The hiker talk in Pie Town regarding the hike into Grants bordered on the apocalyptic. Due to a very dry winter and spring, most of the normal water sources on this section of the trail are bone dry. Hikers were focused on getting to Grants alive rather than choosing a route that was interesting. And so...the hike to Grants became a road walk; partly dirt and gravel, but mostly the asphalt pavement of Highway 117. I heard a 50 mile section of the "official route" was actually closed due to the lack of water and very few hikers decided to hike the Bonita-Auni Alternate which has lava fields guaranteed to shred your shoes and turn your feet into ground beef.
The number of hikers on the highway did not go unnoticed by drivers, and several times, I had people stop to inquire what we were doing, if I needed water, wanted a ride, or needed help. I am happy to report that I successfully hiked into Grants on my own two feet without getting injured or run over by a semi-truck. I have now hiked over 400 miles and there is only 260 miles remaining until I complete New Mexico and reach the border of Colorado! Below is a screenshot from the map program I use for route finding. My route into Grants is highlighted in yellow.
I'll be staying in Grants for two full days to rest and then be on my way to Cuba. I am encouraged that my feet and legs felt good enough to complete the road walk into Grants and my right ankle is feeling much better! Eva is planning on meeting me soon and I am looking forward to seeing her very much!
For additional content, check out Flickr for images, YouTube for video, SoundCloud for audio, and the Postholer Map with my most recent location.Thanks for following along!
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Blessings,
Denise Hughes
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