This is more like it and what we have been dreaming of for the last week. Gila National Forest as the name suggests is our first section of walking with shade from the sun. Much needed as were both looking a bit toasted! Shortly after Lordsburg and a brief encounter with a pack of guard dogs we finally hit singletrack trails that snaked there way through the mountains. Around every corner there was something new to feast our eyes on as we looked up towards the high mountains and over fantastic valleys.

This is where the good stuff starts and once we leave Silver City we start to hit interesting sections which require 40+ river crossings. Should be fun and I’m sure a few amusing post will follow - Paul.    

We realised last night that the only thing we’ve eaten and are probably likely to eat in restaurants along the trail is the biggest steak on the menu follwed by an apple pie.

Above is the best we’ve had to date, a 16 ounce Porterhouse T-Bone, I’d give it a 7 out of 10. Was from the Big Red Barn Steakhouse in Silver City. Yum yum :) Most expensive meal we’ve had too though - $80 with tip.

More Steak & Apple pie revues to follow!

Idon’t think my feet have ever been so broken on any other walk I’ve ever been on… Don’t know wether it’s the lack of soft grassy surfaces, the heat, or the shoes I bought online without trying on! But I’ve got some new insoles from Hike & Bike in town, hopefully their going to relieve some of the pounding.

We’ve just arrived at Silver City. Had to hike 10 miles down a tarmac road to get here though… My feet are killing! Met a trail angel (through Gottogo) called Jim who gave us a ride out of town to a hotel, as the old Palace Hotel in the centre of town was full. Been busy buying food and supplies this afternoon, we’re just about to head out for a big steak now though :)

Quite a mile stone for us is this - First naturally running surface water since the Mexican boarder! Although I wouldn’t say running, more of a slow drip really.

Here’s me & Paul on top of our first peak of the CDT! Burro peak is only a tiddler at just over 8000ft, but it was the first real climb we’d had to do so far and it felt fairly tough!

Today we met Gottago aka Linda Jeffers, her hiking companion was having trouble with her feet and dropped out at Lordsburg. So Linda’s taking advantage of mine and Paul’s excellent navigation skills and tagging along with us for the time being.

We’ve only been walking together one morning so far and we’ve already got her lost twice! She’s already hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, so is full of loads of top tips and advice for me and Paul.

Iwouldn’t exactly call it a forest, but we welcome it’s occasionally shadey trees with open sunburnt arms!

Our Brunton solar panel which has for past year kept me effortlessly powered up on my walking trips, has unfortunely developed a fault… We spent most of our rest day yesterday trying to get it working again, we even took it to a pissed up old car starter and alternator mechanic to test the power output at various points. In the end the solution we came up with (by accident) was to half roll it up and put a shoe on it! I don’t know why that works, but it does.

Obviously not the most reliably solution, so we’re looking into somehow getting a new one out to us on route.

Bloody hell this stage was tough and our feet are battered! A word of warning, never buy shoes online without trying them on first! This was a harsh section to break us in not solely because of the 20 miles a day but more the hostile terrain and desolate environment. We either walked on tracks that were uneven and rocky under foot or bushwhacked through shrubs that tear your legs to shreds. The Landscape was barren with little or no respite from the baking sun and no sign of running water. Restocking our water was a constant gamble as we relied on the few cattle troughs on the trail of which many were dry. We ran out of water on a few occasions and if it were not for Sam Hughes water cache it would have been more often. We did however fight on with blisters weeping knowing that a steak dinner, a few bottles of beer and what turned out to be a full bottle of tequila would reward our efforts. I entered Lordsburg with with the tune on repeat in my head “Things can only get better” - Paul.

We made it to our first town :) we’re now rested, re-supplied, drunk and ready for the next section to Silver City. Our solar panel is pretty much buggered, so we might have trouble keeping the blog updated until we can get a new one, but we’re working on it!

The sunrises, sunsets and starry nights are truely awesome here in New Mexico. It’s just the middle of the day that’s a bit grim!

What do we have here? A tractor tire in cow shit central, full of green water, get your kit off Paul it’s bath time!