GET Day 36: Short Walk to NM Hwy 52

Daily Miles: 1.5, Total Miles: 509.9

Only a few miles to get to Hwy 52, a dirt road, known to be a difficult hitch to Winston. My plan was to hopefully get a ride to town before the PO closes at 11am (Saturday hours). I walked down to a ranch residence that had an old Cat D7G dozer across the highway that I could use for shade.

In five hours, only one pickup came in the right direction. The rancher and his wife shaking their heads in unison as they left me in a cloud of dust. A bit demoralizing.

The rancher across the highway came down their driveway with a horse trailer but turned in the opposite direction. But not before kindly giving me a bottle of cold water. Made a lot of progress on my book and befriended the local ranch dog who then wouldn’t leave my side. Finally with my shade all but gone, another pickup with a horse trailer came speeding down the road. The dog, who now works for me, ran out in the middle of the road, forcing the truck to stop. I think Trey would have stopped anyway. Trey and his daughter, Mollie, gave me a ride to Winston and even offered me lodging at a place they have aways out of town – nice people!

They dropped me off at the General Store. I found out the owner’s cabin was booked and a trailer park across the street didn’t have much shade or grass so I called a place in neighboring Chloride, an old ghost/mining town three miles away that had a cabin for rent. Not only available, but Don, the owner would come pick me up. I told him my feet hurt and that wasn’t a lie! The 1880’s cabin has been nicely restored plus a rich mining history.

Soon after I arrived, I met a young couple, Heather and Josh (in a town of 13 residents) that hiked the PCT and CDT the same years that I did. They graciously invited me to a very enjoyable evening of a scrumptious dinner and trail talk. What a great finish to a day that didn’t start well.

Oh, by the way, the PO was closed by the time I got to Winston so I’m here until Monday.