If my info is correct about 250 attempt to hike the CDT every year. Compare that to the over 2000 that take on the PCT and 3000 on the AT. Seeing, well anybody, on this trail is rare. In the last 5 days we have seen only one other hiker. Top that with the fact there is no signal (what up Verizon, just sayin). You are so on your own out here.
It really hit me on that 7 day stretch between towns (I’m using that term loosly). At one point we were 2 days walk from well, anything. Have you ever been that isolated?
I have to say I’m glad to have Kelsey to hike with. She’s a great hiker, done both the PCT (where we met) and the AT. She knows how to work the digital maps that I’m still figuring out. (I’ve always just used paper maps, old school). We get on each others nerves at times, we are from vastly different worlds and all. But she has a good sense of humor. When things go bad out here (getting lost, running out of food/water, being wet for hours, freezing….) It helps big time to have someone to laugh through it with. Our common phrase is: this is gonna be funny later.
We made it to Pie Town, I think there maybe more Hikers here than towns people. But they are nice people, they have pie and a nice hostel called the Toaster House. Some of the Hikers even helped a neighbor with some yard work.
So the other hikers, right. There is Fun Size she’s from Alaska, Treeman showed up he went Trail Days(an annual thru hike CDT kickoff in Silver City) so we got ahead of him. He tells us there are a bunch of hikers about a week and half behind us. (Guess nobody is eager to face the San Juan snow) There is also Canadian brothers Ian and Liam hiking with Kate from S. Africa. So international…..The Trail Unites Us! Oh and Jordan who is road tripping his way to AT trail days. So the hostel is fullish.
We all decided to take a zero day (no trail miles) and just kick it at the hostel. The Canadians convinced us, hmm. The closest grocery store is 20 miles away. But yeah Jordan is taking us to get ‘supplies’. Looking forward to a rest day, cards (spoon tournament) and socializing.
wandering chardonnay 