CDT mile 418.5, miles hiked 16.5

Buttercup in full facemask mode to deal with trail smells

We started the day with a hearty hotel breakfast and then scrambled around to get our packs all loaded, our final boxes packed and our hotel room cleaned before the shuttle arrived for us at 10 am.

A quick trip to the PO was the last town chore before we all started the 6-mile road walk out-of-town.  The road took us to a grocery store we all stopped in for a final soda and there in the store was Greg in Wild.  The band was back together again and we all hiked out the Magnificent 7 were back on the trail as a team.

We walked the road and stopped in at the ranger station for water.  Even though we only had 14 miles we loaded up 4 liters it was a particularly hot day and still as could be.  The road walk took us by a prison, seeing the folks in their red jumpsuits makes you appreciate even more the freedom we have to be out here walking the divide on our own terms.

We arrived at the trailhead that would take us up the Mesa and toward tomorrow’s climb of Mt Taylor a peak of 11,300′ taller than Mt Hood back home in Oregon.  After laying in the shade of a cliff eating lunch we loaded up to climb the Cibola Mesa.
Even with a heavy pack, I felt great going up the climb.  The desert flora is all in bloom right now and I was reminded of how much I do miss the Cascades this time of year with their wildflower displays.  But seeing numerous cactus in bloom, sage bushes with purple flowers and Indian paintbrush kept me smiling as I climbed.  When we reached the top of the Mesa we were in a sky island.  First, we walked through a grassy meadow and then a forest of Piñon pine.

Up the way, we found Zorro laying under a tree eating his lunch.  Today is Zorro’s birthday so we all wished him well.  A few minutes later we met up with the three girls.  We have such a great bubble these days just the 11 of us is all we see, no drama, no fussing just laughs and pleasent conversations when we meet.

After a short break Buttercup led us in a good cardio hike pushing us harder and harder with his pace.  Me, Freefall and Buttercup arrived at the spot where the spring should be.  We couldn’t find any water so we fanned out, Freefall a few minutes later gave out a whoop that he had found Gooseberry Spring.  We climbed the drainage to find cold clear water coming out of the ground.  Bandit and Buttercup found a piece of plastic pipe by the spring and piped the water so we could easily fill our bottles.  One by one everyone arrived except for Big John, I have no idea where he is and now it’s dark.

Zorro and “the girls” enjoying a break on the climb

We convinced the girls to cowboy camp tonight they have never done so and we told them how amazing the night sky is when you do.  There are now 10 of us all camped in a lovely forest next to a great rock outcropping.
Tomorrow we all will rise early and head up Mt Taylor, it is going to be great to climb a high peak.  Today was a great day overall, seeing the top of the mesa was a highlight for me and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.