R&R on the CDT

June 19, 2025Albuquerque Today was our last full day in Albuquerque.  We spent the morning travelling by buses to a thrift shop (to get a cheap duffle bag for items that need to be checked in, like hiking poles, umbrellas, stove, tent pegs) and to REI, to get a bear…

June 18, 2025Albuquerque Our day started with a lovely breakfast at the cafe less than a block away. Ros particularly enjoyed her egg on roasted sweet potato and mushroom with cauliflower rice. Then most of the morning was spent booking flights from Albuquerque to Tri Cities, Tennessee for the 20th,…

June 17, 2025Espanola to Albuquerque Well, today was another busy day involving lots of bus travel and more difficulty navigating the medical system. First thing this morning, we walked to the bus transit centre, then took a bus back to the hospital. We arrived in time to get breakfast in…

June 16, 2025Chama to EspanolaHiked today: 0.0 miles / 0 km Well, the day started well with a delicious breakfast at a cafe a mile and a half down the road. While there, we were able to make an appointment with a doctor at a clinic attached to a hospital…

June 15, 2025‘Red line’ mile marker 770.6 to 780.0Hiked today: 9.4 miles / 15.1 kmHiked so far: approx 25% of CDT Our camping spot proved to be both well sheltered and quiet until the coyotes sang in the middle of the night. In the morning we hiked on through some…

June 12, 2025‘Red line’ mile marker 707.5 to 727.8Hiked today: 20.3 miles / 32.7 km The main feature of this morning’s trail was mud. Despite the path being mostly flat or downhill, we made slow progress, and both felt very fatigued. Due to recent rains and the snow melt, the…

June 11, 2025‘Red line’ mile marker 707.5Hiked today: 19.5 miles / 31.4 km Having paid for breakfast with our accommodation, we felt that we couldn’t leave without partaking of it. Instead of being on the trail before 6, we didn’t get going until 8.20. Breakfast included cold cereal, scrambled eggs…

June 14, 2025‘Red line’ mile marker 749.0 to 770.6Hiked today: 21.6 miles / 34.8 km Today was another perfect hiking weather day. The trail was much more interesting as it took us through forests, beside a lake, across meadows and around a steep mountainside. We saw elk in the forest…

June 13, 2025‘Red line’ mile marker 727.8 to 749.0Hiked today: 21.2 miles / 34.1 km We had a better day hiking today. The weather remained fine and sunny but not too hot, and the track was mostly dry. The few small streams were easily jumped across, so we have dry…

June 10, 2025‘Ghost Ranch Alternate’ mile 11.1Hiked today: 11 miles / 17.9 km Well, we started along the Rio Chama with some great early morning views, and spent 4 1/2 hours road walking to our next ‘town’ night, which is at Ghost Ranch. This location  has apparently been used in…