August 22nd – September 28th
September 28th
Welcome to the Open Range
September 28th
Pronghorn antelope! Many herds in the valley here.
September 28th
Attempted to use my canned heat canister to cook lunch. The insane 20+ mph winds have made it impossible to use. Will try again later.
September 28th
I've reunited with an empty stretch of RT. 50. First time on it since Indiana, Ohio?
September 28th
I've got a new obsession with tuna
September 28th
September 27th
Monte put me in touch with a friend in Loma, who agreed to host me. Woo! Here's his adorable dog
September 27th
A beautiful pink sunset, my last in Colorado
September 27th
A bat! Never know what roadkill you'll find out here
September 27th
September 27th
September 27th
More gifts from Monte! Wool socks! A new pot! I couldn't be more thrilled!
September 27th
Turns out smoked turkey tastes just like ham
September 27th
A gift from Monte!
September 27th
My guestroom at Monte & Sandy's
September 27th
I've finally spotted a bear in Colorado!
September 26th
Sampling some grapes from Monte & Sandy's vineyard
September 26th
Cleaning out Faith
September 25th
All ready for the winter ahead!
September 25th
Monte & I saw a Chukar at Colorado National Monument!
September 25th
Monte & I pouring over maps to figure out my route ahead
September 25th
Out for a ride at Colorado National Monument with my Grand Junction host, Monte. First time on a motorcycle!
September 25th
Colorado National Monument
September 25th
Big Horn sheep! Colorado's state animal!
September 24th
September 24th
September 24th
The Colorado Riverfront Trail in Grand Junction
September 24th
Rondo changed Faith's front tire!
September 24th
Rondo's daughter equipped me with some gear for the coming winter!
September 23rd
Rondo put me in touch with his daughter, who agreed to host me for the night in Palisades! Here I am with her lovely family
September 24th
September 24th
Rondo's daughter's husbands mother owns the bakery in Palisades, so I got a free pastry! Sweet (literally)!
September 23rd
A sweet woman offered to pay for my Starbucks in line at the grocery store 😀
September 23rd
Palisades, Colorado, last stop to Grand Junction
September 23rd
The world has changed in a flash
September 23rd
Plateau Canyon history
September 23rd
Ruins of an ancient home along the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway
September 23rd
Welcome to Beef Country
September 22nd
Dinner with new friends 🙂 Rondo & Cindy
September 22nd
I'm 128.5 lbs! Holy cow! I haven't been so light in yeeaaarrrss
September 22nd
The abandoned market outside Mesa where I met my hosts for the night
September 22nd
Breakfast at the lovely Cattleman's Grill, paid for by other patrons
September 22nd
One of my least favorite places to sleep, by far
September 21st
Colbran, Colorado
September 21st
Snagged another MRE, and a five hour energy!
September 21st
Deer!
September 21st
September 21st
Apples, courtesy of a neighboring rancher
September 20th
Trying to find a secluded spot to pitch my tent for the night that isn't covered in cow patty's is harder than I thought it would be
September 20th
September 20th
Snacks from a couple of elk hunters!
September 20th
I'm already down to 6810ft again
September 20th
September 20th
Autumn leaves! A nice change from the pine trees that make up the vast majority of the Rockies
September 19th
First fire I've lit all by myself (okay, okay, I asked neighboring elk hunters for a better lighter, and they gave me a fire starter) Cookin' up a steak dinner
September 19th
White River National Forest is filled with elk hunters. One gave me this steak he claims is bear, but I think he might have been pulling my leg ...
September 19th
Even in the middle of nowhere, you can rest assured there will be cows
September 19th
Thought I heard something moving outside my tent ...
September 18th
White River National Forest map
September 18th
September 18th
In the back country wilderness once more
September 17th
Rock-n-roll gorilla
September 17th
Glenwood Springs hot springs
September 17th
An anatomically correct bison
September 17th
The next best thing to seeing Bighorn Sheep in the flesh
September 17th
September 17th
My campspot last night. Not the greatest spot. 6/10
September 16th
Glenwood Springs
September 16th
Glenwood Canyon
September 16th
September 16th
Another day, another port-a-potty.
September 15th
Entering Glenwood Canyon
September 15th
Offerings from a passerby
September 15th
More pioneer tales
September 14th
Here's my campsite in Gypsum- was too pooped to walk today.
September 14th
First time starting a fire since I began my cross-country walk
September 14th
Frank caught me a trout!
September 13th
September 13th
September 13th
It was so cold last night, Faith is frosty. Slept restlessly on a cliff side behind the funeral home in Gypsum.
September 12th
It's the coldest night its been in months
September 12th
Gypsum, Colorado
September 12th
Eagle, Colorado
September 12th
Eagle River
September 12th
The mountains are shifting to red rock
September 12th
The barista at Starbucks gave me my drink for free 🙂
September 12th
Eagle Valley Trail
September 11st
Mountain lion warning
September 11th
A grassy roof
September 11th
Gore Valley Trail
September 10th
Arriving at my Trail Angel's house in Vail for the night. It's been a long, toilsome day ...
September 10th
September 10th
September 10th
Copper Mountain
September 10th
Crossing paths with the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail
September 10th
Seconds before I took this photo, Faith's eye blew away and into the nearby river. Fished it out in the nick of time.
September 10th
September 10th
Was one hell of a job finding a flat plot of land to pitch my tent last night. I finally managed.
September 9th
One gorgeous sunset
September 9th
Water jugs left out by the local fire department for traveling cyclists. Many are making the long haul from Canada to Mexico.
September 9th
Breckenridge, Colorado's bike trail
September 9th
On the downward slope
September 9th
September 9th
Finally made it to Boreas Pass, and the Continental Divide!!! Chilly day, but spirits are high
September 9th
Tucked away in the Colorado wilderness. Just me and the bears.
September 8th
Wild raspberries!
September 8th
It's a rugged, steep climb up. My hardest yet.
September 7th
For the first time, I feel like I'm in a remote wilderness. And in a sense, I am.
September 7th
The start of my next mountain pass, Boreas Pass
September 7th
I had no idea there were moose in Colorado, let alone in the area!
September 7th
I got more MRE's from a friend of Karen's in the military!
September 7th
My campsite last night - see the one dry patch of grass?
September 6th
Colorado flag
September 6th
September 6th
September 6th
September 5th
View from Wilkerson Pass
September 5th
My lovely "motel" for the night
September 5th
The attendants of the Wilkerson Pass visitor's center gave me a free sweatshirt, and allowed me to pitch my in their port-a-potty! First time sleeping in a bathroom, but I can't say I mind it. Four walls and a lockable door are priceless. Though I wish I had known that after sunset the internal lights would switch on, and never turn off ...
September 5th
September 5th
The owner's of the RV park where I spent the night invited me in for breakfast the next morning, and agreed to drive Faith ahead so I wouldn't have to worry about pushing her on the next perilous stretch of RT. 21
September 3rd
Joe's sweet dog, Oma. Joe once walked across America for Canine Companions for Independence, the organization where Oma came from (she flunked her service dog exam).
September 2nd
Back under the treeline
September 2nd
Sorry for all the foot pictures, I'm in love with these shoes
September 2nd
Joe's stunning photo of a section of our hike down the Crags Trail. If you look closely, you can spy me ...
September 2nd
The cairns we have to follow to safely maneuver down the boulder field
September 2nd
September 2nd
The view going down the backside of Pikes Peak. We're scrambling over a great deal of rocks like billy goats
September 2nd
One cute corgi out for a midday stroll
September 2nd
Narrow walking perimeters
September 2nd
Good news-I found my lost phone! Bad news-I found it cracked. But hey! Still works
September 2nd
We made it!!
September 2nd
Mile 10! Hallelujah!
September 2nd
Joe! I'm the slow poke holding us up 😛
September 2nd
Admiring the view
September 2nd
Getting higher ...
September 2nd
September 2nd
September 1st
Barr Camp's permanent residents snuck me some steak & potatoes from their own dinner (don't tell anyone)
September 1st
Barr Camp's iconic spaghetti and bread/butter dinner
September 1st
The inside of Barr Camp at dinner time
September 1st
Well, turns out I didn't need to bring rope to hang my food after all ...
September 1st
3 miles down, 10 more to go!
September 1st
September 1st
Karen is joining me for part of my hike today, and offered to carry my backpack for a stint!
September 1st
September 1st
And so my 7000ft, 13 mile hike up Pikes Peak begins
September 1st
One giant $5 Pikes Peak lemonade. We haven't even started summiting yet but I couldn't help myself.
September 1st
A glimpse of downtown Manitou
September 1st
As someone who has a fondness for trying exotic meats, this sign is .... tempting
September 1st
Manitou Springs
September 1st
Where am I? Oh yeah ...
August 31st
Hide your babies!
August 31st
Look who's in town!
August 31st
August 31st
Me, my Colorado Springs host, Karen, and Joe's partner, Diane, all watching the hot air balloons
August 31st
August 31st
Joe, another cross-country walker and a new friend, paid for me to get New Balance trail runners! AAAHHHH!
August 31st
My feet, scanned. Turns out I'm supposed to be a size 10 in women's and not a 9-who knew??
August 31st
Prospect Lake, Memorial Park, Colorado Springs
August 31st
August 31st
I made it to Colorado Springs in time for their hot air balloon festival!
August 30th
August 30th
One red rock
August 30th
Garden of the Gods
August 30th
The most beautiful path I've walked on so far
August 30th
Pikes Peak or Bust!
August 29th
We've climbed over 2000ft in the last week!
August 29th
Faith is perhaps less excited to reach the Rockies as I am, given her deep loathing for hills-let alone mountains
August 29th
The sun flowers are in full force. And in the distance, the Rockies beckon
August 28th
Ah, the joys of sleeping next to garbage bins behind a church that's situated far, far too close to the highway for my comfort Another night without my tent. Gotta be covert.
August 28th
The same rancher who gave me an owl feather to put in my cap also handed me ..... $200+!!!
August 28th
"Remember, as far as anyone knows we are a normal family"
August 28th
A sweet older woman invited me to her house for lunch! Sloppy joes and Colorado peaches
August 28th
Early morning fog. Slept for the second time without my tent, and it was quite peaceful. I woke up in the middle of the night to see the most amazing number of stars above.
August 27th
The road is still dotted with flowers, perhaps more so than in Kansas. It's sunflower alley over here.
August 27th
“You can tell your mom a dumb cowboy gave you a feather to put in your hat.”
August 27th
August 27th
Why hello there
August 17th
My hosts' new horse, Leo
August 26th
Pat put me in touch with her cousin who agreed to host me for the night, woo!
August 26th
Two dear friends by the names of Pat & Phil stopped to say hello, and give me lunch!
August 25th
My longest stretch between services. Am carrying multiple gallons of water as a result. Well, here we go ...
August 25th
The road I will be on for the next 90 miles, all the way to Colorado Springs
August 25th
Cowboy country
August 25th
A long haul trucker chucked this at me - thanks!
August 25th
Boy do I love mile markers. And I hate walking on a stretch of highway that I know another cross-country walker has died on in years past, even if the shoulder is wide.
August 24th
Today I learned welders wear these helmets not so much to protect their eyes from sparks, but because you'll blind yourself looking straight at the ultra violet light of a torch. When the torch turns on, the mask immediately darkens in milliseconds. Very cool stuff.
August 24th
One giant tarantula hawk; they're said to have one of the most painful bites of the bug kingdom
August 24th
The land has changed. We've gone from futile fields full of wheat, corn, to more rugged fields with cacti and sagebrush. Spy the eagle on the fence post?
August 23rd
My Trail Angel's from Cheyenne Wells put me in touch with their aunt in Kit Carson. 😛
This sign on her porch tickles me to no end
August 23rd
Faith's tire has a flat I can't fix and I'm still ~12 miles from the next town but, hey, look at this adorable caterpillar I found while wallowing
August 23rd
Look at this body building grasshopper! "Do you even lift, bro?" Thousands of these dot the shoulder.
August 23rd
RT. 40. looks much the same in Colorado as it did in Kansas.
August 23rd
The grass is very prickly here
August 23rd
I wonder if I climbed to the top of this building, if I could see the Rockies in the distance. I am in the deserted town of "First View, Colorado" after all, named for your ability to see a faint outline of the Rockies on a clear day.
August 23rd
Elevation is already 4520ft. Let's see how far I climb in the High Plains before I reach the Rockies.
August 23rd
I'm still walking parallel to the old Smoky Hills Trail pioneers used in years past.
August 22nd
A couple from Cheyenne Wells invited me home. This is their adorable hairless cat.
August 22nd
Cheyenne Wells, Colorado
August 22nd
Faith's new friend
August 22nd
Arapahoe, Colorado