CDT - Day 77 - Steamboat Springs
I woke up this morning surrounded by a swarm of mosquitoes. I was hoping the cooler overnight temperatures would make them a little more sluggish, but no such luck. I've become pretty good at using my Jetboil from the safety of my tent. I set it up just outside the vestibule, crack the bug screen open just enough to reach through, and grab the hot water for my coffee and breakfast without letting too many mosquitoes inside. I'll definitely be buying some hydrocortisone cream in town for all the bites I've accumulated over the past few days. The hike today was surprisingly easy. I had been a little worried about the heat and the lack of shade, but the weather ended up being quite pleasant. Before long, I was out of the forest and crossing open meadows on my way toward Highway 14. I carried two liters of water but ended up drinking less than half a liter. When I reached Highway 14, I quickly realized how miserable it would be to walk the road all the way to Highway 40, where I had originally planned to hitch into Steamboat Springs. Fortunately, a trail angel drove by and offered me a ride. That saved me from walking nine miles along a busy highway with almost no shoulder. Once I got to town, I checked into the Nordic Lodge, took a much-needed shower, and immediately headed across the street to Creekside Café & Grill for a hamburger, coffee, ginger beer, and a bowl of fresh fruit. Of course, I couldn't resist stopping by Lyon's Corner Drug & Soda Fountain for one of their excellent chocolate malts. Tonight I'm craving Italian, so I'll be wrapping up the day with dinner at Mazzola's. The free bus system in Steamboat Springs is incredibly easy to use. I rode it to the other side of town to buy food for my next resupply. Tomorrow morning, I'll take half of it to the post office and mail it to South Pass City, which doesn't offer much in the way of resupply options. Today's hike was only about 11 miles. Along the way, I listened to The Ego Tunnel by Thomas Metzinger.