Running around with Dave

I picked David Hanson up at the Airport two days before we started our hike, and all our last minute preparations began in earnest. We had about 5-7 days of food resupplies to pack and about 6 days of food to pack for the initial part of the trip. No small bit of work.

We also made trips to the REI here in Littleton, as well as a couple places up in Boulder. We first stop off at Neptune's to trade my tent out for something that can hold three people. The Black Diamond Megamid fits the bill. What do you know? They break their own return policy and let me return a tent without a receipt (which I stupidly lost). I hastily bought a new, smaller VAUDE backpack that was about 3500 cubic inches. I tried it on and bought it for the wonderful hipbelt alone. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not checking to see if I could fit everything inside it.

So now what to do? I have a larger expedition pack that's WAY too big. And I've got a brand new one that's uber comfortable, but just barely too small to take with us! Now I've got to go BACK to Boulder to return this thing AND get a new one somewhere! REI's got nothing that's very suitable. Everything they carry is too small or too big.

Finally, I find a Millet pack at Neptune's again that's just barely large enough! And it fits like a glove! This could work! I'm determined to make this trip perfect and successful! It better be perfect, because I'm SICK of shopping!

Paul Brodar and his girlfriend Ipping also showed up late that afternoon. I did have to take Paul down to REI again to find a pack cover and a headlamp. But other than that we were DONE. It was simply a matter of going over the final game plan and packing up. Now we could FINALLY all relax with some burgers and Coronas! That is until I realized I couldn't find my battery recharger and had to make a trip down to the drug store for Lithium Ion CR-2's for the inevitable day my two big rechargeable batteries would die. 10 bucks each, and I would need at least 6 of the stupid things. OUCH.

CT Day 1: Roxborough Park to Mile 8

Once Again to the Summit

Colorado Trail