Follow Strider's Rambles

Day 23

Last night I showered and was just in time to join the October meeting of book club. Our discussion was lively, though most of us enjoyed the selection “Unlikely Animals”. Afterwards, I slept in a real bed in what Becky called their bunkhouse.

Becky & Scott’s house was the perfect setting for a trail zero. It was centered amongst rock edged beds with cacti, lemon & orange trees, and pomegranate bushes. A maze of gravel pathways wound around the house and amongst the beds. After rising, I joined Becky and Monika on the back porch for delicious french press coffee. We watched birds flit around the feeder; a couple hummingbirds buzzed by our heads. Mainly I chatted with Monika about the PNW and pet sitting.

Becky made a huge, delicious veggie salad with a homemade citrus vinaigrette. Then I sewed seven holes in my pants and did laundry. We went to the post office and I got a town tour – brief, as Tonto Basin is a tiny town. There was a long new bridge which had saved lives by elevating the road over a wash that seasonally flash floods.

I got nourishing animal love from Rosie the dog and Andy the cat. For dinner, I ate Tilamook vanilla ice cream and sauerkraut, my two cravings. Becky and Scott were amazing hosts! I could feel the love they have for the trail and hiker community.

Day 24

This morning I ate homemade yogurt and granola for breakfast, what a treat! There was also hot coffee and fresh fruit. Scott drove me back to Mills Ridge TH, along the way he pointed out his favorite trail and a hill with dwelling ruins. At the trailhead, Scott checked on their water cache.

Soon I strode along the crest of a hill covered in golden grass with delightfully wrinkled hillsides to my left. There were saguaro groves and occasional Prickly Pears sporting fresh red fruits. As I dropped down to the elevation of Roosevelt Lake, there were whole hillsides covered in majestic saguaro.

In January 2023, I did passages 18 & 19 NoBo with my sister and Amanda; time for the SoBo perspective! Passage 19 began when I stepped on the highway and crossed Roosevelt Bridge, which I’d rank amongst the world’s most architecturally pleasing bridges. A couple miles later, I took the side trail to the marina. I refilled my water bottles, bought two snacks, and charged my phone.

The climb out of the marina went from trail to ATV road to trail. The road section had scattered cow groups and a rare fan saguaro. On the final stretch of trail, there were patches of burned vegetation from a fire this summer. I camped near Cottonwood Spring, as we did last time. The area’s edges were burnt, though a large cottonwood still sheltered the flattest spot. The spring water was crystal clear and hosted a couple, flat-backed beetle like bugs.

Day 25

There was an adorable skunk wandering near my tent this morning! Once I set off, I had fun walking up the soft bottom of the wash, then weaving in & out of it as the trail traversed either side. I flushed a large group of quail and a couple rabbits. I’m continually surprised how many quail live in this dry landscape.

After several miles and 1,000 ft. of gain, a sign announced the Superstition Wilderness. I saw movement; it was a horned lizard. The first I’d seen since north of Flagstaff! Its pale red hide was an almost perfect match for the rock on which it perched. Shortly after, I startled eight white-tailed deer and they ran up a steep hillside. Then I spotted a second horned lizard and gently picked it up.

When I reached Walnut Spring, I knelt at the edge of the box and looked into the depths. I was sadly contemplating how it had turned from veggie water to dead lizard water when I heard a rattling inches from my knees. Pulling back and peering under the metal lip of the spring box, I saw a rattle tipped dark snake body winding away from me. I appreciated the warning and relocated to the other side of the box to gather my water.

In the afternoon, I hiked past a rocky hilltop and used FarOut to navigate a couple unclear trail sections. At Reavis Creek, I found clear, cold, and flowing water. I gathered enough for the rest of the day and on into the following morning. That meant I could camp anywhere! I hiked until dusk, making it 21 miles.

Day 26

The day quickly got warm. I recognized the spot where I met Darwin in January 2023. He’s the only backpacking celebrity that I’ve met on trail and chatted with me like any other thru-hiker. There was so much water on trail that month!

Late morning, I followed instructions from last fall in my search for Mud Spring. I returned to the previous waypoint, but didn’t go far enough north and hence returned to the wash, thinking it would be easier. Instead, it contained a lot of vegetation that I dodged under & around. However, I spotted a thin, black tube that I followed to a rock-walled spring box nestled into the wash’s rocky sidewall. Very cool. To reach the water, I balanced my stomach atop the wall and used a scoop. Bees buzzed about me, also interested in the water. I used a stick to retrieve a tiny garter snake from the spring.

In the wash’s shade, I had a fancy snack, an actual apple to go with my cashews. I filtered two liters and stored a third liter in my BeFree. Apparently it was ~100 degrees when I got back on trail. As the day wore on into late afternoon and I neared the highway, I debated how I’d get into Superior. I ended up texting trail angel MJ, who responded almost immediately. Thirty minutes later, she picked me up at Picketpost TH and gave me a town tour, despite having a tooth pulled only a short while earlier! She also took me by the Copper Mountain Motel to retrieve my resupply box.

Such luxury, I took my second shower in four days! I also got to eat vanilla ice cream for dessert and sit on a comfy couch to do internet activities. MJ had a sweet, orange & white cat named Daisy who allowed me to pet her, more interested in my resupply box than in myself.

Day 27

Upon waking, MJ and I chatted while I sipped coffee. Then she made me eggs with veggies & cheese, two Beyond Meat sausage, and orange juice. Due to her tooth, she had yogurt and juice. Afterwards, we went to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, where she was a member and I entered as her guest. Together we saw a Queen butterfly and colorful cacti sculptures, then MJ returned home to rest.

I explored the Arboretum for several hours. It is Arizona’s oldest botanical garden. There was a giant eucalyptus tree, nearly 100 years old. However, my favorite plants were the cacti, especially the Golden Barrel Cactus. Even better, I got several amazing lizard pictures! On trail, they scurry away so quickly, except for the horned lizards that freeze. Perhaps it was my slower pace or the lack of hiking poles?

MJ kindly picked me up when I finished at the Arboretum. I asked if we could go by Felicia’s Ice Cream Shop. We did and of course the owner, a man with a large mustache, knew MJ – small town life. He chatted with us as we ate. My scoops of peach & praline pecan were a generous size. Back at MJ’s, we ate lunch, chatted, and I packed my gear. After internal debate, I ordered new shoes to Oracle.

At 3:30 pm, MJ delivered me to the Picketpost TH. (I forgot to mention that ALDHA-West gave her their Trail Angel of the Year award.) We hugged, then I was off in good spirits and with the day’s heat fading. About six miles later, a nero, I erected my tent on a saddle, great views in either direction. The moon lit my tent with a faint glow and stars sprinkled the sky. I was happy to be in the wilderness.