Start: South Uhl creek channel
Stop: Lordsburg
20ish miles plus 3 roundtrip backtrack
Total miles: 85ish
The morning is cruiser. Things are groovin’ until I realize that my brand new garmin GPS is not in my hip belt pocket. But I know I had it not far back because it fell out at a gate crossing. Let’s just get this out of the way. I’m a rookie GPS user and do dumb things like leave it loose in my hip belt pocket. So I drop my pack and head back. I pass Lumber but he didn’t see it. I end up having to go all the way back to the gate and there it is. Although it is in plain sight, it’s the color of a rock. Garmin, please make your gear in non-rock colors!
As I make the return trip to my pack, about 1.5 miles, I start to imagine that the cows have trampled it. I picture gear squashed flat with shit all over it. So imagine my relief when I find my pack intact and patiently waiting for me. The whole backtrack took me an hour. If I’m really clever I can just imagine that it didn’t happen.
I push on knowing that I should take a break but I do want to stop. I struggle through a missouri gate into a field filled with volcanic rock. I stumble to the first CDT sign that I see and take a standing break. The wind is really ripping. I chug water and gorp and then slowly make my way out of the volcanic rock mine field. I spend the afternoon making my way up and around pyramid peak on an old jeep road. I put some tunes in the ears and cruise. I don’t know it but my face is being baked from the sun’s reflection off the road.
I roll right past water cache 5 because I notice a car out on the road. Looks suspiciously like trail magic. I find Apple, Beads and local rancher Ed. Next to stop by is border patrol and we chat it up. This is quite the local scene. Apple offers me gatorade, chips and fixes me two hot dogs. Boy, that hit the spot! Next to roll in is Gretchen who offers to take our packs so we can slack pack into town. Two Weeks and Three Days trucks in just before we leave on our road walk. Beads and I walk the road for an hour and a half before Apple comes along and give us a ride the last mile into Lordsburg. After a shower, Apple drives us to the best Mexican restaurant in town and damn yes it’s good. Thank you angel Apple!
And a link to Bead’s Blog
Journey Return 
Ha holy shit lol so glad you found the GPS WOW AMAZING IT WAS BY THE GATE…. Hmm think that was your Uncle Pat …. Really do check you out niece… 😅 girl you r jam in …. Hope it was a great day … B safe b well Aunt Mary
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Hi Aunt Mare! Yes, getting your comments. Thanks for all the support!
That must be so mentally hard to back track! Way to go. Thanks again for sharing! So inspirational. : )
Sweet Jennifer,
The backtrack to (miraculously) find your GPS is quite a story. I often think about folks who will complain about having to park so far out in a parking lot. Yeh, right. hugs and angel hugs. You’re pretty darn amazing. MOM
Sounds like an adventure so far!! I’m sure all the rain, wind and set backs were erased by the hotdogs and Gatorade!!!
As the adventure continues,
Giddy-up
You know it!
you are welcome Lion Heart. I kept working on the stone trail marker today to prevent future hikers from missing the gate right before cache 5. I have named it the Lion Heart stone trail marker and I wonder if it will still be there in 100’s of years! You guys were a hoot and I hope to see ya’s again. APPLE