3 Highlights:
• A Gatorade from a successful elk hunter
• Spotting a skunk on the road in the early morning
• Entering the stunning Gila Valley
Daily Summary:
• Distance hiked: 43.5 km
• Starting point: Gila 163 km
• Ending point: Gila 119 km
• Weather conditions: Sunny
Reflections (Challenges, Insights, Musings):
Woke up feeling a bit warmer, thanks to layering every piece of clothing I own. Still, mornings are a cold, cruel affair out here. I hit the trail at 7 a.m., and what do I see right away? A skunk, just sashaying across the road like it owns the place. A kilometer later, the unmistakable smell hit—pretty sure it gave one of the hunters a special greeting.
Then, there it was: a hog, splayed out on the side of the road with tiny feet and huge fangs. It was like something out of a nature documentary, except no David Attenborough narration—just me, horrified.
70 and I stopped at a solar-powered well for water. What a time sink. The pump didn’t cooperate for a good 40 minutes, forcing us to consider scooping water from the nearby cow pond. Not ideal. When the pump finally kicked in, it was glorious, though my filter is running slower than dial-up internet in 1998.
We kept hoping some hunter would stop and offer us food—we could really use it. Sunday was when we realized our 220 km stretch was miscalculated. Since then, it’s been a grim exercise in rationing. Not fun.
Finally, a hunter drove by with a rack of antlers in the back. Someone’s having a better day than us. A bit later, Mack, another hunter, filled our bottles and handed us each a Gatorade. Let me tell you, that 200-calorie Gatorade was the highlight of my day.
Then, just a few kilometers ahead, another hunting family gave us water. One of the young guys had bagged a massive elk. Good for him—and good for us, because water.
Around 3 p.m., we entered the Gila Valley, a paradise of water crossings. Every 200 to 500 meters, we had to wade through the river. My feet stayed wet the entire afternoon, but the beauty of the valley made up for it. We saw deer, fluffy squirrels, and landscapes straight out of a dream.
Tonight’s campsite is near some hardcore hunters—no SUVs or RVs for these folks. Just horses. Pretty cool, but also intimidating. Tomorrow’s forecast? Wet feet, more water crossings, and hopefully no twisted ankles on slippery stones. My right ankle’s already giving me grief—fantastic timing.
Running low on food, but I think I’ll make it to Thursday. Fingers crossed.
Good night.
