Journal June 7th Two Routes Diverged
Ankle busting rocks dominated the 2 miles we had left to go to the next water cache, slow going. The route also crossed two barbed wire fences with no gates; because they were four strand and somewhat tight, we walked along until we found space to do the belly crawl underneath.
After a breakfast break at the water cache we crossed the highway, which had no cars come or go for the almost hour we were there. This land is deolate and deserted – in fact in the entire “bootheel” of New Mexico there are no towns, no permanent settlements other than the occasional ranch house, and many of those have been absorbed into larger ranching operations serving as little more than large junkyards.
In about a mile the route marker signs seemed to vanish. We walked along in the direction of the Jonathan Ley map, but saw no markers after another mile, so got out the 3 foot by 4 foot, big scale BLM map and determined that the BLM and JL routes diverged for the next 20 miles, pretty dramatically choosing different sides of small range of mountains. We choose the BLM route, partly because if we could find the markers it would be easier to follow. And if the markers disappeared then we could use distant Pyramid peak as our navigational guide.
Flat, barren landscape, with Horny Toads and not much else during the afternoon. In the middle of a sea of desert grass and creosote we found a large juniper tree for a midday shade break. How it got here, it’s nearest relatives at least several miles away, we’ll never know but we are grateful it found this spot to put down roots. In its spreading branches are three large nests of twigs, one at least with nestlings.
All day water wanted to escape, from the leak in the plastic jug which resisted repair with duct tape, to the bite valve pulling off the platypus drinking tube. Not much water was lost, but then water is so precious when it’s 20 miles between sources, hot, dry and desolate.
We made it to the canyon at the base of Pyramid peak in time to watch a rising full, orange moon.
16 miles
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