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Tag Archives: Lincoln National Forest

A Lazy Day in the White Mountains of New Mexico

Woke up at the crack this morning, which is around six a.m., I believe, because Zoloft wanted to go out. I should have stayed up, saddled Rio and driven to the South Trail to do our 14 mile, 2700′ elevation change rike up the mountain. That’s my new word, “rike”, a combination of ride and hike. I just couldn’t do it – too tired from exercising yesterday and the day before’s rike up the Turkey Creek Trail, across on the Crest Trail and down on the Argentina Trail. Went back to bed and awoke at 9:30, too late to get started.

First thing I did was what I’ve been dreading – hooked up the trailer and four wheel drove my rig out of the low campsite I’d stupidly driven the whole thing into. No problem! Put it in neutral, pushed the magic 4L button, backed up and maneuvered the rig so I had a straight shot up the rocky hill and drove out. Whew….

Now I’m sitting above where we camped last night, just having fed the horse and the dog. I’m sweating the water supply. I’ve only got one bucket’s worth of water left for Rio, which is probably enough for today but definitely not tomorrow. However, the trail we’re going on is supposed to have streams with water for horse and dog a large proportion of the trip.

I’m looking around at the reading/browsing materials I brought along and am struck by how ridiculous some things seem in my current situation. For example, the cover of Southern Living announces, “101 Decorating Ideas – Pretty color combos & easy makeovers AND How to put it all together.” Just what I need!

I had to come to the big city of Ruidoso to fill my horse trailer’ s water tank up. I didn’t have to come this far but decided to do a load of wash and use someone’s free wireless. This must be a totally different town during ski season because now most of the shops and restaurants are now closed. No fun at all! It’s certainly cheaper this way, a however.

rei get now I’m going to try and register for a Photoshop class at ACC. I should have done it on the 25th of April, when I was first allowed.. success, I’m registered! Went to the bathroomq when ready to leave and glanced! At myself in the mirror. what a sight! .

2700 feet up Turkey Creek Trail in the Lincoln National Forest of New Mexico

29 Apr

4.29.12
This morning Zoloft and I awoke around eight a.m after a lousy sleep, again. It was delightfully cool. The Boy Scouts next door were making breakfast and packing up to leave. I had the brilliant idea to ask them for any of their remaining water because my water tank in the horse trailer is very low and there is no water available at this site, for neither man nor beast. They kindly filled up Rio’s water buckets and asked me questions about my horse. Told them that when I was about fifty I decided, “Hey, I can buy me a horse!…….. Get a college education and when you’re older you can get what you want too.” They were from El Paso and ranged in age from eleven to fourteen.

It seems to take me forever to get out of camp on my horse but, finally, we made it. The three of us, Rio, Zoloft and I, started UP the Turkey Creek. The going was rocky and, almost immediately, we could feel the effects of the altitude. Austin, Texas is at about 500′ unless you live up on a hill, which we don’t. WELL, Ruidoso, New Mexico is at 6900′, our campground is at 8000′. the trail tops outta about 9200′. he s, I almost instantly was light headed and very tired very quickly. The trip is best told in photos. Met only three people the whole five hours we were gone – Chris, EX-owner of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Taos, New Mexico and his two dogs who redirected me as I was about to take a very long trail and two fast day hikers who took the photo of the three of us when we met up with them on the Turkey Creek (#40) trail going UP. The Turkey Creek trail is not one to repeat, it was rocky and densely forested with no water. At the end of that I caught the Crest Trail (#25) which went through the beautiful grass and on sandy trails and wound around the ridges. Took the Argentina Trail down. It was much prettier than the Turkey Creek trail, had water (a trickle – enough for dogs and horses to drink), much more open space, was not as rocky and steep. We had left camp at about nine a.m., returned exhausted at about 2:30pm. We’d ascended more than 1300′, about half of it I’d walked, leading Rio because either it was steep and rocky or I just needed the exercise. Zoloft wanted to be UNDER Rio because he provided shade and, once, Rio stepped on the poor gal’s foot. Luckily, with all the padding on the basset’s foot, she seems unhurt.

Later in the afternoon Chris, the man from Taos, came by and told me about some of his favorite trails around Taos in Carson National Forest. The big question is whether the trails are open yet because they’re higher up and usually don’t open till later in May or even June.