Follow me on the CDT: WEEK 1

The SUV was leaving a cloud of dirt large enough to obscure the pick up that I knew was just behind us. Seven of us here in this car and 5 in the truck. All heading to the US/Mexico border. All ready to start the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). 

The southern terminus of the CDT is the embodiment of the trail. Off the beaten path, obscure, and requires route finding. The closest town is Lordsburg, NM, population 2,000. From there it is a 3 hour long shuttle ride across rutted, washboarded back roads. It seemed that each of us had taken a different route to get to Lordsburg. Some came via El Paso, some from Albuquerque, but we were only ones coming from Tuscon. Two days prior, myself and my hiking partners (Jedi and Jinx) flew into Tuscon and took a bus to Lordsburg. We were day 3 into travel as we rode the shuttle to the terminus. 

The three of us had hiked the PCT together the year prior. We knew each other's hiking styles and personalities. As the shuttle finally drew close to the barbed wire fence delineating US and Mexico, we were more anxious just to get moving than anything else. Everyone thrummed with pent of energy as we all piled out of the shuttle. There was a flurry of activity as folks did final checks on their packs and took photos with the terminus. We on the other hand cracked open our tall boy beers we had packed specifically for the border. Some other hikers chuckled at it or even commented they wish they had brought one, but I cannot help but wonder if most of them worried for us to get to the first water in 15 miles. 

We were at the end of the group to head out and officially start the CDT. How to describe the landscape...? Flat. Sandy. Hot. The tallest plant life I could see was maybe to my shin. After a few miles we descended slightly into an old river bed wash. I cannot imagine a world in which water flowed out here. The trail was simply following the wash northward. While not technical nor requiring any vertical gain, I found walking in the wash difficult. My feet would slip a couple inches in the rocky sand with each step and I could feel sand penetrating the tops of my shoes. 

By the time we reached the first water cache it was 4pm, I was already sunburnt. Luckily the trail (& trail angles) provides, and there was sunscreen at the cache. The water caches are one of two options for getting water in this section as there are no natural water sources between the border and Silver City. The second option is cow troughs.  

Since it was early we decided to keep going. This meant dry camping for the night somewhere before the next water cache. The official trail veered off at this point to meander along the sage brush at the base of the western hills. Our route, and the most popular one, was to walk the dirt road. Same scenery but without the scratches from shrubs. 

When 6pm rolled around I was tired. My feet sore as they adjusted to walking for such an extended time. The sun was still high in the sky which made camping unappealing. Standing in the sun felt better than laying in the sun. Fortuitously a truck came up behind us having dropped off hikers earlier than afternoon. He offered cold Gatorade, our first trail magic! He also pointed out a sizable wash area just off the road a little further ahead. That would be home for the night. 

The wash was the perfect height to provide enough shade for camp. The sandy bottom was a bonus. I spread out the brand new Tyvek (yes, the home building wrap.) Tyvek is light and waterproof and makes a fantastic ground cloth for a tent. In the desert it makes the perfect mat to cowboy camp aka no tent. 

I'd honestly forgotten what food I packed for the first resupply. It has been at least a week between packing up the apartment, moving, and traveling out here. I found my favorite backpacking meals waiting for me - Knorr Marinara pasta. Blessing my previous self I settled in for a top notch first dinner on trail. 

Watching nightfall was easily the most magical part of the day. The clear sky was free from any light pollution and I saw more stars than I've ever seen before. Sure I knew constellations existed but I'd never seen them clear enough to pick them out. 

I remember my first night and weeks on the Appalachian Trail as being restless. Not true here. My body was accustomed to my pad and quilt and gladly welcomed sleep. My night remained peaceful because when a snake slithered across the Tyvek in the middle of the night, Jedi had the decency to sweep it off and wait till morning to tell me.

The next 3 days became the same pattern. Wake up at 5, out of camp by 6am (okay 6:20), hike in pants and jackets until 9am, lather on sunscreen, search for shade at noon. Since the shuttle, we had seen very few hikers. The most we would see of folks was at the watering holes (cow troughs) or at the singular tree. On our second day we found our afternoon water source to be an oasis for both both cows and hikers. A cow pond surrounded by trees with a tank and spigot. Hikers spread out in the shade, already looking worse for wear. We were no different and I planned to take a nap under the tree protection. The tree we selected had an even bigger surprise of a resident bat also catching some zzz's and completely unperturbed by the humans around. Bats became a regular sighting for us from then on. At dusk you always count on seeing one zipping overhead. 

The heat did have its uses at times. Jedi and I had picked up bed bugs from one of the cheap motel stays prior to trail. Finding new bites in the morning, I exterminated my clothing and gear by leaving it in the baking afternoon sun while we ate lunch. Problem solved. 

On 4th trail day we broke tradition and woke up at 4am. Only one thing could can inspire me to hike in the dark… TOWN. We were heading into the town where it all began, Lordsburg. Suddenly the McDonalds that I passed over the night prior to trail was going to be a 5-course meal. We didn't plan to stay in Lordsburg. The trail literally runs the sidewalk through town so it is convenient to eat and resupply here. The McDonalds was every bit as a I imagined - Big Mac, chocolate shake, Diet Coke, fries, and two cheeseburgers to go! 

After hot food and resupply we spent a few hours waiting out the afternoon sun at the local library. A phenomal place and very hiker friendly. The librarians showed us where we can charge our phones, get water, and even offered us free books. I couldn't have asked for a better space! 

As afternoon wound down we hit the road again. Nothing too far, just a few miles back on trail. The road soon became the all too familiar dirt fields sprinkled with shrubs and cattle. It didn't take us long to find a cozy spot in a sandy wash. I ate my cheeseburgers and watched the bats flit overhead wishing us goodnight.