Trip Report July 8th – Cuba NM – Chasing Rainbows of All Kinds
The 120 miles from Grants to Cuba has been the nicest section of the CDT in New Mexico, other than the Gila, that we’ve hiked so far. Canyons, mesas, mountains, arroyos and finally more trail than roads! Stunning beauty, scenery featuring the banded rock formations which back up New Mexico’s claim to be the Land of Enchantment.
Mt Taylor was the high point, literally, at 11,301 feet. We arrived at the summit only after a long climb out of Grants up into and through the clouds which have been hovering above us for several weeks. On top, we actually had to wear our fleece jackets!
North and east of MT Taylor we dropped into a series of remote mesas. As we rolled along north, afternoon storms also continued to roll across the mesas, offering skies as dramatic as the landscape itself.
Tall cumulus clouds, bright white bulbous tops standing in stark contrast to the dark bottoms below, swirling and growing, dropping rain in sheets, shooting off bolts and sheets of lightning and spreading rainbows across the land. We would sometimes wait for them to pass, or hurry up to get ahead of their path; everyday chasing growing storms and emerging rainbows
Ironically, for all the “monsoon” weather the landscape was very dry. When we’d get to one of the few water sources we tank up and then stock up with 2 gallons each, the availability and quality of water ahead always being uncertain.
Approaching Cuba, the mesas become larger and more dramatic and the trail turns into walks along the base or the rim offering stunning views. We can see mountains ahead and know our route will soon return us to the high country.
In Cuba, we watch a parade of people who are passing through town as this summer’s gathering of the “Rainbow Family of Living Light” (which was held about an hour away up in the San Pedro Mountains) winds down. The gathering is a great counter-culture event, held in various places around the country every July and bringing in 10,000 to 15,000 people living alternative lifestyles. You will either already be in the know about the “Rainbow Gathering”, or you will need to “Google” it to find out more. We watch the tie-dye, camouflage-grunge and Rastafarian parade pass through Cuba. These aren’t your “father’s hippies” (well, SOME of them are); no, most of these members of the tribe did not come of age during the social revolution of the 60’s. Most were born during the Reagan years and sport cell phones, day packs, aluminum drinking bottles and rendezvous their SUVs at McDonald’s. Not a VW camper in site. The town’s businesses welcome them and the town cop thanks them for coming rather than running them out of town….the times they are a changing. With all the competition, we are only glad that we walked in and out of Cuba rather than needing to hitch a ride.
500 miles, 5 weeks, only 2 days behind original schedule
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