Only New Mexico remains from the Triple Crown of the calendar year

This morning it was really nice to be able to sleep in like I wanted. The REI down the street doesn’t open until 9 am. I called last night to put some shoes on hold because they had very few options in my size. So this morning I slept in, packed, grabbed some resupplies from the store across the street, and finally headed there.

I really missed the simplicity of filling up at a gas station. It may seem crazy, but I love choosing exactly what I feel like. It’s certainly my preference. I’m really excited to get back to doing my thing all the time. It’s so easy when everything is on my own terms. When I left the hotel, I took an Uber to REI. Otherwise, I had to walk on an interstate, which didn’t seem like a great idea.

Since I had reserved my shoes, it was a quick and easy experience at REI. I’m trying the Topo mountain shoe model that I’ve never used before. I usually use the terraventure model. But they didn’t have any left in my size. I also took a few bottles, which I was very happy to remember. Then I sat outside to think about what to do next. I’m trying to get to the ghost ranch now. Which is about two hours away.

When I saw Slide the other day, he said he actually took an Uber from Albuquerque to Cuba, New Mexico. That made me wonder if it was possible to get an Uber from this REI to the ghost ranch. I decided to plug everything into the app and see if anyone would pick up the ride. And lo and behold, the journey was resumed in about five minutes. I really hope that the driver comes and the trip goes successfully.

The atmosphere here is drastically different from what I’ve been visiting recently.

When the guy came to pick me up, he didn’t speak much English. Which was kind of nice because it meant we wouldn’t be talking the entire trip. And maybe he won’t find it so irritating if I talk on the phone for a while. He didn’t seem to care at all, even though I asked him. I talked to my mom on the phone for a while to kill time. The trip actually took two hours, so I had nothing but time.

For some reason, I remembered this sign vividly.

After talking on the phone for a while, I just did some editing work. I can’t believe this trip has arrived and it’s taking me to Ghost Ranch! I’m saving a lot of time and effort by not having to hitchhike or take a bus. Which is great because I hope to walk a full day today. Or at least as close as I can get. I ended up dropping off at the ghost ranch around noon. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Walking along dirt roads this afternoon.

I gave the driver a $20 bill, which seemed fair. Especially since he had to drive on a dirt road for about a mile and a half. At least that was at the end of the trip once I was almost there. Then I went inside to get situated and prepare to walk. I entered the bathroom and noticed that there was a backpack outside. So I walked over to see where the hiker was. I figured I wouldn’t see any hikers for a while. I was right in the bubble when I left a couple of weeks ago. Now I figure I’m quite a bit behind them. But maybe I’m not?

Returning to the CDT red line.

I ended up talking to a guy named Busted before continuing. He said he hadn’t seen anyone in a while. It was really nice to start the day, although I immediately saw a CDT hiker. I think I’ll see a lot of people. Especially at the pace I’m going. When I finally left Ghost Ranch, I had about 10 more miles on the alternate route before heading back to the CDT.

The incredible river that followed the trail for a while.

Those first 10 miles were really flat, nice and easy. I crossed our street a couple of times. And I was basically walking through a flat, open desert. Then we finally started going up a dirt road that followed along a beautiful river. The river was absolutely huge! And I really liked the way it wrapped itself into an almost horseshoe shape as it went around the surrounding area.

This is not what most people would expect when they imagine the desert.

Time passed quickly when I returned to the CDT. Once I got back on the trail, I had to climb some more. But once I got up, I basically stayed up most of the day. Apart from the occasional small complaint. Honestly, I was eager to get going and start gaining elevation. I ended up stopping to drink some water at one point during the day. And I actually ran into another CDT hiker heading south!

As I moved forward, this cliff began to form next to me.

She was also sitting at the water fountain and I asked her if I could join her. Honestly, every time I see a hiker these days, I feel compelled to spend a little time with them. I always have to ask because I don’t want to get in the way. But I don’t really see many people here. So, even though I didn’t need water at that exact moment, I dropped my backpack and sat with it for a while. His name was Casper and we chatted for a while.

I crossed this river on a bridge.

She left the water fountain before me, so I knew I’d catch up to her in a while. And when I finally caught up with her, we walked together for a few miles. We ended up hiking this crazy section of trail, which I remembered so vividly. The last time I was here, the trail was pristine. You had to jump into a dry river a few times. I remember it was very steep. But since then a huge flash flood hit the area.

The last time I was here these signs were to warn us of what was to come.

Now these surroundings were absolutely decimated. At times it was very difficult to follow the trail and the river bank had been washed away like crazy. In some sections it was easier to walk along the river bed. I remembered walking by a tent site when I was here previously. Three guys we knew were sitting around the fire having fun. I remember Syrup and I planned to continue, which was a hard blow for him. I really wanted to spend time by the fire. Now, this time, when I came to, the ring of fire was still there. But basically all the land around it was gone.

A truly incredible rock formation in the distance.

Even after being in a flash flood last year in the CDT, it’s still hard to remember and realize how powerful water can be. Fortunately, the slow section of trail only lasted a mile or two. Then I can climb higher and higher and finally said goodbye to Casper. He drank some water and probably wasn’t going to go much further during the day. It would be dark at any time. Most people tend not to walk in the dark if they can help it.

Doing some night walking.

I ended up climbing the next climb right after the sun set. Which was nice to keep me warm. And I just hoped to get as far as I could during the day. Which meant I would definitely do at least a few hours of night walking. At least after passing through the flooded area, the trail was very easy to follow. So I kept going and tried to keep my energy up.

The sunset on my first day back to the CDT.

A couple of hours later I ended up walking along the road. The timing was so crazy because a car started driving by just as I hit the road. Since it was dark, I could see the car in the distance. And that scared me a little! So I turned off the lamp and stayed there in the bushes until the car passed. Then I crossed the street. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been a problem. But I’d rather not see any cars at night on the dirt road than just one.

I want to walk until just before 9 pm and then decided to stop for the night. I had almost done a marathon, which was pretty good considering I didn’t start until after noon. That was enough mileage to prepare me for tomorrow. Now, probably tomorrow I can end the night in Cuba, the next town. Which would be great because you would actually walk around the city. It felt so good to set up my tent and get back on the trail. It’s crazy to think I’m here. Here in New Mexico once again! In the final stretch of the triple crown of the calendar year border to border.

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