Cuba

• Day:  28 & 29
• Start:  633
• End:  643
• Miles:  10
• Hours:  3.5
• High temp:  65
• Low temp:  37
• People met:  too many to count

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My last great views

The soft whine of big rigs moving on the highway remind me that resupply is but 10 miles away. After all that rain yesterday there is really no safe place to camp to avoid moisture. My tent fly is soaked inside and out, really so much water I have to ring it before stuffing. Residual water from the fly is now on the tent and ground cloth. If I was hiking today I would just lay everything out on the rocks here to dry. Fortunately, town is 10 miles away and I will dry my gear there. 

So I pack and start to hike, saying goodby to this incredible country. 

This mornings trail

Very little mud the morning  most of the trail is sand and then becomes dry. I can see the marks of others that have struggled in the mud, but today the trail is dry. 

Morning sun just cresting

Wash showing signs of recent water

The trail becomes a dirt road crossing a brushy valley. After 5 miles I connect with the state highway. Now I have hard pavement to Cuba. 

My first stop is the Cuban Cafe for some breakfast. A quick cleanup and a look in the mirror reminds me I could use a beard trim. 

Anyway breakfast is great complemented by a big milk and water I don't have to filter. 

Better than rocks for drying

Everything is out for airing and drying

My left trekking pole had the strap come loose, giving me fits for 200 miles. I figure they wat to fix it is by driving our a pin in the grip. This pin should release the strap allowing me to reinstall it properly. How to do it?  I find a pack of small nails at the store and the motel manager has a hammer. 10 minutes later it's fixed. 

The little shiny pin on the top was the key

So many hikers here in Cuba. I felt so alone on the trail, yet there were people all around me. We always kept about the same distance apart until town. The hotel is full yet only 2 cars in the parking lot. 

It's old but just what hikers need

Scout and Frodo are here with their son as well as Old School, Tiger Lilly, Iceman, and Hojo. We all met for dinner at El Bruno's, an excellent southwest food restaurant. The hiker community tonight was heartwarming and enjoyable. So thankful for Scout's insistence that everyone have dinner together, it truly deepens the tenuous bond we have at first into a positive lasting friendship. 

Left Tiger Lilly, One ld School, Shawn, Hojo, Iceman. Frodo and Scout. 

A 3000' climb is required leaving Cuba. The mountain is wet with all the rain, muddy trails, soggy meadows, and higher creeks. The forecast for the 27th is finally, no rain. I'm going to stay one more day in Cuba resting my feet and giving the trails a chance to dry.    This time gives me a opportunity to research the conditions ahead and develop a plan for continuing the trail. Currently the huge spring snow accumulations in the Colorado Rockies has made the trail impassable. The current main topic of discussion is where to continue the hike, The Great Basin or Canada, saving the Rockies for a later date.  So I'm researching the conditions to see what makes sense as doable.  I am frustrated as I want to hike from Mexico to Canada straight, now it seems I'll have to yoyo. When we yoyo it means complete the trail in one season, but we worked different sections, an example is, do New Mexico then the Great Basin then the Rockies then Glacier.  More on my plan later