Cowboy Trail

[Seajatt]

Well, today is my first day on the trail. I actually stayed an extra day at the hotel partly because I was sore from the bus ride to Nebraska, but partly because I was nervous to begin. I really haven't done anything quite like this since my time in the military 13 years ago.

It's really beautiful out here. There really isn't any other way to describe it. I've seen flocks of butterflies, rabbits, all kinds of birds and hordes of grasshoppers leaping out of the way of my cart.

Lunch was interesting. I've never used those little sterno propane tanks with those camp stoves before so after a little fumbling, got that figured out. I'll have some more fumbling to do later on with the tent.


But I don't mind. I feel alive.

Before I set out for this trip, I really felt like I was waiting to die. Death by the mundane. Work, eat sleep, rinse and repeat.


I'm still nervous with many miles before me, but also feeling like I made a good decision.

 

[WanderingRose]

It’s an adventure, and have a great time.

 

[Carla618]

Thumbs up to you! Look forward to reading your posts and seeing the pictures.

 

[maki2]

Starting your captains log was a good idea. Feeling connected to others and sharing your adventures will add extra meaning to your travels and your life.

 

[eDJ_]

Good luck in your journeys. The bottom link in the signature line may be helpful to you if you'd like to use it. It's all free.

 

[Morgana]

Set up your tent before it gets dark.
(You probably already thought of that, just saying to be safe.)
Happy adventuring!

 

[Seajatt]

Starting your captains log was a good idea. Feeling connected to others and sharing your adventures will add extra meaning to your travels and your life.

I'm enjoying sharing the experience. Lowkey hoping to help motivate fence-sitters

 

[Seajatt]

Starting your captains log was a good idea. Feeling connected to others and sharing your adventures will add extra meaning to your travels and your life.

I'm enjoying sharing the experience. Lowkey hoping to help motivate fence-

Set up your tent before it gets dark.
(You probably already thought of that, just saying to be safe.)
Happy adventuring!

I did, thank you for saying as much because... (see day 2 post)

 

[Seajatt]

Well, day 2 has passed. But let's backtrack to the first night. Wow, fireflies everywhere. I did not expect that at all, and definately lent a little bit of a magic feeling. Also, it got dark. I mean can't see squat without a flashlight dark. But man were the stars overhead shining as bright as I've ever seen them.


Also, the deer came out as the sun was going down. One was kind of bounding along toward before it finally actually saw me and I could almost see the confusion as to why I was out there.

The night passed pretty smoothly, I woke up a few times to coyotes doing their kind of howling bark they do.

And then that leads me to this morning where I absolutely had to haul ass. I made a mistake the first day out. I was late getting started and so I hiked during the day. And I ran through most of my water, even the water that I didn't think I'd even touch. In fact, I was on my last few mouthfuls as I pulled into town. I have a sawyer squeeze, so push come to shove, I could have pulled water from some of the ponds, but it was still spooky. I made my mileage during the morning hours and like my Mexican brothers and sisters, had my siesta when the sun really got to work.

The town was nice. Picture everything positive you ever throught about small town America and you'd have a good mental image of Battle Creek, NE. I spent a few hours at the library, guzzling water and reading Gary, Paulson, grabbed another entire gallon of water from the store and then went over to the local water hole and had a few.

Folks around here *talk.* They wanna know who you are, what your story is and the whole nine. I've found that most are either really into what I'm doing, or think I've lost a few marbles. The cute blonde that came in shortly before I was leaving seemed of the former. I thought about sticking around to get to know her as she seemed receptive, but decided against it. I don't need any problems with jealous small-town ex boyfriends.

 

[WanderingRose]

But let's backtrack to the first night. Wow, fireflies everywhere. I did not expect that at all, and definately lent a little bit of a magic feeling. Also, it got dark. I mean can't see squat without a flashlight dark. But man were the stars overhead shining as bright as I've ever seen them.

This was the universe welcoming and encouraging you, in my opinion.

Like the double rainbow that once appeared to me in one of my darkest hours, which told me there was hope.

 

[Seajatt]

This was the universe welcoming and encouraging you, in my opinion.

Like the double rainbow that once appeared to me in one of my darkest hours, which told me there was hope.

I love this. I appreciate you postingredients. This made my day

 

[Sage]

Love the description of your travels. I've camped most of my adult life and a few times as a child. I find great feelings of freedom and adventure traveling and camping some place well away from people. It feels like it is just God and me out there with all of His creation. Keep enjoying the adventure.

 

[WanderingRose]

And for a really amazing experience, visit Chaco Canyon

https://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm
It is a slow, rather rough road in, but so worth it, as the difficult road intentionally keeps the big rigs and hordes of tourists out.

Stay a few nights in the little campground, walk the ruins by day and enjoy the sky and surroundings by night.

A truly spiritual experience.

 

[Seajatt]

Love the description of your travels. I've camped most of my adult life and a few times as a child. I find great feelings of freedom and adventure traveling and camping some place well away from people. It feels like it is just God and me out there with all of His creation. Keep enjoying the adventure.

Thanks for commenting. What were some of your favorite hikes and what got you into camping/hiking so much??

 

[Seajatt]

And for a really amazing experience, visit Chaco Canyon

https://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm
It is a slow, rather rough road in, but so worth it, as the difficult road intentionally keeps the big rigs and hordes of tourists out.

Stay a few nights in the little campground, walk the ruins by day and enjoy the sky and surroundings by night.

A truly spiritual experience.

I've heard of chaco canyon and mean to go sometime in the next few years. What in particular struck you so much about it?

 

[Morgana]

I was thinking of Chaco Canyon when I said "set up your tent before it gets dark" LOL. I was camping there with a couple of friends who were not the most outdoorsy people in the world... they had just grabbed their tent from the closet without checking it out and they discovered after we got there that their daughter had broken one of the tent poles and just put it away broken. A great deal of cussing was enjoyed by all before we finally got the d#$%n thing to stand up.

The fun part was ... we were in overflow camping, and when the crowds cleared out the next day, we begged the rangers to let us stay there (instead of moving to the main site) so we wouldn't have to re-finagle the tent pole. Amazingly, they agreed. So we had this lovely remote peaceful spot, with the singing coyotes coming much closer than they had the night before (but not close enough to be scary).

Beautiful scenery, fascinating ancient history, peace and quiet .... a lovely place. The road in is pretty rough, as Rose said, unless you're lucky enough to go when it's just been graded.

 

[WanderingRose]

I've heard of chaco canyon and mean to go sometime in the next few years. What in particular struck you so much about it?

The complexity and beauty of the structures, and vastness of the complex…3,000 years old, if I remember correctly.

Only part of Chaco is open to the public, most of it actively protected by federal employees from incursion, but what is open has been excavated so that you can actually go inside the ruins.

The detailed stone work particularly struck me, and reminded me of something an archeologist once told me…that these people had to have been at peace with themselves and their neighbors to have put such time and attention into building.

Chaco is like no other place I have ever visited.

 

[Seajatt]

I put up 16 miles today and am BEAT. I'll post tomorrow morning about how the day went

 

[Sage]

The complexity and beauty of the structures, and vastness of the complex…3,000 years old, if I remember correctly.

Only part of Chaco is open to the public, most of it actively protected by federal employees from incursion, but what is open has been excavated so that you can actually go inside the ruins.

The detailed stone work particularly struck me, and reminded me of something an archeologist once told me…that these people had to have been at peace with themselves and their neighbors to have put such time and attention into building.

Chaco is like no other place I have ever visited.

The complexity and beauty of the structures, and vastness of the complex…3,000 years old, if I remember correctly.

Only part of Chaco is open to the public, most of it actively protected by federal employees from incursion, but what is open has been excavated so that you can actually go inside the ruins.

The detailed stone work particularly struck me, and reminded me of something an archeologist once told me…that these people had to have been at peace with themselves and their neighbors to have put such time and attention into building.

Chaco is like no other place I have ever visited.

Sorry, newbee here still learning the system.

WanderingRose,
If memory serves me correctly the great majority of the Indian Ruins in the Four Corners of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona were inhabited between 1200 AD to the 1400s AD. Therefore that would make them just under 1000 years to a little over 1100 years. Apparently that archaeologist was correct. Structures in the same area that are from the Reconquest of the Spaniards (1600s AD) have ways to injure or kill the enemy that is trying to get into the living area. It appears they were a group much in fear from others. Likely the Indians were in fear of their lives from Spanish that were returning after the Indian rebellion that killed many Spaniards in the central part of New Mexico along the Rio Grande River in the early years of the New Mexico Territory when it belonged to Spain.

From what I have learned, apparently drought forced the people out of the ruins from the Chacoian time period ruins.

The Reconquest Ruins are small, often on top of big rocks and are situated where you can see a light or smoke from one ruin to another making a trail of ruins across the northern part of NM in the Four Corners where they could signal danger to each other. Some ruins show evidence of different tribes living together in a small ruin that may have housed 40-100 people. Only one that I know of housed more than 20-30 people. These are situated in the canyon country southeast of Aztec, Bloomfield and Blanco towns. They are not commonly known about outside of locals (mostly old timers) and oil field workers although the BLM and state public lands may have information they will share. I don't know if you can google them or not.

I hope you found that interesting.

 

[Sage]

I've heard of chaco canyon and mean to go sometime in the next few years. What in particular struck you so much about it?

If you are into Indian Ruins may I suggest Aztec Ruins, Samon Ruins, Mesa Verdi, Ruins, Yellow Jacket and some others that you will learn of if you visit them.