Hi All: Just a quick update....My back is finally starting to feel better. I still have to be careful about lifting, but I am back to walking in the neighborhood again. My plan is to get back on the trail again next summer.

Just a quick up date. Rick is now home, as of Monday night (July 9). He ended up being rescued off the trail last Friday and went to the hospital by ambulance to Durango, Co. He is okay, but has a slipped disk in his back and can barely walk let alone carry a backpack. Needless to say, he is disappointed. The doctor said he has to lay around for a couple of weeks and must continue to be careful. He can't sit up and we had a hard time trying to figure out how to get him home. Jay, our son who lives in Oklahoma ended up driving his mini van (so Rick could lay in the back) to Colorado to get him. We then drugged him up for a 2 hr. plane ride from Oklahoma City to Chicago. Leslie and I picked him up Monday afternoon. Wow, now that I have this in writing, I think we must be a little crazy. Ha! What an ordeal. We are happy to have him home, so we are not worrying so much. He hasn't given up on hiking, just has to let his body repair its self. Will post occasionally and give updates.

Slow going today.  (July 4th) Had snow, hail, and rain all in one afternoon. He also said that some how he has hurt his back.  Could it be do to the fact that his pack weighs between 50 and 60 lbs.  Hmmmmm!  Saw this moose while hiking through the Rio Grande National Forest.  This was the high light of the evening.

Finally had a break in the weather for a few hours.  Rick calls every evening when he stops to set up his tent.  He is suffering from the high altitude.  Hard to breathe and feeling nauseous today. This is info from Tuesday July 3rd.

Rick started hiking from Wolf Creek Pass last Saturday.  It was pretty slow going. Only made 12 miles per day the first two days out. Cold and rainy.(Hard to believe it's cold anywhere). This is a view from the San Juan mountain range. You can still see a little bit of snow hanging around.

This is a view from a Fourteener(a mountain over 14,000 ft.) It's actually a view from Pikes Peak in Colorado. We drove to the very top. What a magnificent view. No way could I have ever hiked this. However, Rick WILL be hiking some Thirteeners and Fourteeners when he returns to the San Juan mountain range later this week. Hopefully the snow has melted.

Well a lot has happened in the past few days. After I dropped Rick off last Friday I was expecting to get to  him in a couple of days, but he was up so high he ran into a lot of snow.  It was very slow going. Only went 8 miles in 12 hrs. He ended up being out 4 days and was rationing his food.  He finally made it out to a road that wasn't still drifted with snow so I could pick him up.  He has made a decision to hold off on going forward for now until some of the snow melts in the San Juan mountain range.  This mountain range is one of the biggest high lights of the whole CDT hike. He could have taken an alternate route, but doesn't want to miss the San Juans.  Still not sure what our plan is now, but will post again as soon as we get things figured out. He's not stopping,  just talking a couple weeks of down time while we wait for the snow to melt.

This is what Rick is heading  towards.  I dropped him off this morning at Cumbres Pass to continue his hike. We have been talking to the forest rangers and there is still quite a lot of snow in the higher elevations. There are still several drifted areas on the forest service roads, so I won't be seeing him for about 3 days now. I can't get to him until he reaches a paved road. He will keep in touch with his satellite phone.               Cumbres Pass has an elevation over 10,000 ft. This pass is located in the San Juan Mountain range and the Rio Grande National Forest.  The drive from Chama to the pass is one of the most scenic in the country.  I saw 4 Elk right by the road after I dropped Rick off this morning. I never tire of seeing them.

Family picture on the beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico. It was a beautiful wedding and we all had a wonderful time. I didn't want it to end.

Finally made it!  Rick will be taking a week off the trail now, so we can attend Greg and Cara's wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Can't wait to see family and friends. He will continue the hike the first week in June.

The mountains are getting bigger everyday. The closer we get to the Rockies the more beautiful.

Never thought we would get out of New Mexico. I think it's been about 7 wks. now.

We spent the last two nights in the mountains together. It was so nice. We went to sleep hearing the coyotes helping and woke up hearing the Elk trumpeting. Pretty awesome. Heading towards Colorado today.

We are near Chama, N M.  I dropped Rick off this morning after a 28 mile day yesterday. It was pretty tough. Hiked through thigh high snow until he couldn't do it anymore, so then had to traverse back down until he came to a Forest service rd.

This is where I dropped Rick off this morning. Santa Fe National Forest.

I am staying in Abiquiu, N M. for the next 3 days, while Rick hikes through this area. So beautiful. I don't have cell service at the Inn where I am staying, so I drove 7 miles to the top of a mountain until I got service. CRAZY!

I dropped Rick off yesterday morning at the Los Pinos trailhead. Picked him up last night, as he was able to get out to a paved road. He had quite a day. He was at 11,000 ft. and ran into snow, then crossed two flooded meadows that were thigh high with snow melt that looked like lakes. It snowed and rained off and on most of the day. This is the worst weather he has run into in the past 6 weeks. I checked the weather and it should get nicer for the rest of this week.

Sorry I haven't been posting more often, but it's not always easy to get cell service in these mountains. Here we are having a down day at Circle A Ranch. What a wonderful place!

The scenery in Northern New Mexico is so beautiful. Rick took this from the trail.

The view from La Ventana Mesa on the trail to Cuba, MM.

Heading up to Mt. Taylor. Only 18 miles this day. A pretty tough day. Up! Up! Up! Here is a bit of info on this area.    Mt. Taylor is a volcanoe, but hasn't been active for over 1.5 million years. It's so strange that you can still see the lava beds everywhere. Mt. Taylor is located in the Cibola National Forest, which covers more than 1.6 million acres in New Mexico. The mountain is an area of special religious and cultural significance to several Native American communities. Like the Navajo, Acoma, Laguna and Zuni tribes.

While at the top of El Morro we visited these Pueblo Indian ruins. Amazing!

Climbed 2 miles to the top of this mountain in El Morro National Monument.

This was the same morning Rick saw Black Bear tracks and Mountain Lion tracks. Good thing I didn't know it until the end of the day. Yikes!

This was home one night out in the middle of no where.

Just one of the many herds of Elk we have seen.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

Hi all: I finally have WiFi service tonight. If this is what you call it, sitting in the back of the Honda with the tailgate up. There will be no pictures because I only have 1 bar on my phone and it's not strong enough. I tried, but it didn't work. We are both good. Rick is still averaging about 20 miles per day, give or take a couple. We have seen a lot of beautiful country, have been in the mountains for days. We have seen several herds of Elk, up close and personal. Some of the Forest Service roads I have been on were just a two track up and down mountains. I thought Rick was trying to do me in a couple of times. One day I traveled 16 miles to take him water and it took an hour. Had to go slow because of the ruts and rocks. We stayed in Apache Creek the last couple of days. Rick had a rough day yesterday; while hiking he came into an area that had been burned and had to climb over a lot of fallen trees. Needless to say all the trail markers were gone too. Had to rely of his GPS coordinates. Hiked for 12 hours. He didn't have much trouble sleeping last night. Rick is in the woods tonight, no roads to get to him. I am staying in a little motel in Datil, NM. There is just 4 corners with Motel, gas station (with pumps from the 60s) and a tiny store all rolled into one. We are headed North tomorrow to Pie Town, NM. Yes, there is a restaurant there that serves pie. Ha! Can't wait. Not sure if we will have phone or WiFi, but when we do, I will post so everyone knows we are ok.

Just letting you all know we will not have cell service or wifi for about the next 5 days. So will not be able to post. As soon as we get out of the mountains and wilderness I will post again.

There he goes again. Good Luck, Honey!

This mountain range is what Rick is heading into this morning. He plans on going 22 miles today. I will meet up with him with a fresh water supply. Not much water in New Mexico. This is Pinos Altos (Spanish for " tall pines" ) Mountain range.  Black Peak is at an elevation of 9,029 feet.  It is the highest point in this range. Most of his hike today will be in the Gila National Forest.

This is the sunrise I saw after I dropped Rick off this morning. Looks like fire in the sky. BEAUTIFUL!

Rick had a good day of hiking. He  went 18 miles and was done by 2:00. The further North he gets, the nicer the scenery. These are the Pinos Altos Mountains. We will have a nice dinner in Silver City this evening, then some down time.

I dropped Rick off at the trail head at Burro Peak this morning. I am including a little info on the area. Burro Peak is a gentle shaped hump of a mountain, located in the high desert between Lordsburg an Silver City in Southwest New Mexico. This low range, called the Big Burro Mountains, serves an effective natural boundry between the highlands surrounding Silver City and the starker deserts near Lordsburg. The peaks don't jump out at you, but have a nice uniform shape. Most people wouldn't bother climbing Burro Peak, but the CDT passes right over the summit (which is over 8000 ft). What looks to be a dull and uninteresting place seen from afar is a lovely wilderness of high desert scrub, pinon and juniper woodlands and some stands of fir and pine when seen up close.  I will be seeing Rick again at dinner time this evening.   I am staying quite comfortable today in my little cabin.

Fwd:

Home for the evening.

Fwd:

Rick made it another 20 miles today. Finally reached the mountains. He is headed towards Silver City. I will meet up with him for lunch tomorrow.

Fwd: mamavanlan@msn.com

This is one of Rick's water resources. He has to share with the free range cattle. By the time he is done using his water filter, it's crystal clear.

Wouldn't want to trip over one of these after dark......Rick spent last night in the desert. He had to share some water with a heard of free range cattle.  I spoke with him earlier today and he is well. The weather has taken a turn, it's a lot cooler and raining now.

Rick had a good day of hiking yesterday. He got 20 miles in. The trail was marked well and the temps. were down, only in the mid 70s. He saw a little wildlife-snakes, a lot of lizards, Jack rabbits, a coyote and a heard of antelope.   I dropped him off at his starting point at 7:00 this morning and  won't see him now until Saturday night. He will keep in touch with me using his satellite phone.               

This is the terrain Rick is hiking in. He had a bad day yesterday. Lost the trail and ran really low on water. It's been really hot here, high 80s. All is well now, We re-grouped and he will head out to the trail again tomorrow.

There he goes!!!

We made it to the trail head this morning after a 40 mile ride that took us 2 1/2 hrs.  The road (if you can call it that) was full of ruts and large rocks.  Mexico was right at our backs. Just a stones throw away. We sent Rick off into the desert and I headed back with the 80 yr. old trail guide.  We had trouble with his truck and then got stopped by the Border Patrol wondering what we were doing out there.  It all made for an interesting day.  Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

This is what southwest New Mexico looks like. The bathrooms are far and few between. Yickes!

Happy Easter everyone! We had a great time with the kids. On our way through Texas, heading to New Mexico. Will be in Lordsburg tonight.

Passing through Claude,Texas. Think I will get me one of these. They are on sale. Ha!

Arrived at Altus Air Force Base. Will be visiting our kids and grandkids for a few days.

Wichita Mountains just outside Altus, Oklahoma.

Beautiful Oklahoma sky.

On our way.  Outside St. Louis, Missouri.

A Little Background Info on the CDT

In 1978, Congress made a monumental decision, one that secured the future of the most scenic, wild and remote landscapes in America. They designated the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), also known as the “King of Trails”. The vision for the CDT is a 3,100-mile primitive and challenging backcountry trail from Canada to Mexico along the backbone of America. Approximately 70% of the Trail is usable. However, many of those miles are in desperate need of repair, rerouting for sustainability, or removed from roads and motorized trails.

For more information about the trail I'll be hiking you can go to www.cdtrail.com

Crunch Time

Just a post to let everyone know that I have recruited everyone in the family to help me get things packed and organized.  Leaving the day after tomorrow....