Colorado Trail 22 - Day 6 & 7

Day 6: I woke up later than usual since I don't have to be anywhere today and I can't check in to my room too early. I lazed around for a good part of the morning and then I finally got up and tore camp down and started off down the trail to hit the road into Silverton. I reached the road pretty fast since it was only about half a mile away. I lucked out big time because when I walked up there was a guy parked in the exact spot where I needed to start hitching a ride into town. I went over and talked to him for a second and he was dropping off a guy on a bike for his bike trip and I asked if he was going back to Silverton and if I could possibly get a ride. He was so cool and said he take me into town with no problem. He dropped me right by the sporting goods store where I had already purchased a new sleeping pad and also needed to get another pair of pants since I ripped the bottom of mine out somewhere, I couldn't check in until around 2pm so I walked around town for several hours. I went and got my laundry done and then I walked to the post office and mailed some stuff back to Dallas. I then went and had a great lunch at high noon burgers and finally walked down to the grocery store and did a complete resupply. I finally got in my room around 2pm and showered and went back to the sporting goods store to pick up the pad and try on some pants. It was a long town day but I managed to get everything done and still had plenty of time to relax, I really love this cool western mountain town.

Campsite - Smedley's Suites #2022
Mile - Off mile 74.3
Elevation - 9,318ft.

Day 7 - left my cozy room at Smedley's Suites at a little after 6 this morning and I walked straight back down to the edge of town where I could start hitching back up to the trail. I stood in front of the gas station for about 15 minutes and a girl who had driven by me and stopped to get gas saw me hitching and walked over and asked me if I was going back up the pass. Anyway, she was super cool and ended up giving me a ride back to the trail and I actually ran into her a few hours later on the trail when she and her friend came hiking past me, too cool! It was kind of threatening to rain all day so I wasn't sure how far I was going to make it. I didn't want to get caught in a rainstorm at the top of the pass again like last year so I thought about stopping short and camping just below the pass. I decided to just go for it when I got close and when I got to the top I was rewarded with blue skies which stayed for the rest of the day and allowed me to get farther than I did last year and find an amazing campsite near a beautiful little alpine lake. An incredible day of hiking!

Campsite - Heavens Lake
Mile - 91.8
Elevation - 12,533