After receiving an invite to join the Lewis family on their Continental Divide walk for a piece, I knew there wasn’t much to keep me from it. Cons: 0, Pros: hiking 5 days in full-on Colorado aspen gold over some of the lower 48’s most beautiful country, day-in and out with a set of quality people who had been nothing but sweet and loving to me since our first meeting 3 years ago.
When could I join was the question. A week on the Glacier Park stretch near the end of August was out of the question because of permit logistics. It was decided that the end of September through the first day of October would work for all of us, meaning that I would leave with them after their 3-day vacation at home in Buena Vista, CO. I’d never seen 2 days of continual sunshine in Colorado, much less 4 days. But that’s what it turned out to be. I soon found myself climbing over a 12,000 foot pass on the second day in the chapping sunlight, reminding myself that it was almost October, not late May…the weather was a dream.
The days on the trail passed quickly…something like this: Bobby and Natalie always awoke earliest, making a fire and spending some quiet time reading. The rest of us soon arose for some time around the fire, and for breakfast. This would be after an inevitably comfortable and sleep-filled night in the entryway to the family tent, thanks to Cody and Bobby’s sound site-finding skills. Depending on the day, it seemed like after breakfasts that consisted of things like “Bagel Surprise” and “Apple Crisp Oatmeal” (consisting of last night’s dessert and this mornings breakfast fixins), we’d pack up. Everyone had a duty and everyone knew how to do it. Sometimes I felt like a mere observer or fly on the wall. The Lewis’ were quick and practiced at these daily routines.
Once we’d hit the trail in the morning, I’d feel an inexplicable mixture of excitement and smug. Smug because I knew I was settling in to another long but perfect day of movement through one of the more fascinating landscapes in our country. I embraced this feeling.
My favorite day was my day Three. Day three saw us up and over another high pass and down into a trail lined with Aspen that were so lit by the sun that it made it hard to look directly at them.
On day four, good John Lovseth and his sweet wife, Steph, joined us. Together, we made quite a group: 7 people, 2 burros and a dog. Winding around a ridge in the direct sunlight, the highlights of the day were snow patches and subsequent snowball fights. I found that, despite my Alaskan blood, I’ve got nothing in the way of aim compared to Bobby. Jesse was even worse, mocked by Bobby as he stood still within feet of her–the perfect target–but unable to hit him.
Arriving at camp in the evenings we’d take a bit of time to start a fire, warm water for hot drinks, and unpack the burros and a book as Cody would set up the tent. Maybe someone would treat water for drinking. I loved how much time we took to read: I think the count on both the Lewis girls was 50 books apiece so far on the trail. There were Bible Lessons to read, newspapers to catch up on, the latest book someone was beginning, and–of course–the family book that was slowly being read out loud (Lonesome Dove). Everyone seemed to be awaiting the next chapter.
On the final day of the trip, I only hiked half the day. I had to get back to a nearby road so I could get myself back to Buena Vista, and onwards, for my flight home.
I felt like the quiet of the trail, that steady walking up and over and across the immense landscape had given me plenty of time to think and to put my thoughts in order. Sure there were long breaks from this: good conversation as I would jump around and find myself in step with various members of the Lewis family, or an afternoon of the Prairie Home Companion on Bobby’s shortwave radio as we climbed a ridge or descended into the woods. But I felt like I had been given a gift of peacefulness thanks to the regularity of those 4 and a-half days. It was an insight to the great opportunity for reflection that the Lewis family had come into. Not that they hadn’t weathered intense mileage days or heavy snowfalls or 100-plus degree weather to distract them from that steady haul. But it was clear that, among other things, the trail meant an opportunity to bond deeply as a family and to have time away from normal life to reflect and organize thoughts.
I am one of those girls on the CDT, and i really love it that you are posting our blogs on the TMC sight. so thank you!