Gumby, Pop Tart and the Deuce are lounging around the world class Leadville Hostel (watch out for the hot water) devouring cheeseburgers, onion rings, and get this, POP TARTS, as they prepare for the next 170 miles. That’s right, the kids have 316 in the book and, from what I hear, it is all downhill from Leadville. Only 170 miles to go. They finished, around noon, at the well known Half Moon campground, trailhead for Colorado’s highest peak, Mount Elbert. Tomorrow they will start at the foot of Mt Massive and will camp near Turquoise Lake before heading over Tennessee Pass and onto Camp Hale, home of the 10th Mountain Division.
I just talked to Hawkeye. They had another grand feast, this time pasta and garlic bread, and are headed to another round of hot showers and some shut-eye.
Keep the boys in your prayers.
Adios.
Gumby, the Deuce and Pop Tart! While we are sweltering in the heat of the plains the trio is camped by Chalk Creek enjoying the cool, or not so cool, mountain weather. Section 14 is in the books and tomorrow they walk past the Hot Springs on their way to N. Cottonwood Pass. It is almost 20 miles uphill and then 3 or 4 straight downhill. Gonna be a grunt.
Gumby and the Deuce have picked up a third. They are now hiking with Paul (AKA Pop Tart). Pop Tart hiked the Pacific Coast Trail last year and it hitting the CT this year. Tim and Pat dubbed him Pop Tart as he is not carrying a stove and is living off summer sausage and pop tarts! Nice. My kind of hiker.
Also, yesterday they ran into Wally W. Wally has climbed with the AdAmAn Club for many years, as has Tim, and they were very happy to run into each other on the trail when it was not 38 below zero. Wally is segment hiking the CT. He hikes a segment ½ way and returns to his car. When he is done, he will have completed the CT two times.
I like my way better. Downhill and a day at a time.
AdiosGumby and the Deuce have arrived to Highway 50 and have completed just about 50% of the CT. Their reward? Some hot chicks picked them and proceeded to take them to Salida for a double quarter pounder with fries (supersized) and a full dinner this evening. They will also be washing some clothes, charging some batteries and getting ready for the 2nd half.
So, my question stands: Are conjugal visits allowed on the CT? And, if they are not, do the boyz have to start over again??
Gumby and the Deuce are flying through the Mesa. Timmy just called and stated they are 4 miles from Marshall Pass and then it is all downhill to Highway 50 and a mid-day tomorrow meet-up with Mrs Tim. She will escort the boys to Salida for a shower (my guess is a shower is much needed) and some good grub. Then, back on the trail for the jaunt over to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. Sweet.
Before Tim departed Durango I mentioned to him that Claudia, my daughter, and I met three young southbound hikers from Georgia. The trio was made up of a guy and two women. One woman hiked in a skirt and the guy had hiked the AT. We met them three times in two days. At the trailhead for Segment 10, later in the day on Segment 10, and then again the next day on Segment 11. We told them to watch out for Hawkeye and Gumby and gave them an estimate of when they might cross paths.
Yesterday I asked Tim if he had run into them. He said, “No. Well, maybe, where were they from?” I stated “Atlanta”. And, Tim responded “Ahhh….yeah…we ran into them, they came down the trail and asked if I was Hawkeye”. They chatted for a long time and Tim could not make the connection between them knowing his trail name, a father daughter downhill segment hiking team and the fact I had told Tim to be looking for the trio. Must be either old age or the altitude that is getting to him. Maybe both.
The boys are reporting great weather and their bodies are holding up very well.
Adios.
While we were watching golf the boys were making tracks! Today Gumby and the Deuce will arrive to Hwy 114 after trekking over 108 miles. They have now have completed 11 of the 28 segments. They have walked 180 miles and only have about 300 to go. Nice work.
Gumby had a blow-out that forced him to hustle into Gunnison for a new set of hiking boots which left Hawkeye to fend for himself. Today they reunite and head up to Sargents Mesa and then over Marshall Pass.
The cell phone coverage has been spotty and as such we are not getting a great number of reports.
The rain has tagged them a few times and I guess that is why you always take a rain coat when you hike the CT.
More later.
Gumby and the Deuce hiked segment 27 yesterday and today, on their way to the Mile Hi City, and they reported a dozen down trees, a few snow drifts and improving conditions. Nice. It seems like the unusually high snow pack this year has yet to have an impact on their walk. With segment 27 complete they are now entering Segment 26. Seg 26, 25 and 24 are very isolated. However, by Thursday they intend to be finishing Segment 24 (Molas Pass) and headed into Silverton for some supplies, hot shower and a cold brew. Heavy on the cold brew.
They did run into a down fawn today. It was just a few feet off the trail. Not much you can do about that as there are not too many vet clinics in the area!
More later. Adios.
Tim checked in and I guess Gumby is setting quite the pace on the trail today. They have just completed Segment 28 and are headed to Taylor Lake. Looks like they have gained over 4,000 feet since their first step. Wow. That is almost straight uphill. The Deuce has seen a ton of bikers on the trail and he has had nothing but good things to say about them. Tonight Taylor Lake and tomorrow they begin a 52 mile trek to Silverton and a warm shower. 52 miles in three days is the plan. Almost all up hill. Why would they not hike that downhill?
23 miles on the books with 462.8 to go, but, whose counting.
July 3, 2010: Gumby and EL Deuce (AKA Hawkeye)
Pat Basso (Gumby) and Tim Mcelderry (EL Deuce) are on the trail. This morning around 11:30 AM they abandoned their lovely wives in Durango and headed to Denver. On foot. After they took their first step, they only had 485.8 miles, less one step, to go. Their goal is to hit Denver before the month of July disappears. To do that, they will have to average 16.75 miles per day. Every day. No days off.
If you are curious as to how they are doing, check this blog, or Tim’s facebook page, on a regular basis for updates. As Tim calls in; posts will be entered.
As most of you know, Tim completed the Colorado Trail over a two season span a few years ago. This year he is attempting, with his good neighbor Pat, to complete the trek as a through hike from South to North. Thus the trail name “El Deuce (AKA Hawkeye). Wish them luck.
Tim called around 2:20 this afternoon to report in that they had completed their first 5 miles and were awaiting a short T-Storm to pass by before they completing their hoped for 10 mile day. They are on Segment 28 and have a 74 mile hike uphill to Molas Pass. Hmmm….if they only complete 10 miles today and they need 16.75 per day to keep pace, does that mean they are over 6 miles behind schedule??
Stay tuned.
