WalkingCarrot

The hike up lush, green Bonita Canyon was pleasant under clear morning skies, bur our minds were busy thinking of the getting to Grants for cheeseburgers. It’s “Going to Grants” day and food is what occupies the mind with each footfall.

Each step is one step closer to burgers, fries, salad, soda, beer and maybe ice cream. It’s not that we don’t eat on the trail, but granola, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit and pasta get a bit old after a few weeks.

At the head of Bonita Canyon the road skirts lava fields and turns down Zuni Canyon towards Grants. Zuni Canyon is narrower and lined with cliffs. The layers of sandstone on the cliffs remind me of the layers of a well built cheeseburger. Zuni Canyon also has a road with more traffic, and if I’m not mistaken, most of the passengers are sporting the kind of smiles that only contented, cheeseburger eating people smile.

Not much else to say about the road walk to town except that cheeseburgers await and afternoon rain clouds are forming, so we take few breaks and hot foot it into Grants.

Grants is a long, spread out town with most activity close to one or the other of I-40’s interchanges, which are four miles apart. The Post Office is at the “near” end while most motels, groceries etc are at the other end. The trail takes off north not far from the PO

We stop at the Post Office for our box.  As we arrive at the PO we are greeted warmly by a woman parked out front, as if she was expecting us. Michelle offers us a ride to the far end of town to check out lodging and we take her up on it. Full of info on Grants and past CDT hikers, Michelle is a wonderful “trail angel” whom we were lucky to meet.  Soon we are ensconced at the Motel 6, showering of layers of dirt and getting ready for burgers and beer.

18.0 Miles