Woke up at 0530, breakfast at 0600, and in the Uber out of the hotel at 0645. Got some cash out of the hotel ATM and someone had left a twenty in the money tray. Thought it would be my day!
I had seen some messages about the Waterton trail head being closed, but how could anyone close a trail head? When we got there, it gad a big fence around it with barbed wire above. Guess this was Denver Water indeed closing the trail head. There were a couple of hikers there looking equally lost, I got my Uber to hold it while we figured out what to do. There’s an alternate access trail head called Indian Creek, that would get us to the CT. According to Uber it was about a 30USD fare. Our guy wanted us to pay him directly. And as he discovered how far it was to the next trail head, there was more and more sighing and muttering of a 500USD fare. We overpaid him by a lot but still not happy. We should just have let him leave and ordered another Uber. This negotiate pay with taxi drivers is a pain.
Met quite a few hikers today. As well as a couple of runners and cyclists. That was on the first stage from trail head to the south Platte river. A great spot to cool feet, and I found a rock in the middle of the river where I filtered water. Hopefully the filter also removes foot fungus.
On the other side of the river I found a cooler with sodas and water. From the river to the next water (a spigot at the local fire station) was a 10 mile stretch. Climbing up from the river it was blazing hot. Tried the hiking umbrella, but needed the arms for the poles. I had only brought a liter and a half of water too. The climb went slower and slower. Don’t know if it was because of my new heavier walking shoes (why not walk 25 miles in shoes bought yesterday). Close to the top there were four hikers hiding in the shade if a tree. An older couple and two girls that looked Japanese. Turned out they were daughter and mother, where the latter was from Poland. Heat stroke I suppose.
Walked the rest of the leg together with them. I think they were in need of the safety of others, cause they have put their tent almost on top of mine. So much for privacy. We’re camped just 0.5 miles from the fire station. A cycled up to us, to let us know to look after our food since there were a couple of bears in the area.
39.3km today. And already at mile 27.1 of the CT. Legs and feet aching, so might be a shorter day tomorrow.
