Adventures in Thru Hiking

2013-05-26T18:31:00.001-07:00

Monday June 14, 2010

Camp 44: Rainbow Motel, South Fork, Colorado

Camp 45: Alder/Palisades Trail

A little catch up…after hiking out of Platoro we had a crazy series of hitches to get to Highway 160. Because we were in the middle of nowhere and far from the actual CDT we had no idea how or when we would get back on track…but it’s all part of the journey! The first hitch was about 40 miles in the back of a pick-up truck going entirely in the wrong direction. We hadn’t studied a map and didn’t realize it at the time. The man dropped us off at an intersection that was 12 miles from Monte Vista on a deserted old road with no cars. Awesome. He assured us it got busier and we wouldn’t have a hard time catching a ride…wrong. We walked a few miles in the warm desert scrub and out of the snowy mountains. We passed by a house where a man and woman are on their porch. I asked how far Monte Vista was and the man says he’s heading that way (yes!) so we hopped in the back of his truck. He dropped us off at the intersection of Hwy 160 and a woman on her cell phone stopped to give us a lift in just a matter of minutes; despite the warning from her mother in law on the other end of the phone! She took us to Del Norte which is where we luckily got another quick hitch into South Fork with a guy and his 5 year old son. The little boy told us their life story on the way J I was shocked at our hitching luck as it could have taken days to get to South Fork. We got a room at the Rainbow Motel and then headed to the local “outfitter” to look for proper shoes for Eric. No luck, no shoes in South Fork, Colorado. So we decided to stop at a bar and have a few cold $1.75 PBR drafts before heading to the steakhouse next door. These days, food comes way before shower on the priority list, even if they choose to seat us in the closed section of a restaurant! I’m pretty sure we set a record on consumption with huge steaks, loaded baked potatoes and ice cream to fill in the cracks. We slept like it was our job, grabbed coffee and a burger AND a milkshake at the malt shop before heading out of town. I may be over my quota for red meat but I can’t say I regret a single bite! We pieced together some trails which, in theory, would take us to Creede. So here we are, creating our own adventure, our own trail, our own hike. It has been a beautiful, quiet walk today and it seems the storms are making their way out so hopefully it will be nice and sunny tomorrow. What a fun town stop and a crazy turn of events these past few days.

2013-05-25T14:34:00.001-07:00

Saturday June 12, 2010

Camp 43: cabin at Skyline Lodge in Platoro, Colorado

We woke to the sound of pelting rain and the occasional drop in the eyeball as the wind shook our single wall tarp tent. We were both mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Yesterday it seemed we couldn’t catch a break and I could only wonder what Mother Nature had in store for today. Although extremely beautiful, rugged and unique; the southern San Juan’s proved unforgiving. We both dreaded the stream crossing ahead…if one of us fell in the swift current we would face a large boulder or the dead tree that spanned the stream. After packing up I took a look at the terrain to see if we could go off trail and stay high instead of crossing the stream at that particular spot. It looked like a possibility so we decided to give it a shot. We found an old use trail and were able to traverse the mountainside fairly easily. We then made our way down to the river where it soon opened up into a wide beautiful canyon. The grey sky had given way to blue and big puffy white clouds. The river was wide, snaking through the canyon while waterfalls plummeted from the walls. We looked up at the mountain that we had been on top of yesterday. It was snow covered and a huge storm cloud still loomed above. Things were looking up and we both breathed a sigh of relief. We had made it down in one piece. We still had to cross the river so we could catch the trail on the other side which would eventually lead to a reservoir. It looked fairly easy and didn’t seem to be flowing as fast but it was wide and high. Eric crossed first and I wasn’t far behind. I watched as the water went above his knees and his rain pants created more drag than expected. I was trying to stay upright and steadily making my way across as Eric scrambled up the bank. I was so close but the water had risen to my hips and the swift current had me shaking. I knew if I fell with full pack it would be tough to recover. I inched my way closer and finally reached the edge. Eric grabbed my pack and hoisted me up. We exploded into laughter as I looked up and said, “huh, it looked a little easier than that!” As always, it was a reminder to never let your guard down out here. That’s when you get into trouble! We pushed on to connect with a flat meandering trail that skirted the edge of the river. It was nice to be mindlessly walking and chatting. It almost seemed too easy! We soon found ourselves at a trailhead with parked cars! We looked at a map and a fisherman walked by and we started chatting. He was fishing with his brothers so the three of them took us to nearby Sky Line Lodge in historic Platoro, Colorado. Apparently it was once a bustling little town but now a simple lodge with cabins, a store and café. Being a gateway to the San Juan Wilderness it brought in a lot of fisherman and hikers. We thanked the guys and waved goodbye before making our way to the café to grab some warm food. We sat in an exhausted daze as we finished our burgers and chatted with surrounding tables about the trail. Everyone was extremely nice and had tons of questions about what in the heck we were doing! After another beer we agreed to splurge on a cabin and hot shower and decide what to do tomorrow. An employee gave us a ride to our cabin on his 4-wheeler so we wouldn’t have to walk! It seemed funny but my feet were thankful for the hospitality. I just showered and did some sink laundry and I am just sitting here and it feels beyond amazing. The wind is howling outside our door and the ominous sky promises another storm. The locals say a cold front is moving through but it should clear in a couple days. For now, all I know is I am inside, protected from the elements, warm and smelling of soap! What a crazy trail so far and with each day Eric and I grow a little closer. Sometimes I wonder how that can even be possible but with all of the craziness, the extreme highs and lows and never knowing what to expect, it makes us a stronger team. We trust each other with our lives each and every day and push forward, knowing that anything can happen but together we will get through it. It’s simply amazing to share that.

2012-11-01T10:29:00.003-07:00

Friday June 11, 2010
Camp 42: by the river in the rain (sounds like a sad country song)

This morning we woke, snuggled in our sleeping bags with our down jackets tucked inside to provide extra warmth. The chill of the air at 12,000 feet made it difficult to start the day too early. Besides, we were at a bit of an impasse; none of our hiking options too safe or appealing. We decided not to go back up the mountain to the CDT where the wind blasted us last night, where icy snow fields awaited…one after another on the north facing slope. According to the maps and GPS we could take the Fish Lake trail out which would drop in elevation and is south facing. In theory, this meant much less snow and ice. We packed up and put sheet metal screws in Eric’s Brooks running shoes using nail clippers and tweezers. A note on Brooks running shoes- not too helpful in snowy mountain conditions. I guess that’s why they didn’t call them Brooks all terrain Gortex hiking boots. We continued our adventure as we off-trailed across snow fields and streams to the supposed Fish Lake trail. The trail was difficult to find and keep track of under the snow so we soon found ourselves 1.5 miles down the wrong canyon. Plan B was to make it down the canyon to another trail but time after time we got ridged out and we found ourselves on a goat path staring thousands of feet straight down. Eventually we stumbled onto another use trail, used mainly by elk I think, which in theory would lead us to the top of the mountain and down a canyon that would eventually connect back up to the Fish Lake Trail. We followed the narrow, steep trail which skirted the canyon and once again, lost track of it in a snow field. We managed to make our way to the top and found ourselves climbing up and over another “hill” with steep rocky drop-offs on both sides. The spectacular 360-degree views of snow- capped peaks, steep rugged canyons, rocky ridge lines and grazing elk left me breathless. We pushed forward, the elk stopping to stare, seemingly confused as to why we were there, but then again, so were we! The GPS said the lake was just over the hill. So we made it to the top and peered into an icy lake surrounded by fields of white. A few stretches of the trail could be spotted switch-backing up to a narrow saddle blocked by a wall of snow at least 20 feet high. There we sat, bewildered and hungry (oh yes, did I mention we are very low on food?) not knowing what to do. We had spent 6.5 hours circumnavigating this mountain only to find the route we chose impassible. I sat staring, humbled, with tears swimming in my eyes, out of both frustration and simply being scared, which takes a lot for me. Thanks to Eric, I gathered myself and we tried to find a way down. We slowly descended on a steep snow drift and climbed back up the other side of the canyon to the divide…back to the top of the very same mountain where we had almost been blown off the night before. Again, we studied the CDT buried under snow, lacking the confidence to march forward so we decided to find another way. While contemplating our next move it began to rain so we hurried back down the mountain. The storm moved through quickly and we decided to backtrack past where we had camped the night before to yet another trail that would drop us into a different canyon along the river. All afternoon we worked our way down into the canyon. We inched our way across the fast moving river as another storm moved through. This time it was accompanied by thunder, rain, snow and hail! How lucky are we? The trail meandered along the banks of the river, fairly easy walking past the occasional wash-out and snow field. All in all we were thrilled to just be moving in a direction. At 7pm we realized that we had to cross the river again but this time at a narrow section of the canyon where the water blasted through a narrow chute. Apparently I wasn’t thinking very clearly as I prepared to cross and Eric looked at me as if I was crazy and said, “There is no way! If we fall, we are done!” We laughed, not amused in the least, but we still laughed as the clouds moved in again, dark and ominous, as was my mood. We made our way up the hill and set up camp just in time for the rain to come again. We ate a cold dinner and Eric turned on the GPS to see that we had traveled 2.12 miles as the crow flies from where we camped last night. Sigh. We shake our heads as the rain pelts the tent harder and harder, we will deal with the trail and the river crossing tomorrow. For now, it’s time for rest and perhaps dreams of kittens and rainbows and waterfalls made of whiskey.

Snow and mud and mud and snow

2012-10-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

Thursday June 10, 2010
Camp 41: Where do we go from here? 12,000 feet

I am at a loss for words as to how our day has been. We hiked through snow fields, mud and water. At times we slid straight down the snow and overall it was slow, slow going. At around 6pm the trail skirted the North side of the mountain at 12,000 feet with a snow drift blocking the way, seemingly impassible with the gear we had. If we fell, it was a long straight drop, thousands of feet down into the canyon. We made a decision to go high, hoping to find a way around. Instead, we hiked to the top and were greeted by high winds. It took my breath away, my eyes watered and each step took effort and concentration to simply stand up. We couldn’t even risk getting close to the edge to scout out our options for fear that the gusts would send us over. The adrenaline was rushing but it was all a little terrifying as we hovered behind a rock trying to make sense of the situation. We sat there, wide eyed and out of breath as we made the painful decision to head back down the way we came before we lost our sunlight. Back through the snow drifts and mud, punching through the snow, everything wet, temperature dropping fast…brutal circumstances. We finally found a place to set up camp and quickly put dry clothes on. In 11 hours of hiking we only made it about 7 trail miles- unbelievable. It makes me want to cry! We are beat up and beyond exhausted. Hopefully tomorrow will bring some clarity. This is definitely a different trail and it’s only the beginning.

South San Juans!

2012-10-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

Wednesday June 9, 2010
Camp 40: Trail Lake

Our day began by crossing the marsh using downed trees. We climbed 12,000 feet and the views were incredible with layers of snow-capped mountains. From the ridge we could see for miles, below us the lakes were laced with ice, the snow fields stretched before us and the bluest sky you can imagine enveloped us. The trail was very unforgiving today, those beautiful snow fields ensured cold, wet feet and we trudged through mud and water at snail pace. Our trekking poles were a godsend as we punched through the snow and slid through the mud. We are both exhausted but it was an exhilarating day. These mountains are rugged and beautiful, so many new experiences. I simply cannot wait to see how it all unfolds. South San Juans!!

One State Down!

2012-09-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 8, 2010
Camp 38: Chama Trails Inn
Camp 39: First Colorado camp!

We are camped directly on the trail tonight as we are walking through a section that is closed for logging due to beetle infestation. There are trees down everywhere and hundreds of snags all around us. It was tough finding a camping spot without a widow-maker looming above us so we settled for a place right on the trail. Let’s see, yesterday we crossed over into Colorado!!! It is very exciting to have hiked an entire state already. We spent the morning listing our New Mexico favorites as we walked. We made it to Cumbres Pass which is in Colorado but then we hitched back into Chama, New Mexico to resupply. Chama is an old divided town, one end is very cute and historic and somewhat touristy with the old railroad running through. There are several shops, an old saloon, a few hotels and very friendly locals. The other end of town was right by the Interstate and the people were actually kind of rude. We didn’t figure this out until too late when we had booked an expensive room across the street from a grocery store. Our stay was strange and Eric caught a peeping Tom staring into our room from the alley…yuck. On our way back to Cumbres Pass a lady drove us a mile to the “better” end of town but she had to get back to work and couldn’t take us any farther- funniest and shortest hitch ever! We sat in Fosters Saloon and had a couple brews and then a stranger bought us a round. We played pool, listened to the jukebox and then, in a bit of a fog, decided to make our way back to the trail. After what felt like an eternity, a couple picked us up in their Jeep. They were awesome, taking us back to the pass even though they weren’t heading that way. We hopped out with a thank you, grateful for the generosity. We hiked on and looked up to see a huge bear heading toward us on the trail. She was grazing along and didn’t even know we were there until we stood and watched her for a good bit. Eventually we yelled, “hey bear” and she looked up, startled, and bolted in the other direction. We are definitely in a new state as the snow fields lay before us and the mountain streams are not in short supply. Our view tonight is amazing and we had yet another awesome sunset and a lightning show!

sunflower
hi: hanging out at the saloon, enjoying good beer and listening to Hey Jude with my love
lo: hmmm….not really

g
hi: great morning
lo: the state of the trail that we are on

New Mexico Favorites:

Breakfast: Pie Town apple pancakes and sausage with huevos rancheros in Deming being a close second

Lunch: Ella’s Café in Reserve

Dinner: steak and burger in Reserve

Dessert: Coconut Cream Pie in Pie Town

Camping Spot: sleeping out under the stars at City of Rocks State Park

Hitch: Toughie in Reserve and Alice in the Gila (Silver City)

Funniest Hitch: the 1 mile hitch in Chama

Towns: Reserve, Cuba and Pie Town

Highlights: Gila Wilderness, lots of wildlife sightings, the diversity of the state, the kind people and our crazy off trail adventures!

Wildlife: A Wolf and Javelina

Best cold and much needed drink: Ice cold Coke at Rockhound State Park

2012-08-02T10:30:00.002-07:00

Sunday June 6, 2010
Camp 37: Carson National Forest, North of Lagunitas

Last night we fell asleep to howling wolves and a lightning storm in the distant peaks. Above us, a clear sky, amazing stars and bright planets, our tent illuminated with each strike of lightning. Today started out smooth and we were actually on the CDT! There were cairns and even CDT signs! Avoiding private land, the trail meandered through beautiful Aspen groves, along spectacular ridges and into a canyon along a stream. We could see for miles, wide open spaces and mountains in the distance. We saw herds of elk and antelope grazing and we stumbled upon an elk calf lying right in the middle of the trail. Apparently his mama sensed danger and he was hiding. At first it didn’t look like he was breathing as he was very still, his eyes closed. We knew things were going too easy and soon we dropped steeply to the stream and zigged when we should have zagged! We took a trail along the stream heading NE when apparently the CDT went NW. Argh! We followed an old road and had a berm “stylin” contest along the way. We then followed another road which led to Lagunitas campground and eventually linked back up with a trail that skirted a ridge, giving views of the distant mountain ranges and deep green valleys. Stunning. The clouds built and loomed creating a spectacular sunset. It was a crazy day with lots of ups and downs, but it was beautiful and filled with laughter, and out here, that’s all that matters. My entire body aches as I lay here waiting for a warm dinner. We have hereby created a team trail name, “lost before noon.”

2012-08-01T14:50:00.004-07:00

Friday June 4, 2010

The landscape is changing before my eyes with each step. The dry sandy mesa, turning to wide open meadows; green and lush, blanketed with dandelions and larkspur. A dilapidated house sits among a stand of Aspen, lonely. Mountains tower to the east and small patches of snow remain beneath the pines just at the edge of the forest. I can see for miles and miles on all sides as we climb higher. Clear springs surround us, water plentiful and delicious. The taste of melted snow is sweet on my tongue. The ground is saturated and I leave footprints in the mud. Buttercups and Marsh Marigolds complement the fields of corn lilies. The sun is slowly going down; my legs move on their own and I don’t think I can stop them. The majestic snow-capped Rockies are getting closer and my stomach flutters. We stand silently and watch the grazing elk. He looks in our direction and immediately bounds up the mountain as three others follow suit. We set up camp at 10,000 feet and watch the clouds turn orange and the sky fades from pink to purple on the horizon. We are home, on many levels, we are home.

Camp 35: 10,000 feet with mountain and valley views
Camp 36: spectacular sunset, major thunderheads in the distance and howling wolves!

CDT truths and philosophies

2012-07-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

sunflower and little g's CDT Truths and Philosophies:

1. When in doubt, put on pants.
2. It is possible for a desert thorn to go through your shoe sole, superfeet and sock and stab your foot in a single step.
3. When feeling down and out visit Deming, New Mexico...there's sure to be a homeless man telling you how incredibly beautiful you are.
4. Sandy dirt roads, desert thorns and bike tires are not a great combination.
5. Keep your receipts and Wal-Mart can be a very effective rental program.
6. If better out than in were a kingdom then Eric would be king.
7. New Mexico is indeed home to some of the most generous and kind people in the world.
8. New Mexico should hereby be referred to as the windy state, it's state flower the Bud Light can and it's state tree the barbed wire fence.
9. Fietenbuttz (German): the smell your sleeping bag accumulates after hiking 500 miles.
10. A fellow hiker once said that if you collect all of the Bud Light cans in New Mexico you could pay for your entire CDT thru-hike. Turns out, he is indeed, correct.
11. “Moose poop jewelry, who would wear that shit?” sunflower
12. There is a reason why everyone else sets up camp around 4pm in Colorado while we are just starting to hike up and over a mountain pass around that same time. It's called a thunderstorm and really, when will we learn?

2012-05-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday June 3, 2010

Camp 34: Lost again, where is Harris Bear Spring?

We had a pleasant day of walking once we finally figured out how to get away from Ghost Ranch. We hiked in the canyon for a bit which was nice and toasty but finally got to the top of the mesa and caught a breeze. Trail finding was brutal today, once we find it we can’t seem to keep it which can be frustrating. We were walking down a forest service road and saw a black bear so we stopped and watched for a while. We were down wind so she couldn’t smell us as she slowly made her way down the road. Eventually she heard us and darted into the woods while a second bear, brown in color, bounded across the road in the other direction. Great! We split them up! We didn’t even know the second one was there and weren’t quite sure if it was a mom and cub or mating season. They both looked fairly big. We stood and watched and eventually the brown bear crossed to the other side of the road. She kept an eye on us but didn’t seem too concerned. It was really cool! We saw the Rockies in the distance…awesome! For now, we are off trail and hungry, once again.

2012-05-23T09:32:00.003-07:00

Tuesday June 1, 2010

Camp 32 and 33: Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Our day began with not being able to find the trail, although we swear we were on it when we went to sleep! We followed the GPS to the supposed intersection but again, not happening. We followed a drainage until it got so steep that if we fell it would have been a tumble straight to the bottom. We changed the plan and decided to contour the mountainside and guess what...we found the trail! It was a beautiful walk along the river through towering pines and hemlock. A gorgeous blue sky, a big black bear and a couple of elk rounded out the day. We got a hitch to Ghost Ranch with a former congressman who was moving and passing through the area. He was super friendly and seemed very knowledgeable of the area. We are staying at G.R. For a day or two in hopes that Eric's knee will return to a somewhat normal state. It is a really bizarre place. We have been here for awhile and still haven't seen anyone that works here. It is some sort of Presbyterian Retreat Camp with food that highly resembles staff cafe at the Evergreen Lodge...yum (enter sarcasm here)! We did run into Pete again, a hiker that we met in Grants and haven't seen since. Eric is making dinner and I'm writing under the star filled night.

first "cup" of coffee in awhile

2012-05-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Monday May 31, 2010

Camp 30: Gallina River Trail beneath the Aspen

We both slept horribly last night, tossing and turning until the sun appeared. We shared our crazy dreams and I am now a true believer that there are spirits in that canyon. I can't explain it as I've never experienced it before but we were both glad to pack up and hike. We started out slow as Eric's knee is badly swollen and he is unable to bend his leg. We continued up the unmaintained river trail trying to follow the markings and cut logs. It crossed the river several times, overgrown and impossible to keep track of. The canyon became very narrow and both sides were extremely steep. The trail, of course, was nowhere to be found. I stumbled upon something that resembled a trail and we followed it for awhile before it disappeared. We decided we had to get on top and out of the canyon so we hiked among the Aspens, straight up the mountain for about 2,000 vertical feet. It was insane. A few rocks slid, thundering down the mountainside and my heart nearly stopped. I looked back, sure Eric had fallen, but instead there he was hobbling up the side of this mountain, dragging his leg along. I had to smile as the whole scene was a bit unbelievable and at this point there was nothing left to do but laugh. We finally reached the top and sat silently on a log. I reached for the whiskey and we shared a shot with the mountain. Cheers to respecting Mother Nature and the mountain. We proceeded on our adventure staying on top of the ridge and quickly realized a massive storm had blown down thousands of trees. We stared in disbelief at the uninviting maze before us. We crept through the woods, climbing, or in Eric's case, dragging ourselves over the trees. This goes on for miles. The GPS reports that we are 1.8 miles from the San Jose Trail. After all that we had only traveled about 1.3 miles as the crow flies, from our camp this morning. Unreal. 5 hours and 2,000 feet later and we aren't any closer to getting out of this mess. We continued on, exhausted and finally found our trail within the hour. The San Jose Trail was like a superhighway compared to the path we had been on. We hiked at 9,000 feet so there were still snow fields and the trail is really muddy and wet, but hey, no complaints here.

We stopped a bit early tonight at a great camping spot beneath the beautiful Aspens. We built a fire and had some warm food. Great for the body and soul after the past few days. So our adventure continues in the morning, hopefully after a good nights rest.

2012-04-25T21:41:00.001-07:00

Sunday May 30, 2010

Camp 29: old trail along the river (not the CDT)

I'm laying here a little shaken up as Eric just fell in the river as he tried to cross on a slippery rock. He banged his kneecap directly on a rock as his entire body plunged into the cold, swift stream. I watched as it took his breath away and he fumbled to get out. It happened so fast, I stood, watching helplessly unable to get to him. He crawled to the bank and I met him with a million questions as I did a full body scan looking for gashes, cuts, blood and bones sticking out. He simply held up a hand to silence me for a minute to gather himself. Luckily he didn't hit his head and there were no broken bones but he hit his kneecap and shoulder hard during the fall. It was already 7pm and he was cold and shivering. We found a makeshift camping spot to set up and Eric changed into dry clothes. We aren't even on the CDT, there is nobody for miles that we know of, the trail we are on is pretty much nonexistent. How did we stumble upon it you ask? We were trying to take a CDT alternate route that didn't go as planned and we ended up on a road heading North. As we all know, Canada is North so why not go with it? The road eventually ended and we found this old trail along the river. Once upon a time it had been maintained as we saw chainsaw work, markings and names carved in the trees. We had to cross the river several times and our feet were pretty much numb. On the last crossing we were trying to let our feet dry out a bit and that's when Eric took the bath. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

2012-04-19T20:19:00.001-07:00

2012-04-19T20:12:00.001-07:00

Saturday May 29, 2010

Camp 27: knee high cow poop camp

Camp 28: Cuba, New Mexico

The thunderstorms stuck around yesterday as we were surrounded by a brilliant lightning show. Luckily we only had a few raindrops but were able to watch the storm spread before us, miles away. We hiked atop the mesa as the sun went down. The rays filtered through the clouds and the sky turned bright pink as the lightning danced. Stunning. As we neared the end of the day we were in desperate need of water. We happened upon a windmill that was turning full force and beautiful crystal clear water was streaming directly from a pipe. As we got closer we realized the trough was surrounded by mud and cow manure on all sides. Seeing no other way, I put on my flip flops and made my way toward the water. Two steps in I began to sink and realized my flops were going to break so I threw them back to Eric. I was already vested so I mushed on towards the pipe and filled our water bottles. The manure invaded my nostrils and I was covered to my shins but I had cold, clear water in hand! I took a big gulp and wanted to vomit. Turns out, Mr. Rancher man doesn't take great care of the windmill and there was a slight seepage problem. The water tasted like, well, you know what the water tasted like. What a let-down! Anyways, we are now in Cuba, smelling of soap and full of Mexican food. The locals have been great. We met an interesting family (yes, an entire family) in the Laundromat. They were Navajo and lived on a reservation nearby. The man played country/western songs and had a CD, they told us their story and issues that their tribe faced. The owner of the motel was awesome. She let us use her laptop to email our family, she also had a hiker box and took our picture standing beside her son. Later, we heard a knock on the door and opened it to find the boy with a plate of Korean Beef. Amazing!

Cabazon Peak

2012-04-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday May 27, 2010

Camp 25: full moon at Ojo Spring

Camp 26: very windy camp on mesa

Exhausted. We began our day with an off trail adventure as we missed the CDT cairns (or lack of) somewhere along the way. We headed East/NE and found the trail within an hour. All morning we hiked on top of a mesa with sweeping views of the arroyo before us. The clouds rolled in furiously around noon as the trail dropped steeply into the canyon. By the time we got down the sky was dark and ominous, thunder growled from the clouds and lightning flickered around us. The adrenaline helped us pick up the pace and the huge rain drops pelted us as we stopped to filter from a spring. We could see for miles watching the sheets of rain fall in the distance. Our shoes collected massive amounts of mud and it felt like cement blocks were strapped to my feet. As we dropped down and crossed the arroyo the views were stunning. The clouds cast shadows, illuminating various features around us and the sun filtered through creating brilliant contrasts in the landscape. A rainbow appeared and lingered above Cabazon Peak and the scene became increasingly dramatic as we skirted the canyon edge. A brilliant sunset topped off the evening as we searched for a place to camp around 8:30pm. Unfortunately the winds picked up making the task of setting up our tent was much more difficult than we had hoped. We settled for a cold dinner of Nutella and bagels and my feet ache from 12 hours of intense hiking.

Mt. Taylor Summit

2012-04-02T20:35:00.001-07:00

2012-04-02T20:19:00.001-07:00

Monday May 24, 2010

Camp 23: near Mt. Taylor

We are sleeping at 9,000 feet tonight and it's supposed to be record lows! We're actually on a real trail and not a road...exciting! The trail is funny and frustrating; it comes and goes so we have to search often for cairns or CDT markers in the trees. We had a good day, went to the Post Office this morning and got back on the trail at 12:30pm. Eric found another arrowhead today that was made from obsidian and I found a piece of one!

Tuesday May 25, 2010

Camp 24: near Willow Spring (off trail)

We reached the summit of Mt. Taylor today and it was amazing! There was a beautiful deep blue sky and a heck of a climb which was great training for the lungs and legs. The trail seems to be all over the place. We took a wrong turn and the dirt road we were on ended abruptly so we set up camp and decided to figure it out tomorrow morning. We are camped by an old oil hole that is about 500 feet deep. What a day.

Hiking up Mt. Taylor

2012-03-25T18:03:00.001-07:00

2012-03-25T17:58:00.001-07:00

Sunday May 23, 2010

Camp 21 and 22: Days Inn, Grants New Mexico

We're relaxing here in Grants, taking a zero day so our feet can heal. After the lava field and road walk from hell, yesterday, our feet are aching. I have three blisters that are not healing as we walk 20 miles a day. It will be nice to take a break. Today we're resupplying, calling family and plan to be back on the trail in the morning. Oh, Eric found an arrowhead a couple days ago! Awesome!

Monday May 24, 2010

Camp 23: near Mt. Taylor

sunflower

hi: found a piece of an arrowhead

lo: I screwed up baking cinnamon rolls this morning

little g

hi: waking up with sunflower after a good nights sleep

lo: CDT went by a prison and a landfill on the way out of town

El Malpais National Monument

2012-03-21T15:31:00.001-07:00

2012-03-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Friday May 21, 2010

Camp 20: in a canyon, heading towards Bonita Canyon

It feels great to lay down. We hiked through El Malpais today. At first it was awesome to be hiking through an old lava flow, but the mood quickly changed as the black rocks soaked up the heat from the sun at 2pm and the trail was brutal on the feet. There is a lot of history in the area. The Acoma-Zuni trail we hiked today had cairns that had been there, marking the trail for the two tribes of Pueblo, for 700 years! After a long walk through the lava we got to a parking area by the road. I tried to yogi some water from a man that pulled into the lot, trying to quickly tuck his shirt in and zip his pants...more than a bit odd. Unfortunately, he looked at me like I was the strange one and rolled the window up in my face. Not knowing where the next water source on the trail was, we hitched a ride with a guy in a pick-up truck down the road to a Forest Service office. The building was closed but there was a hose outside with running water. The water tasted like the hose, rubbery and disgusting, so we unhooked the hose and got water directly from the faucet. After a candy bar break we walked across the road and through a gate hoping the forest service road would hook us back up with the trail. The roads are a maze out here but we always seem to work things out. We are in a side canyon right now that leads to Bonita Canyon and eventually into Grants for resupply. We saw a huge heard of elk tonight as we were winding down the day. My feet ache and I'm nursing three blisters right now There are actually blisters underneath blisters which is really hard to treat. Anyways, time for dinner and sleep.

“Remember to take everything in moderation, including moderation.”

2012-03-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday May 20, 2010

Camp 19: Sand Canyon

We're finally finished hiking for the day. It has been a good one, but long. This morning we started with a road walk which turned into dirt leading into Armijo Canyon. We are in cattle country so our water sources leave a lot to be desired. This morning we walked over to a large tank, hoping for a pipe with some cold, delicious spring water. Instead we found the tank surrounded by mud and cow manure with a small seep. It smelled of decay and manure, rancid and disgusting. Eric dug out his bandana to filter out some of the excrement and chunks and we worked to filter a couple liters as the cows watched from afar. We masked the first liter with kool-aid as we were a bit dehydrated and hoped for better water at the next source. The trail was long and hot, we could see for miles and miles with what looked like nothing before us. We explored Pueblo ruins dating back to 1200 a.d. We found shards of pottery and various structures that were still halfway standing. What an incredible piece of history. The downside, there were signs everywhere that threatened a fine and imprisonment if you removed the pottery but meanwhile the area is open to free range cattle who trample the sacred ground. We proceeded down the hot, dry, dusty canyon, past a dead bloated cow with her feet in the air, hoping to find water. We detoured to Armijo Spring only to find it completely dry. We did stumble upon an old stone house built into the hillside. We explored for a bit, finding a religious shrine inside. It was quite interesting, really. We hiked off trail up the side canyon past the spring, over the ridge and back down the other side where we connected with the CDT. By the time we go back to the trail it was 6:30pm and we still had 4.5 miles to hike to the next possible water at a windmill. We picked up the pace as the sun disappeared behind the cliffs and we found some nasty looking water in a cattle trough. It was getting dark and we really didn't have any other option as we needed water to drink and to cook. So we filtered, better than nothing, right? We found a rather lumpy camping spot in the middle of cow pasture. It smells of cow manure but it's beautiful nonetheless as the colors develop in the sky.

Daily Pie Cafe

2012-03-14T13:49:00.001-07:00

Wednesday May 19, 2010

Camp 18: yet another pasture, signed No Trespassing, Private Property

We walk into the Daily Pie Cafe and the bell on the door jingles. Heads turn and nod to greet us as we take a seat by the window. Old glass bottles line the sill along with a postage stamp keepsake giving an overview of the Sante Fe Trail, an old blue speckled cup and a tiny glass bottle with a wooden arrow inside, just the point of it sticking out the top, impossible to remove. The server brings us coffee and returns to her chair to finish breakfast. The cook finishes writing the specials on the chalkboard and recommends the apple fritters with eggs and bacon. I accept! Eric orders and we sit in silence sipping our hot fresh coffee. The morning is cool and windy; we are at 8,000 feet and the actual divide is just up the hill. The sky is deep blue and cloudless and it is difficult to tell what day of the week it is as locals sit around laughing and talking at 9:30am. Conversation revolves around the summer solstice plans and I pipe up saying, “for hikers, that's hike naked day!” Odd glances result in laughter from the four men sitting at the table beside us and it will prove to be an ongoing joke for the remainder of the discussion. An old man in overalls sits quietly by the window, in the same spot as yesterday. He listens but does not join conversation and scratches off his lottery tickets. I smile as it reminds me in some ways of a scene from Dad's feed store when I was a little girl. Our food arrives, delicious home cooking. Eric offers a bite of sausage in exchange for an apple fritter. What an excellent way to start the day here in Pie Town, New Mexico.

Longest Wild Hair Kool-Aid Makin' Video Ever

2012-03-10T10:18:00.001-08:00