Love me some road walking!

Tuesday May 4, 2010

Camp 3:  Deming Motel, Deming New Mexico

We hiked the last of the Florida mountains today and found some really cool rocks in the sand.  If you smash them with larger rocks they fracture and you sometimes find ones with really great colors and designs on the inside.  For the majority of the day we hiked on jeep roads and paved roads.  I cannot express how painful road walking can be in the sweltering heat as cars fly past and your feet ache more than you thought possible.  We stumbled upon Rockhound State Park where we found a cool shaded concrete bench and vending machines!  So our break was spent in pure bliss, drinking an ice cold Coca Cola and munching on Cheetos...it's the little things, really.  We walked on in the blazing heat, stopping in the shade of a few trees in an older couples yard.  They were extremely nice, the woman brought us ice water and invited us inside to use the restroom if we needed to.  We made our way to the Post Office in Deming to pick up a care package from Rach and Aaron which included airplane bottles of Jameson, Kobe Beef Jerky and an array of other goodies!  We weren't planning on taking a zero in our first trail town but we're extremely grateful for a break as the bodies are trying to adjust to the elements once again.  There is a steep learning curve out here and I find myself having to re-learn all of those little things I forgot from the PCT.  You have to push hard but also give your body the chance to catch up.  Eric is icing his knees and we're just hanging out in the Deming Motel.  We've met some nice local folks already and everyone seems very friendly, waving as they pass by in their cars.  We have had a great first stretch, although it seems longer than a few days since we started!  Eric has one blister and we both have some minor aches and pains but hey, that's to be expected.  Ah, it's time to relax a bit.

sunflower

hi: care package from Rach and Aaron

lo: a long, hot and painful road walk on pavement

little g

hi: ice cold Coke at Rockhound State Park, trail magic along the road walk with ice cold water in the shade and an awesome care package from great friends

lo: painful, swollen knees

finding some shade for lunch

camping in a sandy wash watching a beautiful sunset

cold Coca-Cola at Rockhound State Park

A wonderful care package from Rach and Aaron
Jameson and Kobe Beef Jerky