CDT34
28th May Sunday

Cold, it was cold last night.  We ate the last of our food and drank the last of the coffee. Last night it was overcast but not enough for it to rain.  This morning the tent had frost and as the sun hit the tent I started to get drops falling on my sleeping bag. With no coffee this morning I just had fruit tea in a tea bag which was pleasant enough with my Rolled Oates.

6 hours of getting off trail and hard snow

We lost our trail many times as the trail snaked along the mountain side and if there was no snow on the ground, it would have be present enough walk.  But with large patches of snow cover, most of the markers which were above eye height when installed during no snow season where now beneath or if we were lucky, at knee height.  We started our walking towards the Colorado border that is only 8 miles away but the going was really rough, already within the first two hours my legs felt like jelly with so much struggle with the snow.  There’s soft and hard snow, during the night the snow would freeze  and become hard as rock which made progress challenging  and at times dangerous.  If we had crampons for our shoes this would make a big difference, but they are waiting for us in Chama at the post office. From the border, the plan is to make our way to the highway and hopefully hitch into Chama where we have our resupply  box waiting for us.

On the way to Chama for a couple of days rest

We finally made it to the border, how disappointing, no sign saying anything about the two states except a sigh saying that we were leave one forest and entering another.  But on the ridge edge over looking Colorado it was a magnificent view of the valley below with the sound of the old steam train whistle I could hear from a distance which we plan to ride on to return to the trail in three days time.

We got a lift into Chama crossing back into New Mexico, it took a while, as we started the 15 mile walk along the highway.  A keen fisherman stopped and picked us up, he had battery  problems with his car so he cut short his break. Along with all his fishing gear he had a 10mm handgun sitting beside him between the two front seats (I think that’s what he preferred  it as), in the past he had two close calls with bears but was lucky he just backed away and walked wide around them.

Sights you see along the way, mushroom

Chama we made it, we had first agreed to camp at the camping grounds for the first night but Ken changed his mind all of a sudden and instead we booked ourselves into a hotel for three nights. What luxury, shower for the first time in 9 days, the lady offered to wash our clothes for five dollars, but Ken was happy to pay ten and some decent  food for dinner.

Mexican food,