CDT – Day 23 – M603.1 to M627.7

Totals

117 Lizards

43 Elk

11 Chipmunks

10 Deer

10 Squirrels

9 Horny Roads

9 Jack Rabbit

9 Cotton Tail Rabbits

5 Snakes

3 Coyotes

2 Toads

1 Mouse

1 Skunk

1 Rattle Snake

I stink! I smell so bad I don’t like the smell. I can’t wait for Colorado where water isn’t a premium and I can bath at night.

It’s 7:59 and the sun is just dipping below the horizon. I have a great spot in which I can watch. I’m actually Cowboy Camping tonight. The sky would appear to be friendly for once. Tomorrow I get my new tent so this is it for sleeping out in the elements.

Back to the desert after rain and snow for days.

It rained hard or so it seemed from under my tarp for about a half hour some time last night. After that it cleared up and I saw stars. The Milkyway looked amazing.

The day was hot with lots of sun. There was still mud in places but not like yesterday. Today’s issue was water and shade. The “well” four miles from camp was a bust. Luckily a Trail Angel left a cooler of water at about mile ten next to a road crossing.

Desert Pillars

I must have been poking around a little too much this am and by 1 pm only had ten miles in. After I had lunch I turned it up and busted out 14 miles to the next spring. Not too far from the spring I met Periwinkle, a guy of 55. I saw him at the spring but he hiked on like three miles a cross the valley from me.

Admiring the view

This sunset is wonderful just like the canyons I hike through, above and around today. Such a change from the last two days.  All I could have asked for is bigger shoes that fit properly. My right foot aches from being crammed in a shoes too small and my left arch aches today. Let’s hope a short day into Cuba allows me to rest my aching bones.

I mention above I was going to bath at night once to Colorado.  This almost never happened most nights.  I was too tired.  Water was more easily found though.

I didn’t think I was wasting that much time on this day but the few phone calls I made and drying my gear out at the water cache really added up.  My pace after lunch was high and it was tiring.  

Despite my tired state I really enjoy the last part of the day.  The hiking was very pretty and the landscape was quite different from what I had seen even though it was just more desert.

Back to Day 22, Forward to Day 24

Scatman