If I died right now and the forensic team was examining the contents of my phone, they would conclude I was obsessed with Sycamore trees. These magnificent giants were everywhere on our romp up the Gila River. Brilliant white bark, huge limbs sometimes horizontal for 50 feet. Delicate buds emerging. from their winter sleep gracing the tips of these gigantic branches, last year’s seed pods scattered about on the ground. I spent the morning photographing these gentle giants trying and yet failing to capture their magnificence. It is not just the trees. It is the red rock cliffs behind them. The rushing river before them. The rising sun illuminating the upper portions of the cliffs making them glow a brilliant orange. The early morning calls of the birds flitting among the massive branches. The green grasses growing around their bases. The lime green brilliance of the cottonwood’s new growth flowing in the sunlight. All these elements created a breathtaking experience as we passed by, walking at 2.5 mph, drinking in the glory.
This Gila River canyon is as beautiful as the Yosemite Valley. What it’s cliff lack in height they make up in length. Whereas Yosemite Valley is about 5 miles long, the Gila stretches for 60, it’s river twisting and winding down its narrow flood plain. What a joy to walk through!
Today it is 7 trail miles up the Gila River to Hwy 15, then three miles of highway walking to Doc Campbell’s Post, a store that accepts resupply packages. Everyone on the CDT uses Doc’s place to resupply because the next one is 139 miles away in Pie Town. Averaging 20 miles a day means loading up with 7 days of food. At about 2 pounds a day, this adds about 14 pounds to the pack to start with, a daunting weight.
We arrived at Doc Campbell’s at 10:30am. He opens at noon and closes at 4:00pm. We had an hour and a half to dry our shoes and socks in the sun, nibble on food still in our pack and chat with everyone as they arrived. The entire crew from the hostel in Silver City came trickling in. Bird (man, 28 from Detroit), Aaron (25 from Dallas), Chester, Jean-Bruno (man, 59 from France), King Size (woman-60 from Oregon), King-go (man, 27 from Portland), Coney (woman, 25 ish from Switzerland) and about a dozen more. Everyone was sorting the resupply boxes they had miles to themselves, counting their meals and packing them in their packs while making frequent trips onto the store to buy things to eat. There were two power strips attached to the wall outside and every plug was utilized as everyone was charging their devices: phones, batteries and PLBs.
Docs has a WiFi connection, but because of their remote position up a long dead end highway their service is slow. When 25 hikers all get on line to upload blogs, check weather and trail conditions and call home the WiFi is brought to its knees. I tried multiple times to upload my blog with photos and finally had to delete the photos to get it to upload.
Long Size had put her clothes on one of two washing machines available and asked if I would like to throw any clothes in with hers. I said yes and followed her to the Linsey room. While she turned her back I took of my grubby shorts and underwear and put on my lightweight “gym” sorts. All my clothes were now in the wash.
Back out at the front of the store under the big awnings I learned that Jean-Bruno’s phone had been submerged in water and was kaput. This is a catastrophe. All communication is lost, but most importantly all navigation is lost as everyone use the app FarOut to find their way. He had his phone in his pants pocket and when wadding across the Gila River, which is usually a knee deep wade, a particularly deep spot wetted his pocket and subsequently his phone. He tried to dry it and get it working again, but it did not recover.
All the advise given in all the literature says to carry paper backup, that is maps and a compass, but I know of no one who carries any backup.
Except me.
I carry a second iPhone just in case mine breaks. When I learned of Jean-Bruno’s predicament I searched him out and offered him my backup phone to use until he could buy a new one in Grants, NM, about 240 miles up the trail, about two weeks away. His eyes lit up, his smile was enormous. He was thrilled. It took us half an hour to make sure we got his accounts set up and everything was working properly.
Kings Size had a campsite down at Gila Hot Springs campground about 1/2 mile back on the highway. She offered us to join her. We decided to, even though it meant going backwards. The lure of a hot springs to soak in was very appealing to me. Dallas and Magic Mike were already down there because I spent so much time getting Jean-Bruno set up and calling home (now that most of the hikers had abandoned the WiFi and I could call).
When I got to the campground I paid Carla the $10 fee for camping and immediately slithered into the hot springs. A couple vacationing from Australia were soaking as well and we started talking. 90 minutes later we were still talking although they had to leave. Another 20 minutes went by. They finally left, but not before giving me their email, phone and address in Australia with the expressed demand that we call them and stay with them if we make it to Australia.
By now it was nearly dark. I set up my tent, organized my gear and was about to crawl In when Sally called. I got to talk to her for 45 minutes, only interrupted three times by dropped signal. It was after dark when I climbed in my tent, wrote for a few minutes and then fell asleep.
Giant Sycamore trees populate the Gila River Valley. Their white bark stands out amongst the red rock and blue sky.
Huge and old, they are spectacular.
The crossings continued today. 27 in 7 miles.
Me wadding across The Gila in the early morning light.
Doc Campbell’s Post
Inside the store.
King-go and Coney in the hot springs.
Our camping area at Gila Hot Springs
No comments:
Post a Comment