October 26th
My plan had always included a zero day in Lordsburg. My thinking was that I would need to coordinate travel for the trip home.
Another example of how the CDT is a muddled trail is the three possible ending points on the US border with Mexico. People can finish with a choice of two road walks or the official end which is a hike to a monument on the border and then arranging for transportation over a very rough dirt road via a designated shuttle service (or a friend with a car they are willing to trash). Neither of the road walks had appealed to me, so I planned on backpacking to the monument.
I made arrangements to be picked up the morning of October 31st. That would give me a little over four solid days of hiking. The shuttle driver lived in Silver City, so I arranged to go there because I could rent a car in that town, then drive to Arizona to see my mother, and then fly home. Flights were booked. Rental cars were arranged. Border Patrol was contacted to let them know I would be walking to the border.
Other than travel, I did usual town stuff. Lordsburg is another town in hard times. They have a street called Motel Drive. Until I-10 was built, traffic ran along this route and there were motels and restaurants and other businesses. However, now it is pretty desolate. Locals recommended a cafe called Ramona’s which was about one and a half miles down Motel Drive. It was a depressing walk, but the food was very good.
While in the small local grocer, I ran into another CDT hiker. His name was Simplesole and he had just finished the day before. It was reassuring to hear that the water sources along the way had a good supply.
I really hoped to get a good night’s sleep on my last town day on the trail, but it didn’t happen. I guess I was just anxious to get going.
backpacking over the hill 