CDT mile 497, miles hiked 26

Sunrise from camp

As we woke up we got to see the sun rise over the various mesas in the area, it was a glorious sunrise with pink skies and stunning landscape to view.  We packed up and headed out.

I had been warned that this area was dry and to make sure to stay hydrated and carry extra water, but no one told me it was also going to be some of the best scenery yet.  We walked atop the mesas weaving our way in and out of sandstone canyons with goblins and the most amazing rock formations.  This is how I envisioned New Mexico.

Bandit enjoying the stunning rockscape

We made decent time but often found ourselves stopping to take pictures of the scenery and enjoyed the amazing views.  We came to a road crossing and to our delight found a water cache with cool bottled water, we each enjoyed some, signed the register and then headed the two miles to the spring to get our fill up for the next 15 miles.  The spring was an actual faucet with cool clear water coming from the ground.  We each grabbed 4 liters and then headed out into even more amazing country.

The desert is a bloom this time of year

We all hiked to various places, I was a bit sluggish today and was behind the group.  The bonus though was I saw my first bull snake lying across the trail.  We stopped for lunch and had a brief shower. The past few days have been cool with dark stormy skies.  While we enjoyed the cloud cover we have often debated when we would get hit by the weather.

The next spring we came to was in a grotto at the top of Jones Canyon.  The water was decent but the real surprise was some ruins of an old stone Adobe.  We debated camping there as the thunder rumbled in the background but after some debate decided to go a few more miles to the base of the final Mesa before the town of Cuba.

Ancient Crypto holds the soil in place and gives the landscape a cool texture

As we left the spring Buttercup said to me, “it’s good we are not sleeping here tonight, there is ghost here at the spring and we will be safer by the Mesa”. So now it becomes clear that I am afraid of aliens and Buttercup is afraid of the ghost a fine pair to be traveling together to Canada.

As we walked the wind started to howl and we all put on jackets and moved as fast as we could.  We finally made the base of the next Mesa and tucked into some trees, as soon as I got my trap up the rain started.  I hunkered down and cooled my dinner of stuffing.

I made a quick call home, my poor wife has been having a hell of a time at work with the big office move.  She filled me in on the happenings and I could tell she was very sad.  I felt bad being thousands of miles away and not being there for her.  I long to give her a big hug and hold her in my arms.  The past few days I have thought of her often and to be honest I have a touch of homesickness.  I knew being away would not be easy but still, the reality of not seeing your loved ones for months can wear on you at times.

The love of my life and the support team back home.

Well, tomorrow is town day, luckily the chore list is short and I only have to buy some food, go to the PO and rest as much as possible.