May 25, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 22.7 / 466.9 I was up, packed, and checking out by 6:30 this morning. It was a 6.5 mile roadwalk out of town. The trail went by a state prison and the “do not pick up hitchhikers” signs probably don’t make it easy for hikers to get a ride into town. I ate breakfast at […]

May 24, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 0.0 / 444.2 I took a zero day in Grants , NM today. I went to the 66 Junkyard Brewery wi some other hikers last night and drank a few too many beers. I crashed as soon as I got back to the motel and ended up sleeping until 7:00 am (late compared to normal […]

May 23, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 5.0 / 444.2 My campsite at the top of a bluff provided a great view up Zuni Canyon as the daylight emerged. By the time I had packed up the sun was rising above the horizon and the early morning warmth felt good. I walked back down to the road and began the 5 mile […]

May 22, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 24.9 / 439.2 It started raining last night shortly after I dozed off. I closed up my tent to keep the rain out. I didn’t want to get up this morning. I woke up and saw it was getting light, but just laid back down for a few more minutes. When I did get up […]

May 21, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 25.5 / 414.3 The skies looked clear this morning and I was up early to get on the trail. My spot last night amongst the pine trees was perfect and as I started down the trail I realized I had made a good decision to stop when I did. The ground was covered with rocks […]

May 20, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 24.6 / 388.8 It continued to rain on and off throughout the night. When morning came there were no more dark clouds in the sky. Maybe it will be a rain-free day. The trail continued down the gravel road for another 5 miles before turning into a paved road for another 2 1/2 miles. It […]

May 19, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 26.2 / 364.2 I was up and around fairly early this morning, but got hung up in the chatter at the hostel before leaving. Dana ( the toaster house caretaker) took my obligatory picture under the toaster arch and I started down the trail. The trail out of Pie Town is a 33 mile roadwalk. […]

May 18, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 13.8 / 338 I slept in this morning and when I awoke everything was wet from condensation. I went yo the kitchen and cooked me some scrambled eggs hoping things would dry out a little. No such luck. Being between two mountains the sun wouldn’t reach my tent until after 9:00. I packed my gear […]

May 17, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 21.1 / 324.2 From where I camped the trail continued on a dirt road. This is the first dirt road I’ve walked in New Mexico that was actually muddy. The road was rutted in places and had some puddles that I had to walk around. About 5 miles in I came across a water cache […]

May 16, 2023Miles Today/ Total: 21.4 / 303.1 I stopped before a big climb last night because I didn’t want to carry the extra 2 liters (4.4 lbs) of water up the mountain. Now I get to face a 1,000’ climb first thing this morning. The climb really wasn’t that bad. It was a gradual climb and I took my […]