Tag: backpacking

CDT  Day 8: May 13, 2025

Start: 82.6

Stop: 83.7

Today’s Miles: 1.1

Total CDT miles: 83.7

The shuttle came at 9:50. We were wide awake way before that, so we ate breakfast, took pics with monument, listened to Freida a little more. Then, once the shuttle arrived with everyone about to start their journey, we took pics with them at the monument, too. There wasn’t much chit chat-I’ll blame it on their excitement to get started, and our excitement to get into a vehicle with air conditioning and no wind. 

Clint drove the shuttle and Danny, the guy over the CDTC I think (and the shuttle service in general) rode shot gun. They were both very nice and pretty funny. They mostly chatted the whole 2 hours to Hachita, with Pebbles and I chiming in every now and then. We didn’t care, take us to the EconoLodge and we’ll talk about whatever you want! Clint knew the 2 trucks that passed us on the poorly maintained dirt road.. he stopped to check in with them and talk bit. Small town vibes are my favorite, when everyone literally knows everyone! Apparently, the big border wall is coming here soon. That actually makes me pretty sad, but I guess there isn’t much separating the two countries at the moment. That rickety gate isn’t stopping anyone crossing in either direction. 

As we went, Clint stopped and he and Danny refilled the water caches along the way. We also stopped to talk to a couple of hikers we passed while on the road-Pebbles and I met them yesterday. The one guy is doing much better today. He looked like he was seconds from quitting yesterday. Then again, we did pass him during the hottest part of yesterday, and I probably looked like I was seconds from quitting, too! 

We got to Hachita, and while Clint and Danny refilled the empty water jugs, Pebbles and I went inside to use the community center bathroom. I also got a snack and drink from the store. We had another hour in the truck to get to downtown Lordsburg. They took us by their office to grab CDT hang tags for our packs. And then, finally, they took us  to the EconoLodge. What a beauty she was after all this time in the desert dirt! 

We told Danny and Clint our goodbyes and thanks for the water caches and the shuttle. It’s an incredible service they provide for hikers. Once we walked inside the motel, Dan was there. We chatted a bit and met Dairy Queen too; this is also her triple crown. She was so kind, and gave me the cord I need for my Garmin Inreach, since she had an extra! Hikers are the best people! (This whole time my Inreach has been dead to the world, because goofy me didn’t pack its charging cord! Whoops! I was planning to buy one today at the Family Dollar in town-now I don’t need to!!)

We checked in, put our stuff in our room and then went across the street to eat at Ramona’s. I had Enchiladas in red sauce and they were tasty. Nothing quite ever comes close to Nuevo Laredo back home, but these definitely hit the spot. Pebbles got the all you can eat salad bar and set to work getting his money’s worth. 

After we ate, we walked the 0.7 mile to the park Ashley dropped us off at a million years ago.  Veteran’s Park. We had to reconnect our footsteps. I did a 5k for this virtual fundraising thing I joined, but I had to walk it since I was in my crocs. I talked  to mom and to uncle keith while walking, all while realizing Lordsburg was in a severe wind storm alert. Good thing Pebbles and I got that motel room!! 

Pebbles was out of the shower when I got back, so I took my shower, then we organized a few things before we went to resupply at the Family Dollar right down the road. I only needed lunch food, and I don’t think Pebbles needed anything. He prepared much better than I did. We came back to the motel, after a pit stop at McDonalds-to go-and ate while watching Law and Order SVU. 

My WordPress app has decided it hates me, and is no longer working correctly. I’ve been sitting here trying to figure it out, while all of my things charge, but I keep getting frustrated. I’ve paid some bills, I’ve written this up-assuming I’ll get the dang thing to work-real awkward if I don’t and I’ve just been typing all of this stuff up to read back to myself! Anyway. I guess I gotta figure it out now-I’m only 8 days late on posting anything! Good night!

CDT Day 7: May 12, 2025

Start: 14.2

Stop: 0

Today’s Miles: 14.2

Total CDT miles: 82.6

We ended up leaving camp around 6:30 this morning, one of our earliest mornings yet-but today was supposed to get HOT. Getting as many miles in before it gets miserable is always a good idea. 

We made fast miles of the morning, and by the time the sun was fully blazing around 11am, we were on the hunt for some shade. We finally found a little gully with bushes on top that we ducked into, hoping for more shade than we got. 

We propped up our umbrellas, but the wind was relentless. I ended up holding mine over my legs while I ate. It didn’t go so well. And, for the record, while I’m complaining-I’m so sick of PB&Js. 

Anyway-while we sat in our slightly shaded alcove, we watched some of the day’s northbound hikers go by. They’d stop and chit chat for a second, and then carry on, their first day of hiking the CDT- excitement all over their faces. 

I packed up kind of quick, since my legs were still getting too much sun and remained on absolute fire. Pebble’s nice sunscreen had decided to no longer block these devil rays and I was trying my best to not make the rashy welts worse. 

Pebbles caught up to me at the last water cache (he stayed to stretch and whatnot once I started walking after lunch). He pointed out some trees off trail a little bit, so we went in hunt of their shade, in hopes of waiting out the heat of the day. We only had 2 more miles to the border, and our shuttle won’t come until tomorrow at 9:30am.. we had TONS of time to kill.

The trees had very low hanging branches. We started under one, then the sun shifted in the sky and we were roasting, so we moved to another.. when it happened again, I got fed up and told Pebbles I was going to the border and praying the pavilion we’ve heard about meant guaranteed shade. 

I made it there sometime just after 2pm. And thank God almighty, the little “pavilion” had some real shade! I snapped some pictures of the monument and the pavilion, pulled out my ground sheet and plopped down in the cool shade. The wind was only getting stronger as I laid out, feet bare, happy to be hidden from the sun. 

Pebbles showed up within 30 minutes or so. It wasn’t very long of the two of us hanging out in the shade that we realized how bored we were about to be for the next 18+ hours. Holy hell. Zero cell service. A small square of shade. No more water. The only entertainment for quite a while was waving at the very few trucks that passed by on the other side of the border!

Here at the Crazy Cook Monument and CDT “southernmost point,” the border between the USA and Mexico is a short, barbed wire fence, with a broken gate right at the monument. At one point, bored, I was able to step over easily into Mexico. I sort of love that this is how it is here, a fence but not one that felt unwelcoming to either side. The Mexican side of the border looked like a huge agricultural ranch-lots of greenery and water irrigation systems running. Hell, I considered running through one of their sprinklers because it’s so flippin hot over here.

The entire time we waited for the sun to set, not one car came down the USA side of the border. I walked up to where the road turns to see the stone marking “Crazy Cook,” and still- not a soul on our side-every single driver that went by on the Mexico side politely waved back to me when they passed, one tractor trailer even tooted his horn. 

The Crazy Cook stone said something along the lines of Crazy Cook killed a guy named Frank with an axe in cold blooded murder.. wild. I should have looked up more about this-but alas-no service.

We ate our dinner, in the blowing wind, and for some mild entertainment, Pebbles agreed to let me play my audiobook out loud. It’s Freida McFadden’s “The Crash,” and while the main characters of her books almost always make me want to yank out my hair-this one was doing its job of making the time pass. At least Pebbles was on the same page I was when we’d roll our eyes and do an, “oh my god, she can’t be serious.” 

We decided there would be no possible way to set our tents up in this crazy wind. So, we’re cowboy camping under the pavilion. If I get up to go pee, I’m have to put my pack on my sleeping pad so it doesn’t blow away. Bless it. Counting down the hours! One sleep, and then around 9:30am the shuttle will be here to drop off new hikers and to take us back to Lordsburg. I think we both want to stay at the EconoLodge tomorrow night, we’ll see if that changes between now and getting there. We have to pick up our food from there regardless. And since we’re there, a shower and laundry would be heavenly after this crazy wind has done nothing but blown dirt in my face. Ha.

Ok, sorry this one comes off like one long gripe. I bet my mood will change completely after a shower! Goodnight, y’all. 

CDT Day 6, May 11, 2025

Start: 25.3 

Stop: 14.2 

Today’s Miles: 11.1

Total CDT miles: 68.4

Yall. Today was rough for me. I slept ok, and we got on trail by 7am. All seemed well, just a short 11 miles to the next water cache to knock out, on a dirt road the majority of the way. Welp. That all sounds great when you have shade-but alas, we did not, for the most part. 

It wasn’t that windy as we walked, and it got hot, fast. I kept my umbrella up the majority of the day, but my legs still got roasted, even with Pebble’s good sun screen on. The welts popped up and I felt like I was on fire. It was pretty miserable. 

I spotted another snake, tan like the sand-which made him extra creepy. Since my power bank has been charged, I was able to snap his picture! Pebbles walked right by him, I guess he was pretty well camouflaged. That’s what worries me, how well they blend in to their surroundings.. maybe not scared of this guy, but the rattlesnakes blend in too, and that’s terrifying!

We did find an ok enough tree with some shade for lunch, but as we sat there eating, the sun started to take over right before our eyes. I had my jacket covering my legs, which then just turned into an inferno, causing me to sweat more. Talk about ways to make someone irritable. Not to mention, Pebble’s tendonitis started flaring, too. I know he’s worried about it taking him off trail, so he’s going to start wearing his compression sleeves to see if that will help. Aren’t we just doing great?

We decided to push on when we realized the shade was a lost hope, and ended up making it to the water cache by 3pm. We filled up some water and then parked ourselves in the shade of tree in the wash of an old river-on rocks. Not the most comfortable, seat wise, but that was the only shade to be found, so, sacrifices had to be made. My legs are AWFUL. Blaring red and welts all over. They burn and itch and I wish I could soak them in an oatmeal bath. Instead I’m sitting in a wash where water used to be and is no where to be seen. Not even a hint of a bath coming my way any time soon. 

After about an hour and a half, Russel walked up! He’s a section hiker completing all of New Mexico. He’s very knowledgeable about the area and grew up in NM, but moved to the east coast as an adult. We chatted him up, talked about the sections coming up, and threw in some running chit chat, too. I was quite happy to have him and Pebbles talking so I could chime in every now and then, while sitting in my discomfort.. he was a welcomed distraction. 

Not long after Russel got there, another hiker showed up. He didn’t stay very long, maybe 30 minutes. He chatted, got water, ate a snack, and carried on. Then, a couple from Australia showed up. They are goals. They appear to be in their 60s and super fit, and they were fun to chat with too. They stayed for dinner (we all ate together, hiding in the shade of the tree), and then they carried on hiking.  

Russel, Pebbles, and I set up our tents, and I excused myself by 6:30. My legs BURN. I’ve taken some Benadryl and I’m praying it knocks me out. Comatose, please. There isn’t any wind blowing and the heat is stifling. Ugh. Hoping tomorrow is better. We get to the border tomorrow!