The following photographs are out of order, but please deal with this. First off, here's our first stop since Silver City, after a long foray through the Gila and other places. It's called the "Toaster House," a wonderful hostel that was created by a woman named Nita. She raised five kids here and then decided to turn the house over to the the Continental Divide Trail, and to our advantage, the Great Divide Trail. Both cross right on her front sidewalk...
Here is where we met plenty of people, including two CDT thru-hikers, City Food and Let it Be. Let it Be is a veteran thru-hiker, and now on his second or third CDT hike. We also met Brook, who is running the trail (yikes!), and Ben who is riding the trail. We also met many people using four wheels to see America -- one group with whom Buck Mulligan discussed the Situationist International with, and another friend of Nita who Buck Mulligan talked about Sun Ra with.
Vicky at the Toaster House, next to our bikes, leaned up against a tree...
Here is Vicky, rather close to Pie Town, with the marvelous mountains in the background. Boy, Mama Moab can really pedal hard...
A typical view on the Great Divide Trail...
This was awhile after Pie Town. This is close to where we camped before heading to El Malpais National Monument on Route 117. It was hell getting to here, in terms of washboard roads. But we turned off at a water supply route where we met a wonderful couple who gave us water and who talked about the husband's role in the Korean War, plus many other things. A wonderful couple...
Here Kevin (Buck Mulligan) gets one of the few wilderness shots that he could on this trip. He got to this point not by bike but via foot up a sandy, sandy road that stopped at this parking place...
Sunset at campsite close to where Buck Mulligan just hiked up to. This might be glorious due to fires in Arizona. Nice huh?
The bike ride after our stay as described above...
We took this road from -- guess where??? -- Pie Town to the road around El Malpais...
Pie Town.... Down south from this sign post.
On our way by El Malpais, the Narrows, a beautiful canyon which we enjoyed while pedaling hard...
This is just past the Narrows. This is supposed to be a Native American woman looking out at El Malpais. I think she looks angry, like about the future of her young uns. Why wouldn't she be angry?
Close to the Narrows. Jay pedaling hard on the shoulder.
This is way out of order. This is just above Grants, New Mexico. We were out of water. The area close by to here had its aquifer contaminated by uranium. So the Cold War still has its effects... And boy did we really want some water at this point. No windmills, no nothing.
On the trail... above Grants, New Mexico. We should mention here that in Grants, we met Gabe and Josh who were bicycling the Great Divide. Josh had broken his back storage rack, which we tried (unsuccessfully) to help him fix.
Dust Bowl, anyone? Yes. Some of our path, especially in Grants, New Mexico was on Route 66. In essence, the Joad family all over again. Mama Moab got checked up in Grants for a nasty cut on the back of her leg. Her leg was not dusty but oozy.
On the trail. Doing what needs to be done -- taking water break.
Camp on the trail. On cattle land. No cows, just the San Mateo Peaks in the background, which you can't see but, hell, there they are. Just imagine them. Jay helps Mama Moab while she covers up the fact that she's undressing...
On the trail... We are now close to (or on) the big four corners Navajo Reservation.
More of the same...
This is where we're getting closer to Cuba, New Mexico. A big peak. Not sure what the name is, but fairly volcanic and quite beautiful set against the landscape.
Vicky huffing it. Mama Moab work those legs!!!
Finally up to the top.
Back to El Malpais:
Remember that sunset mentioned above? Here it is again, a bit later.
Whew, this is way back in the Gila. Looking at one of the few water places in the Gila. Otherwise, it was dry, except a few places.
This is a Gila turn. The Gila was awesome, but it was also straight up at times. Up, up. up...
Back to our more recent travels...
Cactus with Mama Moab's shadow looming in the sunset...
This is way back to the Gila, leaving the National Forest behind. Notice the new bags on the back of Buck Mulligan's bike. These were picked up in Silver City out of necessity. Seems that twenty buck Ebay packs don't last that long -- hence, Buck's new packs. And it's here that you see Buck Mulligan on the Continental Divide in reality.
Typical scene on the GDT... Nice huh?
This is above the Gila and on the typically teeth chattering, butt spanking, tire twisting, knee gashing, soul stealing gravel road...
Yes! This is what we call scenery. This is close to Pie Town... And a good photograph to leave on.
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