3 Highlights:
1. Hitch with Ivan (Nebraska cowboy)
2. Keeping down food
3. Two hours on the grass with squirrels as company
Daily Summary:
• Distance hiked: 0 km
• Starting point: Marshall Pass
• Ending point: Salida
• Weather conditions: Sunny
Daily Reflections (challenges, insights, musings):
Woke up feeling like a weak, wet noodle. Packed up the tent, feeling just slightly less like a noodle, and hit the trailhead road. It didn’t take long before a black Jeep zoomed past without even seeing me. Classic. I figured it was a sign of doom—would I ever catch a ride? But, lo and behold, the Jeep came back. They weren’t headed into town but they did have oxygen and took some of the food out of my heavy pack. A little help goes a long way!
I trudged on for a few more kilometers when my saviors arrived: Amy and Ivan, a Nebraska cowboy duo out for some family fun. They were gracious enough to offer me a ride down the road. Amy hopped out at a 14,000-foot peak trail head with her kids like they were embarking on just another Sunday stroll, while Ivan and I continued down to Salida.
Now Ivan—this guy is a character. Picture a rugged, old-school rancher, 65-ish, survived a brutal horse kick to the head, and is now a firm believer that Jesus had a hand in his recovery. The whole drive, Ivan shared his thoughts—mostly leaning into conspiracy theories and politics. From vaccines to 9/11, it was a full range of “They’re out to get us” chatter. But here’s the thing, he was genuinely warm, nice, and caring, so you just nod along and keep it cool. He told me to put my faith in Jesus and read the Bible—nice gesture. But I was mainly focused on getting back to Salida in one piece.
Once I made it to town, I treated myself to a chicken salad and a slice of pizza in the park. Sat down by the river, watching surfers ride the waves and then hung out on the grass with some friendly squirrels. We had a weird connection—I threw nuts, they came back, repeat. Who knew I’d bond with rodents today?
I checked into the Simple Hostel, and to my surprise, Saint was there too, knocked out cold. Turns out he’s coughing like crazy all night. Lovely. The hostel was full of sounds—Master Farter was holding court, and I’m out here just trying to sleep. By 5 AM, I’d had enough. Took my sleeping bag outside for some fresh air. Not the most restful night, but hey, at least I wasn’t freezing on the trail.
Now back to bed… again. Maybe. Maybe not.
