Into the Silver City

The walk out of Lordsburg was full of sunshine and flat miles.  I did not mind the easy walking; however, we left town at 2 p.m. during the heat of the day and the clouds were nonexistent.  Every hour I found myself looking for shade and would end up hiding behind a young yucca elata that was barely big enough to hide my whole body.

In a wash a little farther down we found a large tree where we enjoyed our dinner in the shade.  With bellies full of cold-soaked ramen and potatoes we continued on during the golden hour to get a couple more miles in before night took over the sky.

Don’t forget to drink your greens. And don’t forget to filter your water.

After gaining a bit of elevation and rolling over some hills, we made it to the mountains.  We climbed Burro Peak, which provided us views of the surrounding area.  I had never spent much time in the desert as I am unfamiliar with it and would much rather be in the mountains.  Regardless, it’s always good to get outside your comfort zone and get acquainted with all types of environments.  So far I am digging the desert; the lack of water, the warmth, the vegetation, and the fact that beautiful flowers can bloom and wild animals can survive in such harsh conditions.

Today we hiked on trail for a couple of miles before walking the next 6.5 miles on dirt roads and then 12.5 miles next to I-90 to get to Silver City.  The heat from the road emanated under our feet, and after a couple of hours my feet were numb.  Luckily, we had a gaggle of five hikers trudging down the road together, making jokes and keeping conversation to pass the miles.

Our gaggle of hikers strolling down the interstate.

I type this as I sit under a tree with my feet up at the Silver City RV Park.  Just had my first shower of the trail and am looking forward to a real meal with a few beers on the side.  Next, we head into the Gila National Forest where we walk along the Gila River, a section of trail I have been looking forward to for a while.  Peace and love!

By the Numbers

Lordsburg ———> Silver City
Miles: 59.2
Nights: two
Antelope seen: one
Poops taken: three
Water drank: 13 liters
Tortillas eaten: nine

“Kiss the joy as it flies.” – William Blake