CDT – Day 39 – A&M Reservoir to Fish Pond

6/2/15, Day 39

A&M Reservoir 1352.2 to Fish Pond 1383.1, 7062′

Tent – Nights Spent Alone: 7

30.9, 726.5 Trip Miles

Mostly Sunny – Breezy

Day’s of Snow: 7 – Day’s of Rain: 12

# of Zero days: 5

7:08 am to 8? pm

Gila Crossings Final Total:  221

Critter Count

72 Wild Horses

37 Pronghorn

10 Horny Toads

10 Cotton Tails

5 Deer

2 Elk

1 chipmunk

1 Moles

Totals

392 Pronghorn*

119 Lizards

116 Wild Horses

56 Elk

36 Deer**

34 Cotton Tail Rabbits

33 Chipmunks

22 Horny Roads

20 Squirrels

12 Ground Squirrels

10 Jack Rabbit***

6 Snakes

4 Moles

3 Coyotes

2 Toads

1 Mouse

1 Skunk

1 Rattle Snake

1 Marmot****

*174 from car, **3 from car, ***1 from car, ****1 from car

Yet another long ass day. The sun was tough today. Lucky for me I was able to use my umbrella until mid afternoon.  After that the wind was too strong.

The day started with this dead straight stretch

Pronghorn Antler

I woke up tired as my sleeping spot wasn’t that soft and I’d wake up with sore hips. I think tonight will be the same. The ground is pretty rocky.

The first nine or so miles few by then after that the sun gets going and it becomes miserable. My eyes get so tired from the brightness. By the end of the day I have a headache from squinting and the glare. Today the soil was quite white in color which made it even tougher on the eyes.

These beauties were only two inches tall but carpeted some hill sides.

One of the many bird nets we found today.

We had multiple stretches of trail, and I mean dirt double track by trail that were over 5 miles long in a straight line. You ever walk in a straight line for five miles, watch how the end never seems to get any closer. It’s like walking on a treadmill watching paint dry on the wall in front of you and the tea pot is heating next to you.

Indian Paint Brush just popping.

Tomorrow we get into Rawlins. I need a shower and to do some laundry. I stink big time. I did take whore’s baths the last two night so sleeping was good.

Another late one. I’m out…

Like most of the Great Basin I wished I was at least on a bicycle if not a motorcycle.  The mileage would have flown by.  The coolest thing was the Pronghorn antler I found.  Like the cow skull I probably should have kept it.  

I did find some color in the form of Indian Paint Brush and two other flowers.  That is where the joy stopped.  It was proceeded by a 5 mile dead straight road walk.  We got so bored with got off it to follow the proper trail but it wasn’t much better.  We did get into some hills and an area with some color to the soil.  I almost forgot we found quite a few birds next today. 

Back to Day 38, Forward to Day 40

Scatman

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