Open Meadows

• Day:  32
• Start:  12 + 714
• End:  25 + 717
• Miles:  16
• Hours:  9
• High temp:  77
• Low temp:  45
• People met:  0

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Morning walk out of Ghost Ranch

Maps spread all over the table. Scout, Grim, Old School, Teresa (CDT Coalition) and I are figuring our last leg of New Mexico.  Snow is blocking the last 10 miles or so, but we pool our resources and make a reasonable plan. About 20 hikers all enjoyed a "all you can eat" breakfast in the dining hall.  This hiker community is just great, full of positive, likable people. 

So the way out is up pretty much all day, there are some flat spots. I hike to the top of a couple of mesas for a nice view. 

Looking south

I use my umbrella again as the sun is intense. I'm ringing wet by the time I've reached the top. There are healthy cacti in this section, so many I have to be extra careful to avoid the stickers. 

The trail goes through a holding pen for cows. Nothing unusual as I've passed many such pens. Today there are many bulls postering amoung themselves. They are kicking up dust and making a noisy racket. They are big animals, making me think of cartoons where the mad bull kicks up dust and has steam coming from his nostrils, then he charges like a locomotive. I'll just go around this mess, fences everywhere I can't. So I walk right down the road, I am eyed closely, but they all seem to move away from me, even the big black guy who is the most fearce looking. I step across the cattle guard and give a sigh of relief, then make a hasty hike out if there as one bull is in my side of the fence. 

I continue to climb and the world opens up to lush green meadows and aspens. 

The grass is filled with the happy color of dandelions. Everywhere I look there are wild iris popping up getting ready to bloom, literally thousands. I notice only about 3 that  have decided to bloom. What a brilliant purple show is coming in the next week or so. 

Happily I spot my water source, a full flowing spring. Cold and sweet very good water. 

One last open meadow to cross before I stop for the night.  I've got to get to a place that has trees, pine needles and a breeze to keep me dry tonight. This meadow is beautiful, but I can feel the moisture coming out of the ground already, my tent would be soaked in the morning.  

So here is the view from my bedroom window.