Freaky night in the tent. Woke up about 1 am to Cassie growling and a light shining on the tent. I froze and listened afraid it was a creepy hiker I’d passed a couple times yesterday about to set up his tent on the flat space next to mine. I heard nothing more but a weird ticking noise that I couldn’t place disappear up the trail. Finally fell back to sleep and woke up at 5:30 for an early start. It was a 4-mile ascent above treeline and over Elk Ridge and Kokomo Pass.

Met Jill, a section hiker I’d leapfrogged with all day yesterday, camped at the edge of treeline. We chatted for a while and I moved on while she started breaking up camp. Numerous mountain bikers passed me once again. Eventually I found out why. The Colorado Trail race was going on – a mountain bike race covering the 485 miles of the CT in fat ass format – that is, completely unsupported, no entrance fee, and no prizes. The lead bikers were expected to cover the distance in 4-5 days. Insane. There were about 75 bikers participating. Only 65 more to pass me. Wonderful. I guess that explained what passed my tent at one o’clock this morning.

The descent from Kokomo Pass took me through awesome fields of wild flowers. Just below treeline, rain came through so I stopped under some dense evergreen trees that kept me dry and ate lunch. A couple hours later Jill caught up with me just as it started to rain again. We stopped to put our rain gear on and a mile later happened by some old bunkers as we passed Camp Hale – a training camp set up for the 10th Division during WWII. We ducked into one of the bunkers and found one of the bikers waiting out the rain. Within 1/2 an hour, the rain passed and we were on our way again.

Somewhere in this area was a waterfall that I missed. Not sure how. It was pretty big and right along the trail apparently. Wow. Must have been really zone out.

Made it to camp by 5 just before the rain started again. Supper was cooked in the vestibule of my tent.

When I fell asleep at 9, it was STILL raining but Cassie and I were dry and comfy in my sleeping bag.