Wilderness – Her Odyssey

CDT Week 2

Posted in Continental Divide Trail, Fidgit, Her Odyssey

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_herodyssey_

🌎 👣 🛶 🚲 Fidgit & Neon non-motorized across the Americas.
Currently:
Fidgit #cdt2019
Neon #wildwestroute
9000 mi completed 🇨🇱 🇦🇷 🇵🇪 🇪🇨 🇨🇴 🇵🇦 🇨🇷 🇳🇮

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“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” #Fidgitingaround #cdt2019

The trail through Colorado was a time of connection. I got to see so many people I love dearly that my heart and eyes were often overflowing. Much of the trail was familiar from when I thru-hiked the CT which only added to how much it felt like a dream. I danced among the changing leaves and Neon reminded me we haven’t seen autumn colors in 4 years.

Everything is ephemeral. There is beauty in the melancholy of letting go. And strength in trusting that the seasons will again turn and bring me back among you.

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It takes a village...to dress me.

#fidgitingaround #cdt2019

This is on my “morning commute” on my way through the San Juans of southern Colorado. Walking along drinking cocoa and munching cookies. I am only able to be comfortable doing this above 12,000 ft and feel this warm because of a collaborative effort by partners like @hyperlite_mountain_gear @thermarest @farmtofeet, and many of you:

The sunglasses were a gift from @missinginaction28 because I can’t see without my specs!

That sweet knit head band is from @twoaspendesigns, hand made in Colorado!

I like my @patagonia warm layers because of their business ethics and Yvon Chouinard is a hero of mine and while they are expensive, I’ll never have to buy another one because they do repairs.

I Inherited the gloves from my buddy Pellet and my fingers are grateful every morning as I wrestle with tent stakes and frost.

After 9000 miles of use my alcohol stove was spurting flames where the metal had corroded and it was deemed to look like “a piece of junk from an old mine.” Just in time for the cold season the Schauflers upgraded me to this lightning quick @msr_gear Windburner. Weighs 4x as much but I use it 3x as often and there is nothing like a hot drink on a freezing morning.

The @kuhl shirt peaking out was a gift from my mom several years ago. It has withstood more sun exposure than most hiking shirts. And it has a hood. And a kanga pouch.

I love my @purplerainskirts because it is comfy, cute, has pockets and, unlike pants, no one knows when I put it on backwards. Not even me.

The PattyG leggings and every pair of @altrarunning shoes I’ve worn through these past 2000+ miles are from ‘mi madrina de zapatos’ @felicialhermosillo
And the @farmtofeet socks underneath those stylish Dirty Girl Gaiters keep my feetsies ever so happy. ...and that is just to name a few.

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“Make haste slowly.” #fidgitingaround #herodyssey #cdt #cdt2019 #CDT #acrosstheamericas #patagoniatoalaska #trektheCDT #hikertrashforlife #hikertrash #optoutside #getoutside #exploremore #liveyouradventure #getoutstayout #neverstopexploring #adventurethatislife #stayandwander #wildernessculture #keepitwild #simplyadventure #adventureculture #weareoutdoor #rei1440project #wearealladventurers #liveferal #sanjuans #autumn #colorado #mountains

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Protein pals.

#HerOdyssey #CDT2019 #CDT #acrosstheamericas #patagoniatoalaska #bugs #crickets #tinygiantworld #insects #lunchbuddy

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“Dumber by the mile but wiser with every footstep.” -Rif Raf

#hikertrash #trailfamily #soquotable #sanjuans #colorado #halfheartedfullfarted
#CDT2019 #CDT #acrosstheamericas #patagoniatoalaska #optoutside #getoutside #exploremore #liveyouradventure #getoutstayout #neverstopexploring #adventurethatislife #stayandwander #wildernessculture #keepitwild #simplyadventure #adventureculture #weareoutdoor #rei1440project #wearealladventurers #liveferal
#smartass #likeabrother #mypeople #mountains

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Alright gang, Fidgit here and I have some catching up to do. Because you see, I’ve been busy catching up with old friends and then hiking my hiney off.

Ashley and I were friends in 9th grade and while our life journeys have been miles and lifestyles apart, they have followed oddly similar trajectories. As my body moved into long distance hiking, hers began a battle with Crohn’s.

These days, we are both lucky to be alive and especially grateful to reunite as we did at she and Mike’s beautiful home in Pagosa Springs. They drove up a crazy road to fetch me from Elwood Pass and we jeeped back down by headlights into the night as I got to know their btilliant and empathetic daughter. Over the course of a few short days we kayaked, played music, rode the “Crazy Bike” and flat swing her grandpa built, celebrated Mike’s birthday, took a hot springs hike, met wolves, had a fire, and hung out with all the animals.

You see, one of the many special things about Ashley, is her love of critters. As a vet tech she worked with everything from raptors to wolves but she has a special place in her heart for rats. She always has. As punk ass teenagers we could set our identities aside and just be kids together. Would spend hours playing with legos, petting her rats, or toting her infant son around. No matter what image we projected to the outside world and no matter what it may throw at us, may we always find and share a space of joy and connection.

And wouldn’t you know it, my favorite picture from the entire weekend doesn’t ‘fit’ the shape for this photo carousel so like much which is most of value to me about this journey, I can’t quite squeeze it in here.

So. Here’s to all of us who just don’t quite fit.

#fidgitingaround #herodyssey #storytime

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