I lucked out and had the hostel room all to myself for the night. Yesss I don’t have to worry about waking anyone up.

My 5:30am alarm goes off but the bed is so comfy. I get up at 5:50 and rush about packing. I grab a hot coffee from the kitchen downstairs, put the towels down the laundry shoot, grab my berries and cucumbers from the fridge, sign the log book and head out.

I’m on the road a little later than I had wanted but the air is still cool even if there is a little sunlight.

I snack on my berries as I walk down the road.

Good bye Anaconda! You are a really great town and I had a great stay!

At the edge of the neighborhood the paved road transitions to dirt. I’m surrounded by beautiful cow grazing pastures dotted with aspen trees. Everything feels so lush. The cows ‘moo’ good morning.

I see two other backpackers up the road ahead of me. I speed up hoping to catch them.

It’s Salty Dog and Cheney! I thought I’d never see Salty Dog again. It’s cool to catch up! I learn that they had started hiking the CDT Northbound and made it all the way to Leadville, then flipped to Canada to start hiking south because of the high snow in Colorado. I’m really impressed they made it as far as Leadville in the snow!

I end up hiking a head. I really want to get this road walk over with before it gets too hot.

I meet a celebrity along the way.

The dirt road kicks me out onto a highway. At least this one has a shoulder. I step off into the grass when cars pass. They zoom by so fast!

At one point there is a dirt road parallel next to the freeway. It’s a welcome alternative path.

Eventually the trail turns off the freeway up another dirt road. Phew! I take a short break, eat a snack and regroup.

Up the dirt road I find an old flume! How cool!

Near by, a small damn creates a lovely pool of water.

It’s the perfect lunch spot. I sit out on the deck and enjoy a cucumber and cheese tortilla wrap. I stretch and enjoy the water pouring over the damn.

After a while I head out. The road finally turns to single track trail! Or does it? It’s a bit confusing….. The FarOut maps want me to go up an old dirt road that people clearly have tried to block. It’s filled with obstacles, trees and boulders.

Meanwhile, there’s a very easy to walk on path crisscrossing over this road several times. The path doesn’t show up on any of my maps, even Gaia. I guess this is a new trail???? I take a gamble and follow the easier path instead of the road filled with obstacles. It eventually leads me towards my goal destination, two lakes marked on trail. Phew! My gamble worked out!

I pause at some water to filter and paint.

Salty Dog and Cheney pass by me without noticing I’m there.

I catch up to them taking a break at the Lower Twin Lake and surprise them. They thought I was still ahead haha

I hike with them to the Upper Twin Lake.

There’s a beautiful campground right on the water’s edge.

We can’t pass it up and decide to camp here. It’s 3:30! so early!

Now what.

I know! I inflate my air mattress and float out onto the water.

It’s cold! But the sunshine helps keep me warmed. It’s sooo relaxing.

Cheney decides joins me and we hang out in the water while Salty Dog naps on the bank.

I eventually get a little chilly and head back to my tent to dry off. I make a clothes line with my bear hanging rope to dry my garments in the sun.

We make dinner and turn in early.

What a great day back on trail!