A Minor Setback: Grants to Cuba, NM (Mile 534-642.4)
(Mile 534-611.7) June 9th - June 12th
I’m off the trail for a few days with a ligament issue in my ankle. I almost made it to Cuba, NM, but 30 miles out I could hardly flex my foot and my ankle was pretty swollen. I figured instead of pushing it and tearing something it was better to get to a road and hitch a ride to town. So, I’ll heal up and then pick up where I left off and continue towards Canada! I’m currently sitting at 611.7 miles under my belt.
Other than that the stretch from Grants to Cuba has been beautiful so far! From mountains, dry desert, to canyons this stretch has it all. I summited Mt Taylor at 11,301 feet and slept at the top. I woke up in the morning to 40+ mph winds and 39 degree temperatures, so I was ready to get off the mountain. On the way down the whole landscape was a mix of rolling green fields, pine trees, and aspen trees. The mix of dark and light green leaves from the aspens and pines covering the mountainside made for a very pictures sight. Unfortunately the photos I tried to take couldn’t do it justice.
After Mt Taylor it turned back into more of a desert landscape. I managed to see an elk cross the path, but she was gone before I could get a picture. I went down into a canyon to get some water where a spring fed into a trough. I thought it would be a great place to stop for lunch! It would’ve been a good spot had it not been for the swarm of a hundred plus flies landing all over me. I didn’t let that stop me from eating and enjoying the ice cold water for about an hour!
As the days progressed my ankle continued to gradually get worse. I have this internal conflict between pushing myself to far and not knowing when to stop. Leading up to yesterday and getting 30 miles shy of Cuba I kept pushing it. I would just pop some ibueprofen and continue walking till I got my 20 miles in. At the end of the day I would elevate my feet, stretch, and take more ibueprofen then repeat the next day. It finally caught up to me and my walk turned into a limp.
I used it as an excuse to sit and enjoy a prairie dog colony. Those little guys will bark at you then dive in their hole and come up 20 feet on the other side of you! I would try and get a video of them by waiting outside their hole, but their friends will be barking from 100 feet away warning them that I’m waiting! If I had a hammer I’d be playing whack o’ mole!
I contacted my family with my gps to let them know what was going on and asked their advice if I should continue on or not. I decided I still have 2500 miles to go, so there is no use breaking myself. I contacted a trail angel from Grants to see if she knew anyone around Cuba who could get me. I made my way to the nearest hardball road and waited for a ride. Now I’m gonna heal up, go back to where I was picked up, and continue on!