Luxury in Breckenridge

August 8, 2024

Mile 106.7-118.2 (11.5 miles)

Our original plan of a 5 am start turned into more like a 7:30 start. Holy shit it is so hard for me, well... us, to wake up out here. Continuing to blame it on the elevation because I truly don't know what else would make me wake up feeling like absolute shit like this. My legs ached terribly all night and into this morning, I don't remember feeling like this since my first thru hike ever.

This mornings climb seemed to go on forever and ever. When we finally reached the top Henry and I asked a biker to take our picture together <3

The descent was almost as hard- it was steep and even using a trekking pole my knees were hurting. The thing about town day is that I always make it harder on myself by deciding everything in my food bag is inedible because I can't stop thinking about real food. Therefore I eat the absolute bare minimum necessary for me to keep my legs moving. Today I decided I would survive 5 miles on nothing but a Sonic cherry limeade drink mix. Henry and I went back and forth debating about zeroing in town and decided... why the hell not? (This is the decision we come to pretty much anytime there's a decision like "should we go into town?" or "should we spend another night?")

I texted the Fireside Inn owner and asked to extend our stay another night. She had to switch us to a different room but upgraded us to a suite for no extra charge for the first night.

Elated, we continued down the mountain until we reached a bike path that took us out to the road by Copper Mountain Resort. There was a free bus that would take us into Breck but it wouldn't be there for another hour and a half and I wanted to get into town now. We got an uber and were dropped off at the hostel within a half hour.

There was a hiker outside we talked to for a few minutes, the Colorado Trail is his first thru hike. I asked him if he'd tried to get into his room and he said no because check in wasn't until 3. It was around 1 at this time but if you know me, you know I will always, always try for an early check in and a late check out. I went in, careful to kick off my dirty trail runners by the door and found an envelope inside with our names on it- rooms were ready! I went back outside to tell the boys the good news and then headed upstairs to our room. OMG. Huge king bed, the softest I've ever felt. A couch, big TV, a jacuzzi tub. Euphoria is the only word for what we were experiencing walking into that sanctuary.

We sprawled out on the bed giggling at our good fortune, relaxed there awhile before I went into chore mode. It's way easier for me to chill when I don't have town chores looming over my head. I gathered our laundry which the welcome directions instructed us to put in a laundry bag and leave outside the office where it will be washed and returned later. We pulled on some loaner clothes and walked to the grocery store to buy some zero day snacks.

Two grocery bags full of food and a BBQ chicken pizza later and we were back at the room. I ate 4 slices of pizza, strawberries and two Oreo ice cream cones. Took my time in the shower with a playlist of Sturgill Simpson playing, using a quarter bottle of VO5 conditioner that I just bought while the sunlight and the sounds of bustling Breck filtered in through the open window. We both pulled on our fluffy white robes (true sign of luxury) and lounged around for the rest of the evening. We both took Epsom salt baths for our poor muscles and feet and I started reading Heir of Fire. Cuddled up in bed around 10 and watched Deadwood the movie.