Post-hike at Rabbit Mountain

So, what better way to get into it than to go in unprepared?

I went to Rabbit Mountain over the weekend just to get a feel for it, and decided to hike all the way through the Little Thompson Overlook Trail. It's an easy 3-mile round-trip hike with moderate elevation change. I figured I could cut it with my normal shoes and a bottle of water.

Turns out I was about half-right. My feet are killing me. My tennis shoes don't protect against the jagged sharp rocks strewn across the paths, and I occasionally found my foot bending the wrong way around the edges of those rocks. Then, the blisters started as I got close to the end of the trail. It wasn't long before I had to change my stride to keep from agitating the blisters.

Lesson: get good hiking shoes... Done!

I grabbed these for a pretty penny from a local outdoors store that's going out of business. These shoes must be worn by the gods, and I think I made a great choice to invest in them. If all the reviews I've read are right, these should last me for years. They're also so comfortable that they hardly agitate my existing blisters. I tested them out on some sharp rock edges, and found the soles are flexible enough to remain comfortable while being firm enough to allow me to put all my weight on to a sharp edge with little or no discomfort. I've also gathered that with the right socks they are well-insulated and should be suitable for winter hiking, whenever I get around to that. These things are definitely going with me on all my outdoor excursions from now on.

On a minor note, I bought a few cheap metal latches to make it easier to carry stuff. I had my water bottle latched to a belt loop, which made it very comfortable and accessible.

And, on a weirder note: a case of human rabies was reported nearby. Apparently some camper came out of the Roosevelt National Forest in a daze. Some hikers at the trail head tried to help him, but he got violent and pursued them. They called the police, who rounded the guy up after they heavily restrained him. I think they took him to a hospital in Estes Park. The people who were attacked commented that he had a bite mark on his forearm, so they think he got too close to a rabid animal for whatever reason.

Anyway, I'm kind of considering getting a pistol and a conceal/carry license to protect against the rare dangerous animal or psycho. I hear it's pretty easy to do so in CO. Purchase of the weapon, background check, firearm safety training, and probably a reasonable fee. I've never been a fan of guns, but I'll be damned if I'm letting a rabid coyote turn me into an asshole.