Ralph (a trail angel) picked up DJ, Cowboy and me at 9:00 and delivered us to Cumbres pass.  We all visited for about 10 minutes at which point Cowboy and DJ hit the trail.  I talked with Ralph about his model boat hobby for almost an hour.  He makes custom boat model kits for wealthy people to build. I assume that means he charges a _lot_ of money for the final model.  It is usually a model of their actual boat that they can build and put on the mantel to show company (I think).

I eventually said good-bye to Ralph and started the last 3 miles of Colorado to the new Mexico border.  At the border I caught up with DJ and Cowboy and took pictures. DJ took off, and I spent the day hiking with Cowboy and our conversations made the next 20 miles fly by. DJ and Cowboy are about 30, and are thoroughly enjoyable and nice people.

DJ had a campfire going at Lagunitas campground by the time Cowbot and I got there.  It was awesome to come rolling in shortly after dark and have a waiting fire and an awesome campsite all ready to go.  We even had a picnic table to eat dinner on!  Thanks DJ!

This is the campground where the thru hiker named Otter died a few years ago.  The poor guy got stuck here in a huge snowstorm (long after all hikers were done for the year) and froze to death in the bathroom. He wasn’t discovered until the next year when everything thawed out.  He recorded his last weeks on his cellphone and his various attempts at self rescue. The videos are available online. Anyway, his bathroom is not far from my tent.  Someone wrote “RIP Otter” on the inside wall of the bathroom and I couldn’t help saying goodbye to him.

On a happier note, it is great to be back in New Mexico!  The mountains are nice and flat with no insane passes to deal with.  We did 23 miles today.  Just about 70 more to go for me! Cowboy and DJ need to go all the way to the Mexican border since they are going Sobo all the way.