Trip Journal – Page 167 – Sagebrush Trails

Intro to Colorado

Water bottles froze overnight. A headache and nausea in middle of night were gone by morning. Does this have anything to do with the high altitude?
Climbed down to Dipping Lakes

Then switch-backs on scree and follow cairns to Trail Lake and a pass.

The trail has a few patches of snow, from ten to fifty feet across, with hard crust in the morning that supports my weight. Also, snow melt has convert a few stretches of pathway to creeks, often with swampy areas on both sides of the trail, tricky to step around.
Continue reading “Intro to Colorado”

Starting Colorado

One may not purchase the °hiker special° tickets on the Cumbres Toltec narrow gauge coal-fired train up to Cumbres Pass the day before, so I showed up early when the ticket office opened and reserved my seat.

An amiable couple from Texas sat in front of me, and we had good conversation as I did some trail ambassador public relations work.

The train departed at 10 and reached the pass at 11:30. Continue reading “Starting Colorado”

On Road and Rail to Trail

5:30AM Socorro NM shuttle departs to Belen train station, fare $2.25

6:30 NM Rail Runner train departs Belen station for Santa Fe, fare $10.00
Hit a cow just out of Kewa station, disconnected a couple of air hoses, paused several minutes for repair. Scheduled arrival 9:00, actual arrival 9:xx. Connecting shuttle to Espanola notified of delay, and asked to wait.

The shuttle did not wait. Now I have time to explore Santa Fe before next shuttle at 11:45. This shuttle does not leave from Capitol Station, so I have to go to Marcy Street bus stop near the plaza.

I could take a bus to the plaza, but there is a pleasant walking trail that nearly spans the distance from Capitol Station and Santa Fe Depot Station near the plaza.

During the hike the Farmer’s Market is in session, so I look for a cyclist buddy I met on last year’s hike, who tells fortunes at the market. He is not there today.

I pass the train at depot station, and see evidence of the unfortunate collision earlier.

On the way to market street a sign displays a walking tour of the plaza area given by the NM Museum of History, just about to start. Sure, I go on the tour. Continue reading “On Road and Rail to Trail”