From Crazy Cook Monument to Lordsburg

"Hi Everybody!  (Hi Dr. Nick!)"

Greetings from Lordsburg, NM.  This place has the best Econo Lodge on earth.  Breakfast, laundry, hiker boxes, spotless rooms, this computer and great rates!

Here's a quick summary of things so far:

4/24 Day one:  We were shuttled to the southern terminus by the CDTC on a nasty road and began hiking before noon.  It was already warm but not hot.  I met some really cool hikers and we did ~19 mi. to camp with a stop by a water cache a few miles earlier.

2:  Hiked to the next cache, loaded up and over-exerted myself.  Vomited some water and had to rest.  Camped earlier than planned, but rest helped.

3:  Not sure about mileage through here, but I felt better and did ~22 which started calmly.  I met a couple of border patrol agents who of course asked if I'd "seen anything unusual".  Nope, no illegals, no bundles of crappy Mexican drugs.  They also warned me of a front coming...which it did!  Holy sh*t.  The sky darkened and threatened rain.  This was some of the nastiest wind and the first dust storm/sandstorm I've ever hiked in.  Like being in a windtunnel that has bags of sand & dust dumped into it.  I stopped at another cache to eat and decided to camp.  The next morning everything inside my tent was covered in a fine red dust!

4:  I awoke with the sun to a cloudless day and set out in a lighter wind, but it was still a headwind.  argh.  As the day wore on, I felt better and the wind became a breeze.  This stretch is mostly cross-country, which is another way of saying pick your own way over a field of rocks.  There are signs to mark it, but this stuff ain't easy.  I got water from a solar still for cows but then hit the last cache sooner than I'd expected, which led me to just say f**k it, I'm going to town for a shower.  Turns out I crushed ~28!  So today will be shorter.  I expect to reach Silver City (~56) in 3 days.  Gotta give body time to break in, no sense in pushing too hard.
That's it so far.  Pics coming soon!

T-Bone

It begins Thursday

Well now I'm ready and packed, tomorrow's the day.  Getting a shuttle from the Econo lodge  at 7am and hope to begin hiking before noon.  Pack is a bit heavy(of course) but I'm pumped!

Cheers
T-Bone

Leaving Ashe-Vegas Tomorrow!

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.

I've yearned to hike the CDT for some time now and decided that since I'm alive and can walk, I should take a crack at the big dog of the Triple Crown.  As with the PCT in 2010 my preparations are a bit rushed, but my previous experience really helps with the logistical aspects of long-distance hiking.

That said, I'm a bit nervous for this one.  The CDT is toughest in several ways including remoteness, weather, planning, distance, navigation, water, etc. so I expect to take it a bit more seriously than the AT or PCT.

My start date is this Thursday, April 24th, and I intend to hike as far as I can.  I've set up several town stops/maildrops thru New Mexico, but that's it.  One can only plan so much of an extended journey.

If you'd like to send me a goodie box or care package, my first maildrop pickup will be in Pie Town!

J. Scott Thomas
c/o General Delivery
Pie Town, NM 87827
"Please hold for CDT hiker"

My estimated arrival is May 8.

I intend to post updates and photos as frequently as possible and hope you enjoy!

T-Bone
AT 1997
PCT 2010