I began the Colorado Trail at the Waterton Canyon Trailhead, the Denver end of the trail snake, at the beginning of August.

Embarking on this popular thru-hike has caused people to come out of the wood work, with excited expectations and experiences, with stories, with fears, and all of the hype. Whoever was talking to me, the message was clear: The CT is the best, hike it and it will be a blast from start to finish.

The state of Colorado seems to have the most hype around it too. I think stoke and hype are a currency of the place. I’m into the positivity, but because of all this build-up and lead-in to what everyone says is going to be the best thing to ever happen to me since my momma gave me life, I can only feel a little guilty that I’m going to ignore most of their talk.

I want to take this bull by the horns and realize it’s actually a moose, if you get my drift. I want to take on one of the most popular trails in the U.S. and go in pretty ignorant. I haven’t downloaded the FarOut package for the CT, nor do I know when I will, if ever. Instead, I got the handiest little databook (thank you Bitler!) for the bullet points, and will take the rest of the trail as it comes.

So far it’s working out pretty well…

Almost getting headbutted into the afterlife

I walked away from my Trail Angel for Life friend who dropped me off at the TH around 1pm. It was sprinkling off and on with thunder occasionally rolling in the distance. Despite the weather, the canyon was flat and busy with cyclists and fishermen, but I saw no other hikers like myself.

I did see an entire herd of Bighorn sheep, mostly females, including a full nursery of adorable kids. (Kids as in baby sheep.) They were adorable even as they jumped and scampered on ledges above, causing rocks and debris to rain down onto the dirt road. What an amazing encounter within my first two miles!

Within my first seven miles, I was out of the canyon, hiking switchbacks through thick and steep pine forest. A worried mountain biker passes me and warns of two big sheep he just saw on the trail, he tells me to be careful. I tell him thank you and walk with alert eyes and ears. I sing a song out loud to let whatever was out there know that I’m coming.

Too bad sheep don’t sing to let me know that they are coming… Out of nowhere barreling straight down upon me through the trees is a massive ram. Imagine the RAM truck symbol running you down in the flesh.

I remember all the wildlife signs in the canyon on how to handle encounters with sheep. First you are supposed to keep two bus lengths away from them. This ram was less than twenty feet away. So I went to the next suggestions on the list. I backed away in a panic almost slipping backwards off the trail. I put my hands up above my head to look big, and I yelled at it to STOP and BACK OFF.

He paused for a moment long enough for me to take in his heavy horns, strong shoulders, the yellow eyes and understand that I was at his mercy. He moved towards me again to the rim of the trail slope not ten feet from me. I moved until my pack was against a tree and I knew that I was stuck. If he came after me I was dead. I imagined my guts spilling, being snapped in half, and still I sternly held my hands up and yelled BACK OFF.

Somehow, he seemed to change his mind about headbutting me off the mountain and into the afterlife. He ran parallel to me from left to right and ran down the trail behind me. I didn’t stop to thank him. I jogged away, up the switchbacks knowing deep down how close I was to death. I picked up a large rock and carried it for almost two miles, afraid I might meet the second bachelor the biker had spoken of. I never did, but my paranoia was high.

I had crested the first mountain of the Colorado Trail and passed a memorial bench at the top, and I wondered if being murdered by a bighorn would get me a nice bench? I had dropped my defensive rock and was going downhill when I heard the ever nerve shattering sound of a rattle.

I leaped a few feet back to see that I had almost stepped on a young rattlesnake. Not only was it stretched across the trail, as they sometimes are, but it was also halfway through deep-throating a chipmunk. Despite my nerves being absolutely wrecked by this point, I felt bad for the little fella. Both little fellas, I guess. The munk was no longer of this world, but I had interrupted the snake’s meal at a very inconvenient time. I apologized but had a tough go on bushwhacking off trail to get around it. Once on the other side of it I looked back and the scared snake had spit out his food so as to take a defensive rattling coil. Geez I felt so bad, but at least, chipmunk excluded, we were all alive and rattled.

I continued to camp by 7:30pm at South Platte River, having hiked 17 miles for my first day on trail. I’d like to tell you how strong and brave I felt, but to be honest I was paranoid of everything in the forest up until reaching the river where there were plenty of other hikers. Besides the scary animals, I also saw three grouse/ pheasant/ forest chicken- things, hummingbirds, and mule deer. All of them scared the shit out of me. I can laugh now, but I desperately called to the heavens “thank you, but this is enough for the FIRST DAY, I think!” Colorado is fuckin’ wild.

Du-du-duh spaghetti…

Within the first few days I cruised right into a little group of hikers who have kept me in wonderful company. Our daily mileage runs from 17 – 20 depending on the general feeling, and they made my first hundred miles on the CT incredibly fulfilling.

Georgia Pass came and went like the gusts of wind that blew us around up there. We dunked our sunburnt bodies in cold creeks, and groaned and moaned together around evening camps.

One of our group has a funny saying, “Slow and steady gets the spaghetti.” He mumbles it while he is hiking particularly challenging terrain. It makes me laugh so hard that I can’t breathe for some reason. I bring it up to you all because that hard laughter is exactly why I hike.

I give myself permission to laugh until I cry and be goofy when I’m hiking. It comes out of me so readily when I’m “Whistles” on a trail. I love finding people who encourage that spirit in me, and trail always seems to gather those very people.

I’m grateful for my early CT trail family even as I may be pushing on ahead of them soon. I hope they continue hiking for their own enjoyment and self-discovery as I will!

The Hype Is REAL!

Colorado is awesome, but everyone already knows that. I’m seeing it for myself with as open and unbiased of a mind as I can muster. I’ll be honest with the good, the bad, and the stuff I never want my mom to know about.

After awhile and some miles!

Whistles

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According to recent booking data from the digital travel platform Agoda, Vietnam has risen to third place among the top five Asian countries with the highest rate of returning international visitors – behind only Japan and Thailand. Notably, Da Nang appears for the first time among the top ten Asian cities with the highest percentage of returning travelers.

On August 6, Agoda released its latest “Most Revisited Destinations” ranking, highlighting Da Nang as one of the most appealing cities in Asia.

Based on booking data from the first half of 2025, Vietnam now ranks third in Asia for returning international guests, surpassing Malaysia and Indonesia.

Of particular significance, Da Nang’s debut in the top ten marks a remarkable milestone, as Vietnam had no representatives in this list the previous year.

The vibrant coastal city in central Vietnam has firmly secured its place among Asia’s top destinations, underscoring the growing appeal of the S-shaped country on the region’s tourism map.

The five most revisited destinations in Vietnam during the first half of the year were Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc. While the three beach paradises attract visitors with soft white sands, clear waters, and sun-soaked resorts, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi captivate travelers with their vibrant urban rhythm, rich cultural heritage, and colorful culinary landscapes. Together, they offer a perfect blend of relaxation and local immersion.

These destinations have a unique allure that makes one visit never enough. Many travelers return to complete unfinished journeys, relive memorable experiences, or simply embrace the familiar comfort of places that once stirred deep emotions.

Agoda data shows that many tourists revisited the same destination multiple times within just six months – clear evidence of the strong pull of locations that leave a lasting impression.

Vu Ngoc Lam, Country Director of Agoda Vietnam, stated that from the dynamic pace of its cities to the stunning beauty of its sun-drenched beaches, Vietnam offers a rich, authentic experience that keeps visitors coming back.

“Vietnam’s presence among the most revisited destinations in Asia is a positive signal reflecting the country’s diverse and increasingly compelling appeal,” Lam emphasized.

Alongside Vietnam, the ranking highlights other Asian destinations with high return visitor rates, including Bangkok (Thailand), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Bali (Indonesia), Osaka (Japan), Taipei (Taiwan-China), Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru (Malaysia), and Hong Kong (China). Each offers a unique charm – from distinctive cuisine to vibrant cultural life – ensuring that every journey brings something new to discover.

PV