64: Burro Mountains
I’m very much savoring these last few days.
I lingered around Silver City this morning, going from shop to shop, and barely making it out of town by noon. Silver City is, without a doubt, one of the most charming towns along the CDT.
After a few quick highway miles and a few slow miles up a sand wash, by 2 PM or so I was back on CDT single track. The trail through this section has been rather slow but extremely pleasant. It is well constructed and on the whole very rideable, with periodic vistas and views.
In part because of the heat of the day and in part due to simply enjoying the aesthetic quality of pedaling decomposing granite single track through Piñon and Juniper forest, by riding this afternoon and evening was leisurely and very well enjoyed. The last cumulative 45 miles or so of singletrack has really been quite delightful.
The trail has been remarkably quiet. I’m weeks ahead of even the vanguard of southbound hikers at this point. On road segments I’ve seen plenty of hunters, mostly driving their noisy side-by-sides or trucks, or with their large hunting camps set in the woods with campers or canvas sidewall tents. But no one on the trail, casual day hiker or otherwise, in at least a week. Today I haven’t seen so much as a footprint.
I’ve seen so much more of the night sky in New Mexico than earlier in the trip. The longer and warmer nights certainly help. I have always loved camping in the desert—the carefree easy living it affords.
Listening to: “Ultra-Processed People” by Chris van Tulleken