considered beavers to be a threat to humanity. In fact, I had long considered them to be cute and docile woodland creatures, yet there were the callous details in dark callous print. This beaver had sauntered-up to an innocent fisherman, bit him in a major artery, laughed with impunity, and swam away.  “First degree murder…” I frowned, drinking my last sip. “Beavers are not to be trusted!

A year later, I am pleased to announce that outside of Virginia, Homeland Security has prevented a pandemic of beaver attacks on American soil; however, as Kim and I prepare to take our hike this summer, I have begun to consider the real dangers of the Colorado Trail. If a red-eyed, demon beaver can kill a man in Belarus, I am sure a buck-toothed monster in the Collegiate Peaks would have no problem gnawing his way through the Nylon walls of our two-man tent.

Now, I know you may not be hiking the Colorado Trail anytime soon, but you need to know that the Centennial State is not the utopic paradise John Denver has made it out to be. It is a dangerous place, where the mountains are capped in shrouds of unpredictability. Anything can happen here… Anything!

Interestingly, in 2001 an economist named Nassim Taleb addressed this very topic. No, he did not hike the Colorado Trail, but in his book Fooled by Randomness he warns his readers that they need to spend more time preparing for unpredictable events. He terms these events “Black Swans” because they are rare, impactful, and almost unimaginable, like the Great Boston Molasses Tragedy of 1919 (Ugh!).

Thus, for your benefit, I will now list the “Black Swan” events that could impact or derail our upcoming adventure.

Wildlife

                Wildlife is a major concern on this trip, but I am not concerned about the usual suspects. Yes, bears can cause trouble for hikers, but in general they spend over 200 days a year in a deep torpor (hibernation), and when they do awake, they tend to rummage through garbage cans, Toyota Corolla’s, and KFC dumpsters. In fact, only five people have ever been killed in Colorado by bears, and one of the deceased met his untimely death by spraying two grizzly bears with a hose, which I think we all would agree is a bad idea. Mountain lions, also known as “long tails” and “ghost cats,” are not a primary concern either. Only two people in Colorado have ever been felled by one of these animals, and unless Kim and I start dressing in our mule deer buckskins, the danger should be minimal.

No, I think our major concern on this trip will be the unruly ungulates that have been pugnaciously ambushing the local residents. These “Black Swans” consist of the hoofed animals we might encounter with horns, antlers, and bad attitudes. Case in point: last month, a Black Hawk woman had just left her house to walk her dog Puddles, when a large-disheveled moose pounced upon her. Of course, she had done nothing to provoke the attack. The beast simply pounded her into the ground with all the forcefulness of a Riverdance clogger. It was a truly Black Swan event!  She survived the attack, yet she suffered multiple broken bones, several stiches, and the indignity of being covered in moose drool. I don’t know if you have ever been on the receiving end of a moose attack, but it is a most unfortunate event that includes a rhythmic cycle of hoofs, antlers, grunts… hoofs, antlers, grunts. I would like to say this particular moose attack was as isolated as the mad beaver in Belarus, but it is not; there have been many ungulate attacks in Colorado over the years. Just last fall, an Estes Park woman was trampled by an elk outside her apartment, and five years ago, a Florissant woman was gored by a mule deer. I would like to believe that Kim and I won’t meet a similar fate on the trail, but I can certainly imagine one of us opening our tent fly, only to meet a menagerie of hooves, antlers, and grunts…

                My other concern is that we may be intruding upon some of Colorado’s most endangered species (i.e. ptarmigans, lynx, cutthroat trout, bigfoot, and pika). The pika, which looks like a hamster and squeaks like a squeeze toy, is perhaps my favorite animal on the list. Unfortunately, Global Warming is quickly pushing these cute little buggers towards extinction, and I am worried that in their desperation, they may decide to take some of us backpackers out with them. I know such retribution may seem unlikely, but the 1964, horror movie Night of the Lepus seems to predict that such an attack may be imminent.

Escapees

 I have been asked more than once if I “pack-heat,” while backpacking. The answer is of course “No.” One, the thought of dragging a heavy weapon into the mountains of Colorado seems redundant, since I have a three-inch trout knife and two backpacking poles.  Two, most of the “bad guys” prefer urban settings with Taco Bell’s, which are far more lucrative than remote campsites. Three, Kim took karate when she was 10, so I am confident that she will be able to deal with any of the amateur criminals we may encounter along our trip.

Nevertheless, I have noticed that we are backpacking dangerously close to the federal penitentiary known as Super Max. If you are not aware of this facility, it was designed to confine the worst criminals in the United States, including Eric Rudolph (Olympic Bomber), James Marcello (Chicago mob boss), Zacarias Moussaoui (9/11 mastermind), and Michael Swango (serial killer).  It is often referred to affectionately as the Alcatraz of the Rockies. Yes, Super Max is designed to prevent inmates from escaping, but we do not have to look back far in the Colorado annuals to be reminded that serial killer Ted Bundy escaped twice from the Garfield County Jail in Aspen; therefore, if we do have a chance encounter with an escapee such as Richard Reid (the shoe-bomber), I better sharpen my trout knife, hide my boots, and let Kim bust-out her Tsuki Waza. 

                                                                                                                                                             

Weather

                Both Kim and I have back-packed up Mount Washington, in New Hampshire, so we are used to extreme weather patterns; nevertheless, Colorado will certainly offer us a buffet of new weather patterns and events that we have not seen before. Our biggest concern will be the super-sonic thunderstorms that ravage the landscape every day about 1:24 pm MST. Colorado ranks fifth in lighting deaths, so we will have to be sure to get down to safe altitudes long before the thunder begins to roll. Unfortunately, lightning strikes travel differently in Colorado than in other states.  If we were hiking in Kansas, the lightning would simply strike the ground and that would be that; unfortunately, a lightning strike in Colorado can travel through the entire side of a mountain before it reaches its final destination, so if Kim and I are in contact with any part of a rock on that mountain, we may be the recipient of 100,000 + volts. It only takes 30+ volts to kill a human, so this could be quite problematic for our future blog posts. In 1999, a herd of elk found this out the hard way, as a single bolt of lightning traveled through a large plateau of granite, killing 56 of them on Mt. Evans.                

                                  

Even though the thunderstorms will be quite menacing at times, Kim and I will need to be more on guard for the Black Swan events, such as summer blizzards, microbursts, and the exquisite mountain tornado. Yes, even though tornados have been told to stay on the eastern plains of Colorado, every-once in a while, one gets curious and decides to take a whirl on a distant mountain-top. In 2012, a small tornado on Mt. Evans touched-down at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. The dark funnel did not inspire the same awe and fear displayed in the movie twister; in fact most witnesses described it as “cute” and “cool.” Still, I don't want to be trying to run-away from a tornado two-and-a-half-miles above sea level. I will pass out and be carried away like Elijah in a whirlwind.  Plus, my Colorado Trail guide does not mention anything about tornado shelters on the trail. Perhaps, this is a mere oversight?

                                                                                 Bad Trail Magic

On the Appalachian Trail, backpackers are often presented with small gifts from local residents. These gifts are often left anonymously along the trailside and include fresh fruit, snacks, beer, sodas, and even money. I was fortunate enough to have one couple put-me-up in a hotel for a night and buy me dinner at an Italian restaurant. The other hikers were very jealous. We have been told that there may be some trail magic on the Colorado Trail as well, but I am fearful that this trail magic may be our ultimate undoing.   

On November 6, 2012, Colorado residents voted to legalize recreational marijuana use. While Kim and I have seen no direct evidence of this mandate, we may be subject to some interesting baked goods along the trail. While I would like to think that I could resist a “special brownie” in the wilderness, my extreme hunger may lead me to become an unwilling victim of Amendment 64. Even worse, one of the unruly ungulates may a take a few bites as well, leading to even more hoofs, more antlers, and more grunts….This trip is going to be hard enough without having to worry about a half-baked moose chasing Kim and I down the trail! Also, it is important to note, that more people in Colorado have died in the past year as a result of pot edibles than of rattlesnake bites in the past 100 years. I just wanted you to know…

Cannibalism 

I hate to bring up the “c-word” before this trip has even started, but there is a small possibility that Kim and I will have to eat each other or someone else before we reach Durango. Now, of course we both hope this does not happen. It would be a total “buzzkill,” and I am sure the survivor would not be invited to next year’s Thanksgiving celebration. Still, let it be known that we both awkwardly agreed not to eat each other if times get tough. Still… I have to admit that I am slightly worried because we have nothing in writing. Nothing….

I only bring-up the topic of cannibalism because we will be staying in the same town (Lake City) where the notorious Alfred Packer was tried for cannibalizing five of his companions way back in 1873. Now, if you live out of state and have not heard the tale of Alfred Packer, do not be alarmed, but every true resident of Colorado can tell you this grizzly story because it has been mandated for years in core curriculum for third grade. It is a right of passage and probably the most unusual Black Swan event imaginable.

Overall, I think we should have a very good trip. I do not anticipate having to run from tornados, hide from moose, or consider eating anything but Mountain House dinners. If a Black Swan event does hit us, we will pray that it is minimal and worthy of a great story when we get back.

Pack List

There it is!  Dirty flip flops and all.

 

The time is quickly approaching!  Ben and I are getting excited about our departure--our goal is to have just about everything packed by this evening so we don't have to worry about last-minute trips to the store tomorrow.  My backpack is pretty much set to go, and I'm weighing in at about 38.5 pounds (though the camera I will carry on my hip belt is probably another pound or so).  Ben is looking to be more toward 48 pounds, though this is a great improvement for him, so be impressed.  :)

Here is my pack list, for those who are curious about what gets carried on a 35-day trek in the mountains:

Toilet paper and hand sanitizer

Wet wipes

Contacts

Toothpaste

Toothbrush

Citronella sticks (thanks, Kim Windland and Wild Berry Incense factory!)

Insect repellent (picaradin)

Stocking hat

Clothes pin

Hygiene items

Extra hair tie

Pack cover

Headlamp

Journal

1 pen

1 set long johns

1 pair of Skins

2 sets socks

2 undies

1 sports bra

1 pair of shorts

1 skirt

1 short sleeve shirt

1 set thin gloves

1 set down gloves

2 do-rags

Fleece jacket

Rain jacket

Addresses, stamps, town info, maps

Food

Extra-long titanium spoon

Jet Boil cylinder and fuel

Extra plastic bag

Mini lighter

Sleeping bag

Sleeping pad

Camera cord

Water bladder

Recyclable plastic water bottle

About 2 ½ liters of water

Razor

Camp shoes/flip flops

Foil
Tent body
Water filter

On person, I will be carrying:

Zip off pants, water resistant

Under garments

Socks

Long sleeve wicking shirt

Hat

Sun glasses

Hiking shoes

Lip balm

Photo copied book pages

Camera

Eye drops

Hiking poles

When hiking solo, I would tend to carry a bit more, but since Ben and I will be stickin’ together, we are able to scale down just a bit.  As an example, I usually carry a very small backup headlamp in case my main headlamp burns out.  Since Ben will also have a headlamp, though, I don’t need to worry about batteries running out. We can live off of one headlamp if needed until the next town.  As far as necessities, I will be counting on Ben to carry the following: 

Counting on Ben for: 

Small knife

Med kit (including small amounts of iodine, Benadryl, and Ibuprofen)

Tent poles and stakes 

Trail book

Other bug spray

Stove

Ben is counting on me for: 

Tent body

Water filter

And I'm guessing I will have extra food, which Ben will devour if offered.  :)  

We hope to have another post or two before departing early on the 20th, so stay tuned!  And no, I have not forgotten about Ben making a post.  He's been working on it and it should hit the press before we leave. 

Training Hikes

Ben and I have been thoroughly enjoying our pre-trail time here in Colorado.  So far, we've been able to squeeze in a couple long day hikes with loaded packs to train for the start of the trail which is coming up this Friday.

Our first training hike began at the Hessie Trail Head near Nederlands and was at a decent elevation range from 9,000 to 10,500 feet.  We had hoped to do about 12 miles, but due to snow, we were slowed significantly and eventually lost the trail and had to turn around.  The trails were not blazed and simply relied on hikers to follow the obvious dirt path below, but when snow covers that dirt path, it is very difficult to follow.  It was an excellent challenge for us, though, and good eye-opener to what we may potentially experience on the CT once we hit higher elevations (around day 5 or 6 on the trail).  We didn't do much postholing, so that was good, but our trek ended up being about 8 miles round trip and was enough to wear us out.  The danger level of the snow factor, though, was relatively low, minus one particular section that presented a bit of a challenge.  One small section that was covered in snow with a fairly steep grade had no exposed trail a very little traffic or traction, and had we lost our footing we would have slid down the snow slope and into a very cold and unhappy raging waterway below.  We were careful, though, and made it successfully both ways.

Yesterday, we stayed at a lower elevation (around 6,000) and enjoyed the beautiful Mesa Trail here in Boulder from one end to the other and back.  Round trip, we went somewhere between 12 to 13 miles with moderate ups and downs.  The trail was extremely well-maintained and of high use by locals, both runners and hikers alike.  Again, we loaded our packs down, this time with about 37 pounds, and so our legs were feeling it by the end.  This is the first time, however, that Ben and I have really significantly trained on trails with weight before taking on a long trek, so we feel really good about the exposure and are hoping these hikes will reduce the soreness and fatigue that is inevitably felt the first couple days on a long backpacking excursion.

Anyway, we hope for at least one more training hike, maybe two, before we head out early Friday morning.

RESUPPLIES

We've had requests for a schedule of resupply locations, and so posted below are all the stops we hope to make along the CT with their resupply addresses and approximate dates of arrival (we may also hit up a couple other trail towns but will have no resupply box sent).  We have no expectations to receive anything, but because interest has been shown in sending letters or care packages, all the information is below to do such.  We may move faster or slower than what is listed below and will try to keep you updated as we head along the trail.  

As mentioned previously, here are our resupply packages of food (the 5 boxes shown).  That's a lot of food...  

So what's in the boxes??  A typical day of food for me looks something like this: oatmeal with nuts and raisins or cereal with dried milk and nuts for breakfast, a couple snack bars, a large bag of trail mix of some sort or peanut butter and wraps for lunch, a carb-loaded dinner (I dehydrated a lot of my own meals but also put in some packaged meals like mac and cheese), and a couple mini candy bars for dessert.  The packages also include things like toilet paper, fuel for the stove, instant coffees, maps, photocopies of pages in the trail book (why carry the whole book when you could carry just a portion of it and then use the pages as a fire-starter?), information for the next trail town, shampoo and soap to use in town, laundry detergent to use in town, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, vitamins, and a few other extra things.  

As you can see, we will eat a lot of dried foods and will have a lack of fresh foods, as they weigh too much to carry around on the trail.  Usually when I head into a trail town to resupply, I indulge on things like salad and fresh fruit, but of course other things are enjoyed while in town, often including a pint of ice cream and some sort of meal, like pizza.  One time while in a trail town I ate a large pizza as a snack and then had a huge dinner prepared by another hiker a couple hours later.  More impressively, I met and hiked for a period with a guy on the AT who ate over 15,000 in a 24-hour period...he was as skinny as a rail.  

Of course, hiking up and down mountains requires a lot of calories.  According to a calorie calculator on Backpacker Magazine website, I will burn around 3500-4200 calories a day.  Based on previous experience, though, I have a feeling I burn more than that.  Calories burned depend on a lot of factors, including altitude, pack weight, body weight, terrain, and distance traveled.  All of those factors change daily on the trail, so it's really difficult to have an accurate calculation.  I can say this, though: it is next to impossible to eat too much while backpacking, and a backpacker is inevitably hungry most of the time.  

Map of the Colorado Trail

Just to get an idea of where we will be spending approximately 5 weeks of our summer, here is a map of the Colorado Trail, courtesy of coloradotrail.org.

We Made It

After a several day trek across part of the country, we finally made it to Colorado.  Our trip out was spectacular with many different experiences, anything from the slimy, slippery other-planet-like experience of the Badlands to watching a snake eat baby birds from a nest in a tree at Devil's Tower.  We have a lot of stories from our road trip, and we have lots of high praise for South Dakota and Wyoming.  If you ever get a chance, take a road trip across the state--you won't be disappointed!

A pic of Devil's Tower, which rises out in the middle of nowhere

As we were heading down I-25 through Colorado, just an hour or two from our destination here in Boulder, we were met with the beginnings of the Rockies, and they looked something like this:

The snow on the top was a bit alarming.  I guess we should have expected it, but the white-topped mountains really hit us with the reality that the likelihood that we will have to backpack through snow is quite high.  We knew parts of the mountains had higher snow counts than normal this year, but until this moment, it hadn't really settled in.  

It may be that snow is our biggest challenge on this trail, but we're still not really sure what to expect.  We went to a local climbing store yesterday to talk with someone about the trail in hopes of getting more information.  The young man who helped us was nice, but I left the conversation quite concerned.  He sort of looked at us like amateurs and a little bit like we were crazy.  He recommended crampons, though I'm not sure Ben and I will go that route--more research needed.  I think the most alarming part of the conversation was that he mentioned avalanches.  He warned us that not all the snow had come together yet this year and the risk of avalanches was still a reality in the mountains.  This had never really crossed my mind, so naturally I left the store with a bit of an unsettled feeling.  When I signed up for this trail, I hadn't intended on a lot of snow-hiking, nor did I consider the risk of large, potentially fatal blocks of falling snow.  

Ben did, however, come home and look up our areas of the trail in relation to avalanche dangers, and he assured me we should be fine on the trail.  I think the man at the store was more a climber than a backpacker, and I'm not so sure he was extremely familiar with the Colorado Trail.  That made me feel a little bit better.  

Anyway, we will continue researching and talking to those who may know something about the surrounding mountains to gauge our need for extra gear and caution.  We also start our first Colorado training hike today as we head up to the Hessie Trail head, somewhere around 9,000 feet elevation, with semi-loaded packs, to hopefully do around 12 miles.  

Why I Am a Horrible Car Camper

I am a horrible car camper. 

You see, I love the outdoors, but sometimes I forget that car camping and backpacking are two totally different animals.  Backpacking is a minimalist recreational hobby, while car camping is more about just getting out there but still enjoying a lot of simple pleasures.  Because I am so used to living out of a backpack, when I go car camping, I often forget to pack basic necessities, such as a pancake turner to flip burgers.  Usually, while the others around us have big elaborate grilled meals with tiki torches and lanterns, Ben and I have small, simply grilled meals with our little headlamps to light the way. 

Besides kicking myself for the things left behind, the other reason I am a horrible car camper is because I often forget that a peaceful, serene experience is saved for backpacking miles into the wilderness and not for a campsite that can be easily accessed by a car full of alcohol or children or other things, like chainsaws or a pig…

Last Friday’s camping experience in Omaha, Nebraska, was one of the most unique I have ever had.  It all started when we realized our camping neighbors had a pit bull that liked to bark…a lot…at everything, followed by the youngsters across the way who liked to thump their pumping bass music so others could share in their experience. 

We had pulled into the site after a long day of travel, and so by the time we got firewood and a fire started, we were cooking our beef in the dark.  As we were sitting down to enjoy our late meal of burgers (grass-fed from Hokybe! Go get some at the market, seriously.  The beef is awesome) with our headlamps on, our meal was soon accompanied by the “bomp bomp bomp” of the booming bass from the campers across the street, followed by the barking pit bull.  OK, so a thumping beat is not exactly what I want to hear in the woods, nor an incessant barking dog, but, we made the best of it and enjoyed our meal, our hearts beating along to the pounding bass and a yelping pup. 

Our meal was also accompanied by screaming children on the playground.  That didn’t bother me too much, as I know playgrounds are built for playing, and I assured Ben that when it got dark, they would all return to their respective camps. 

The night only got better as we prepared for bed.  I should note here that quiet hours are 10pm.  Right around 9:55, as we retired to our sleeping bags, our pit bull neighbors decided to turn on Metallica to share with the rest of us.  I will note here, though, that it was turned off at 10pm along with a small scolding from the husband that “It’s now quiet hours.”  Thank God for people who respect the rules. 

We were almost asleep when we heard what we thought was a pig from the campsite across the street from us.  I didn’t think it was possible, but as I squinted my half-asleep eyes and watched carefully, I finally announced “It’s a pig” and watched the campers play with their squealing animal.  Right around the same time, I heard a rumbling overhead which turned into the loud growling of a 747 flying what felt like right above the trees of the campground.  This happened several times during the night. 

While the pig and planes were rolling, we realized our neighbors two doors down were getting rather intoxicated and that the many many children they brought along didn’t seem to mind playing on the playground in the dark after hours.  Even through all the noise, I was almost able to go to sleep when…

Right at midnight, the loudest music I have ever heard in a campground came on, along with bright lights and dancing as the intoxicated campsite with children decided they needed a midnight rendition of DJ Casper’s “Cha Cha Slide.”  By this point, I was getting a little bit frustrated.  The pig had subsided and our pit bull neighbors and thumping neighbors across the street seem to have calmed for the evening, but this group was ready for an all-night party. 

Which is exactly what they did.  My sleep was broken up into chunks of an hour or so, interrupted by screaming and yelling, lots and lots of “F” bombs, and fist fighting.  Ben woke at 4:30 to conversations threaded with more cussing and threats, and I woke at 5:30am to watch two grown men rolling in the grass 75 feet from our tent, pounding on each other.  More screaming.  More cussing.  In frustration, our pit bull neighbor decided to get out his chainsaw and rev the engine to show his disapproval of the all night brawl. 

I can say this: there was finally peace in the campground when the cops came and left, which was right around the time Ben and I packed up our things to move on. 

I think the worst part about all of this is that if I had been a better car camper, I would have remembered to bring ear plugs, and instead of zombie driving the next day, I would have been well-rested and ready for travel.  Next time I car camp, I will bring a pancake flipper for burgers and ear plugs so I can sleep.  And maybe a chainsaw to scare off my rowdy neighbors.   

Travel Up to Trail Time

Right now, Ben and I are packing up our last things at my parents' house in Waldo, Ohio, home of the famous fried bologna sandwich (at the GNR Tavern in case you ever want to check it out).  We spent all day yesterday purchasing more food for our mail drops along the trail, packaging and re-packaging food items, and separating everything into its appropriate box for shipping.  We will not ship, however, until we get to Colorado, as it will decrease the cost significantly.  Our packages include all kinds of things from hand sanitizer to small shampoo for use in town for our very infrequent showering to candy bars and Lara Bars and dehydrated meals.  I hope to blog more later with more details about the food drops, but for now, per request, I am posting our itinerary up to trail time:

June 6th, sometime soon (8am?): departing Waldo for Omaha, Nebraska, where we will have a late tent set up and hopefully a quick fire so we can use up our grass-fed beef from Hokybe.

June 7th: depart Omaha for the Badlands, South Dakota, where we will stay 2 nights.

June 9th: depart Badlands for Custer State Park and the Black Hills, South Dakota.

June 10th: depart Black Hills for Devil's Tower, Wyoming.

June 11th: depart for Boulder, Colorado, to stay with Ben's family.  We will acclimate and do some hiking to get ready for the trail.

June 20th: tentative start of trail.  We recently found out that around the Breckenridge area (where we will arrive about 8 days into the trail), the mountains had record snows, and as of about 10 days ago when I called, the snow was still at 54"!!!  So, we are continuing to monitor the snow and have high hopes to start on the 20th.  The good news--other areas of the trail farther south have had lower than average snowfall this year, and in some areas the snow is almost gone already.

Hope you are enjoying the wonderful weather and fresh produce that is coming from this excellent time of year.  Ben and I basked in the glory of freshly picked strawberries here at the Birchfield farm.  We are sad to leave behind all the wonderful garden glories this time of year, so, enjoy some of them for us.  :)

Love,
Kim and Ben