May 21 Start: Del Prado Motel, Cuba NM Stop: Frontier Motel, Cuba NM 1 mile Total miles: 483 The best nero ever. Probably because the best things can never be planned. The morning is all business. Do the laundry, go to library for Wi-Fi, upload journals and pictures, do food shopping, find postcard, call parents, … More Day 27: Up Town

May 20 Start: near cerros colorados Stop: Cuba, NM 21 miles Total miles: 482 It’s town day which means no sleeping in. We’re both up and on trail before 6 am. It already seems hot but I push the 9.5 miles to a spring without a break. I find Beads, M80, Trooper, and their dog … More Day 26: Mesa Climb aka Getting Vertical

May 19 Start: near canada de las lomitas Stop: near cerros colorados 24 miles Total miles: 460 The lighting and thunder play all night and I am slow to rustle to life. It’s a 7 am start as I make my way to “the cliff,” as I’ve been calling it. I arrive at the edge … More Day 25: Después De La Mesa

May 18 Start: near spud patch canyon Stop: near canada de las lomitas 30 miles Total miles: 437 It’s hovering around freezing as we slowly emerge from our homes. We descend off of Mt. Taylor and hit a dirt road. 7 miles to a break. 7 miles to a murky pool of water in lava … More Day 24: Mach 7 Mist

May 17 Start: Grants Stop: Near Spud Patch Canyon 30 miles Total miles: 407 Beads and I manage to get out of the motel by 6:30 am. On our way out of town an old man asks us where he can get a drink. Now mind you, it’s 7 am on a Sunday. We crush … More Day 23: Mt. Taylor Flank

Start: Grants Stop: Grants 0 miles Total miles: 377 If three zeros in three weeks is unprecedented then two zeros in a row will make headlines. The day starts with cold rain plus Beads is not feeling well. It’s snowing up in the mountains where we are headed over 8000 ft. Checkout time comes and … More Day 22: Scab Snack

Start: Grants Southwest Motel Stop: Grants Sands Motel 0 miles Total miles: 377 Three zeros in three weeks is unprecedented. But once I tell Beads about the snow up north we decide that slowing down a tad and taking a day here in Grants is just what the trail gods ordered. At 9:10am the room … More Day 21: Elvis Room

Start: Acoma-Zuni Trailhead Stop: Grants 21 miles Total miles: 377 It’s a 5:20 am wake up for the 6 am road walk. It’s not very long before I put the tunes in. We crush the first 8.5 miles by 9am. Luckily, the skies are covered with clouds and the temps are cool. 15 miles and … More Day 20: Walk The Line

May 13 Start: Armijo trailhead Stop: Acoma-Zuni trailhead 24 miles Total miles: 356 “Is there a Jennifer Claire Smart here?”, Shane asks as he walks up. It’s weird to hear my real name but this is how one gets their wallet back. I admit it, I’m Jennifer Claire Smart. Shane tells me that my wallet … More Day 19: The Narrows

May 12 Start: Pie Town Stop: Armijo Canyon trailhead 29 Miles Total miles: 332 We roll out about 7:30 am and hit the road. Pavement soon turns to dirt. I see my first pronghorn antelope. Beads tells stories from Saint Kits which helps the morning hours pass. Just after 1 pm and at nearly the … More Day 18: The Long Road