Wednesday, May 9
I was awake at dawn and crawled out of my tent at 6:20 AM. I ate, prayed, packed, and was hiking just after 7:00 AM. I had 3.5 liters of water for the next 22 miles; it was enough, but not a drop to spare. Each day my evening set-up and morning pack-up routines are getting quicker and more efficient. I've been focused on my tent the last few days and have mastered setting it up in high winds and the dark. I'll be ready to add rain to the list in Colorado. Maybe I'll try it blindfolded in Wyoming! If only tenting was an olympic sport...I'd be a gold medal contender!
The plateau where I camped had expansive views in all directions and I enjoyed hiking in the early morning sun. I met some cows enjoying the plateau as well and we had a brief exchange as I walked by. Check out the video below.
The plateau gave way to a gravel forest road which the CDT would follow for 19.6 miles. I was passed by two young, tall, and lean hikers on this dirt road. I had to keep reminding myself...hike your own hike. There was also lots of vehicle traffic, which meant lots of dust! If I wasn't dirty yet, but I was by the time I reached Dutchman's Spring, near the end of the long road walk. (I forgot to take a picture of the spring...sorry.) Just imagine a three foot galvanized drainage pipe stuck vertically in the ground. Water seeps into the pipe and pools 2-3 feet below the rim. There is a rusty metal lid to keep bugs, small animals and debris out, but the water is still murky. (I'm running out of adjectives to describe dirty water.)
I stopped at the first good campsite after getting 6 liters of water. I had a sore right ankle and it needed rest. I've been hiking slower than normal, being extra careful with foot placement, and am using my trekking poles for downhill sections to reduce the stress on my feet and legs. The ankle has been sore for a few days and it's not getting worse, but it's also not getting better. I trained hard for the CDT, but never with fully loaded backpack. And my pack is extra heavy right now because of all the water I need to carry. I'm thinking this is the reason my ankle is sore. I plan to take a few days off in Pie Town and/or Grants to let it heal.
Thursday, May 10
Today I had another long hike; over 24 miles to the next water source. I hiked briefly with Henry from England, and met another hiker named Sweep who was section hiking from the southern border to Grants, NM. Both were about my age and seemed to be doing well. It was a log day, but it was rewarding to reach the solar well with enough sunlight to be able to see the small fish swimming in the large algae filled tank I would be filtering my water from...yum, yum.
Friday, May 11
Another long day of walking from water to water. 24 miles by my calculations on mostly dirt roads in various stages of disrepair. I carried 4 liters of water and drank it all during the 11 hours of hiking. Today's water source was a private well with a pipe connected directly to the pump. I flipped the pump power switch and out came cold clear water! I drank a liter and took 3.5 for dinner and the hike tomorrow into Pie Town.
I hiked a mile or two past the water source to find a good campsite. Most of the land in this area is privately owned and used for cattle ranching. Camping involves navigating over, under, or around a barbed wire fence and finding a campsite not visible from the road...and not covered in cow dung. It was a tall order, but eventually I found something acceptable. It was almost dark by the time I ate dinner, brushed my teeth and crawled into my tent.
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!
Comments