Rocky Road and 300 Miles Down

 

SAVED finished segment 17 at 9:15 on Sunday, August 14 where her resupply team met her on Highway 114. She was at mile 302 and ready for some snacks. The team was ready with fresh fruit, cold water, pastries, and cookies. In fact, we brought enough for a few other hikers who were ready for a break. Segments 15-17 have limited water resources and lots of grazing activity so it’s tough to find good water. All together she hiked about 40 miles topping out at 12,515 feet and dropping to 9606 feet.

The trail is also multi-use and is shared with motorcycles creating some rather rocky conditions. In fact, we offered food and snacks to a thru biker who had a miserable experience on this section. He was from the UK and had to push his 95-pound bike up several steep hills and the rocky downhill sections were nearly impossible to ride. He started an hour behind SAVED at Monarch Pass and came out 30 minutes ahead of her. That indicates what a difficult time he had.

We learned much about his many travels and how he plans to finish in Durango and then ride several trails around Moab, Bryce, and Grand Staircase. He then heads south to bike the Arizona trail and when he’s finished with that on to San Diego and south to Baja. He has no car. This is all on his mountain bike! Doesn’t need to be back in the UK until March.

We also discovered the greatest gift you can give a thru hiker (other than a ride to the nearest resupply town) is to take their trash. We came across one such woman from Ashville, NC.,who had been praying for someone to come along and do just that, so we did.

And now our Coco is off to finish segments 18-21 and we will see her at Spring Creek Pass near Lake City. We leave Salida on August 15 for a campground near Creede and may not have Internet for five or six days so we will catch you up in a few days.