CDT – Day 13 – Dipping Vat CG to Cox Canyon

100 Lizards

20 Elk

10 Deer

9 Horny Roads

5 Jack Rabbit

4 Squirrels

4 Snakes

3 Cotton Tail Rabbits

3 Chipmunks

2 Coyotes

2 Toads

1 Mouse

1 Skunk

Last night was very cold. My shoes were stiff from being slightly frozen. We would see ice on the first stream we came to as well. Everything was painful because my hands were so cold. It was the first morning like this. I have a feeling tonight will be similar.

Today can be described in three words: Boring Dirt Roads. I believe most of the next 70 miles into Pie Town are much of the same. Luckily at times the landscape was beautiful to look at. It looked a bit like the grasslands of Montana.

Looking like I was in Montana

The day started in a beautiful canyon but once we climbed out it was all dirt roads. Lots of sun and wind to be found.

I’m having trouble deciding if I should cook and move on as its only 5 pm or stay one more night with 2w. I’m currently 69.5 miles from town. That’s three 23 miles days ahead to get there on the food I have. I’m enjoying 2w’s company and know I’ll have plenty of nights alone soon enough.

Here at this camp I heard my favorite sounding bird, The Hermit Thrush for the first time. Love the sound they make!

2w

I decided to stay when I realized I have dinner for one more night.  The result is a settled mind and my first fire of the trip. I can’t take the credit as it was 2w’s idea.

7:19 and 2w is in bed. I might have stopped early but there’s no way I can turn in that early. I sit here wishing I had a chair with a back in it. Instead I’m sitting on a round of tree.

Camp for the night

The knot in my right shoulder is killing me. It gets so bad I have to stop and massage the hell out of it. The extra weight in my pack doesn’t help. The lighter it gets the less it bugs me. As I said yesterday the feet are much better but my left is a bit sore from the road miles today. A little elevation tonight should help.

Today was a prime example of how you say you’re sick of one thing, Gila River, and you get something worse. A day of road walking.  Between the Gila River and Grants, New Mexico I would say the ratio of trail to road walking is 10 trail and 90 percent road.  

I was grateful to have company on a day like this.  

Scatman

Get out there!