CDT: heartbreak and relief, good bye Colorado
Day 93 – the final state: New Mexico
Usually, I’m patient. I don’t get upset when no car stops. Not today though. Today I’m cold, I wanna get my chores done and head to the state border. Bye bye, Colorado. I love you, but my body is worn and tired, I want the sun on my face and some flat ground under my soles. It’s time for the last state of my CDT sobo thru hike: New Mexico.
And especially today, no one wants to take me down to Chama. I hear a car approaching from behind, but I don’t even turn around to wave. Until I hear gravel under tires, the car pulled over. The driver is male, in his 30ies, wearing sunglasses, asking “Are you okay?” “I’m just trying to hitch a ride to Chama”
I hesitate. I am not sure about him.
“I can give you a ride to Chama”, he says.
But I was desperate and ignore my doubts. I climb into the massive black truck.
“Russel” – “Maja”. We shake hands.
“Your hands are cold! Don’t you have gloves?” I laugh: “No”
He cranks up the heating so I can warm my hands and I relax a little. We pass the time with small talk about hunting before he drops me at the first grocery store we pass. Peanut butter, tortillas, candy bars, salmon, ice cream. Today, I am not picky.
For some god damn reason all restaurants and cafes in Chama are closed or on the other side of town. Nowhere to charge my phone except a dingy dive bar.
“This place ain’t it.” I tell myself. With my resupply shoved into the pack and a wave to the cashier, I was out the door and hitching a ride back to the trailhead. Bill slows down next to me and offers to bring me back to trail. What a gem! In the end I spent less than 30 minutes in Chama.
Winning
Dust rose behind the car as it sped away, leaving me once again with my worn out running shoes on the dirt and the horizon stretching wide. In the end I had spent less than 30 minutes in town. Is this a record?
The state border is only a few miles from Cumbres Pass. And then, at last, I saw it: the New Mexico state line. The sign leaned slightly to one side, weathered and faded, as if it had been waiting just for me. Some barbwire and license plates, that’s all.
I feel… relieved.
Despite the last two days, which were the hardest, I’ve won. I’ve won the race against the snow in the San Juans. From here on, I can take it easy. I probably won’t, but I can.
A piece of my heart
The forest opens up like a house waiting to welcome me home. Every step feels soft on a carpet of pine needles. The aspens shimmered gold in the afternoon light. Everything felt softer here, like the landscape was offering an embrace after the ruggedness of what had come before.
I walked a little further, savoring it, and found the perfect spot to camp: sheltered and quiet, surrounded by pine trees. I sat down my pack and stretched my back. I was in New Mexico. The trail continued south, but for now, this was enough.
Colorado is a special place, full of likeminded people, people I wish to be friends with, in another life maybe. No doubt, their stories inspired me. And although I’ve walked across the whole state, north to south, I want to come back. I feel like there is so much more to be explore.
Maybe I left a little piece of my heart somewhere up there, above tree line, where the wind is sharp and cold.
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Comments 2
People can say about New Mexico what they want, but it’s a gem. The flat land await you!
I’d still pick Colorado! 😉