Day 14 to Middle Baldy

Down on the range we woke to the sounds of coyotes and cows. Today we overlapped a section we had mountain biked 3 years ago when we road the Colorado Trail (CT). Despite the fact that the CT and CDT had been sharing the same tread for 70 miles we had not duplicated any of our prior journey until now. Most of that had to do with the fact that bikes are not allowed in wilderness areas. In 2009 we had bypassed these on forest roads. It was one of the reasons we were so glad to be hiking and be able to go through all the wilderness areas we had missed before.

The miles went by fast with easy walking primarily on dirt roads and jeep tracks. The Cochetopa hills were very dry from the drought, a marked contrast from 2009 when it all was rolling hills of green. What water we saw had been fouled by cattle grazing. We were glad we'd filled up yesterday. The only people we saw were CT hikers heading toward Durango.

Along Lujan creek we came across trail magic (ie an unsolicited act that helps hikers). Keith from Gunnison keeps a chest of sodas for travelers. Needless to say we partook. Early afternoon brought us to Lujan Pass and Apple. Apple was a true trail angle (ie someone who helps hikers unsolicited) who has been setting up camp on this isolated stretch of the CDT/CT each summer for years. He supplied us with sodas and snacks, shade and water, even a camp stove and tent if we wanted to stay the night. He does the same on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina in the spring. We spent most the afternoon talking trail. Between Keith's cache and Apple I think I drank more soda that afternoon than I had all summer. Apple tried to convince us to come in to town with him for dinner but we had some more miles to walk.

Back up on the divide, the sun was setting. The Great Sand Dunes miles away across the San Luis valley glowed like amber." I think I'll have my wedding there.",said Cassi. "Maybe you should find a groom first.", I joked. Beyond, the high peaks of the Sangre de Cristos turned orange, pink, then a dark red as the sun dropped below the horizon. It was nice to find mountains so aptly named.

new plants seen- common juniper, rabbitbrush, sand sagebrush

animals identified- mt cottontail, white-tailed prairie dog, Colorado chipmunk, Abert's squirrel, rufous hummingbird