The Hike That Made Me Question Everything

Three miles into a solo hike near Breckenridge, I realized the guy who'd been 'coincidentally' taking the same turns as me for an hour wasn't lost. He kept hanging back just enough to stay in sight. When I stopped to check my map, he stopped. When I picked up pace, so did he. The trail markers were getting sparse, and my phone had zero bars. I'd spent months planning this Colorado trip, posting about solo female hiking, feeling invincible. But standing there with two hours of daylight left and this stranger mirroring my every move, I felt stupid and small. I doubled back on a false path and waited. He followed. That's when I started running. Got to my car shaking. Never posted those mountain photos. Some adventures aren't meant for Instagram. 🏔️ #Travel #SoloHikingTruth #ColoradoTrails