Two nights out of grants and we are at the second water cache just
after the malpais. Thanks trail angels!

Feeling a little haggard this evening. Likely cause is only drinking a
liter since lunch and hiking without break. We kept booking it because
the going was slow across the lava fields. In terms of trail tread, El
Malpais was easily the roughest section of the CDT. Cool but we’re
looking forward to some of the road walking coming up. Knowing how
much I dislike roads we’re planning on getting off of it a few times.
We hear that there is a three hundred room ruin complex tomorrow!

On a frustrating note, Lost is carrying a six moon designs pack that
is a total piece of junk! Today her shoulder strap ripped off for the
third time! Add to that the countless holes in the pack, and the fact
that I’ve seen similar problems with other smd packs, I’d never buy
one of their packs. Earlier today before the strap broke, she jokingly
asked if I’d walk behind her the rest of the way incase anything fell
through the holes.

On the plus side we are both carrying tons of food. My pack is full of
delicious s

I just wrote a big post and lost it all. Curse you new smartphone!

But still, I love it.

The hiking is grand. Northern New Mexico is forest. Rich wildlife,
some red cliffs, fall colors, meadows, creeks… Sky Islands as they’re
called. When I pull myself off the couch, we’ll be hiking into the
real desert. Hikers in front of us have sent back water reports. It’s
a parched landscape.

I’m at Circle A Ranch. It’s a beautiful old building. I’m sunk into a
comfortable couch, cup of coffee in hand, antiques for ambience. I
feel like I’m out of my price range but it’s dirt cheap. We bought a
ton of groceries and are eating ourselves silly.

Even though we have well over fine hundred miles left, we’re thinking
about the end. I really want to finish at Crazy Cook. Turns out that
Sam Hughes is charing $100 per trip, not per person. Not a bad deal.

Hiking is relaxed now that we’re out of the high country. I spend time
reading magazines, playing cards, and can afford to be inefficient.

Stretch, a hiker who I crossed yellowstone with has caught up. She
might be joining us. I count 17 southbound hikers this year.

Time to go make omelettes, hash browns, coffee and bacon…food for
eight will feed three.

I’ve done it. I’ve walked the US segment of the Rockies. I’m in the
desert. It’s fantastic.

In Lake City, Pagosa Springs, and Chama we wanted to zero, and didn’t.
Walk while it’s blue out. Get out of these mountains. The trail
register at the Chama post office showed me that many southbounders
arrive in Chama around the second week of October. We were early and
that was good. Their stories of feet of snow didn’t sound fun. We were
in a section where Yogi (the handbook queen) talked of road walks
around the high country. Every section had a highway. “You might not
like it but…” But, what? It’s beautiful! Blue skies, perfect temps.

New Mexico has been a drastic change. I’d been expecting a
continuation of the mountains. Sure, we’re in the mountains, but
they’re not “really” mountains. Not after weeks of above treeline
exposure. Cruising along at 10,000ft we’re in forests and meadows.
There are big Ponderosa Pines, beautiful Aspens changing colors, oaks
and many other types. There is FAR more wildlife. We even saw some
bear prints, likely the first time since Montana. And there are cows,
cows aplenty.

I’d heard of all of the beer cans that litter the roads. It’s true
that Bud Light is the drink of choice of a-holes who litter. We spent
some time picking up cans. I hope that other thruhikers do that too.
If each of us picked up cans for a miles a section, we’ll have this
trail mostly cleaned up in fifteen years or so. If we don’t do it,
it’ll never be cleaned. The CDTA needn’t focus resources on the task
and we know that the hunters, ranchers, campers, drunks and forest
service won’t do it. It’s up to us. I think it’s possible. Lost and I
picked up about 30 cans in 20 minutes. Most of them are old, many well
over a decade old. They’re not being discarded faster than thruhikers
can pick them up. Join in on the great New Mexican Hiker Trash Pickup!

Lost is over a computer; she’s catching up on a month and a half of
missed journals. Day by day. “Where did we camp on September 19th?”
Ghost Ranch has a “no key” policy. The library and the computer room
are open and free, all day and night. Camping is free too for
thruhikers. And with all you can eat meals, I’m more than a happy guy.

Very much looking forward to an even more relaxed hike than I’ve been
having. I’ve fully resisted feeling pressured. Sure, I’m still hiking
25 miles a day. Most days. But I’m also reading magazines, waking up
“late”, stopping “early”, taking too long at breaks, playing cards,
soaking it in. And now that the mountains are mostly gone, and the
weather is good, I’ll be zeroing more, and fooling around more. Lost
figured the schedule today at breakfast. She brings maps and planning
stuff to most town meals, it’s a funny habit. Word is, we might finish
on Halloween.

Sooo… Drinking cow water. Hit the beginning of the desert. In high
spirits. Behind most people. Lightning has made a re-appearance, but
so far no problems.

That blue sky weather. That beautiful blue sky weather.

Must keep hiking. Can’t stop. Lost and I cowerd in a cave, quickly ate
a thousand calories before we chilled, donned fleeces under our rain
gear and got moving as soon as we could. Before Pagosa Springs, the
weather demons of the gulf sent a squall our way. We awoke early,
perhaps 5 am, to dry conditions. A little after light, it’d started to
drizzle. Then rain. Then wind blown rain. Snow. Sleet. Squalls.
Walking the physical divide, high exposed ridge tops. 40mph wind.
FREEZING. Hiking with Coach, a retired coach, we struggled on. After a
couple of hours of dropping hints, he let go from his blue lips “I
don’t think I can take much more of this”. He was right. Hypothermic,
we all dropped to the nearest trees, set up tents, peeled off
clothing, got in our sleeping bags, ate and shivered. In the mild to
moderate range of hypothermia, I made sure to keep talking to my
hiking companions while we warmed. Just in case someone slipped into a
colder state. It was two in the afternoon.

On the lighter side… It’s been blue bird besides that. Truely
exceptional weather to hike the highest, remotest and final section of
the Rockies. That’s right. I’m done with the Rockies! I’m in New
Mexico! Spirits are high. Coach finished his Triple Crown yesterday
and hitched away to Denver. I’ve got a new smartphone on the way that
I’m excited about. I’ve got magazines to read and time to read them.
My tent smells a little of mildew. I’ve been sporting a blaze orange
foam ball cap to keep from being shot, but it might be time to switch
to the wide brim sunhat. Desert, here we come. Sent my hiking poles
off in anticipation of the NM road walks.

Asking for help is awesome. Secured a perfect hitch out of Pagosa. As
I walked by McDonalds on the way to hitch, I ask a guy with his burger
if he’d be willing to give us a ride to downtown (a better place to
hitch from). Turns out he was leaving that minute to go to the exact
trailhead that we needed to get to. Life is good. Previously, our
hitch asked to see our IDs, then showed us his and his concealled
weapons permit and his gun. gulp. Warned us about being murdered in
New Mexico. Thanks dude.