Follow Strider's Rambles

Day 37

It was a mile from the picnic area to Colossal Cave, where each of us had a resupply box. The cave and its facilities, which included a gift shop, outdoor cafe, and bathrooms, were built into a hillside with a fantastic view of the desert and Santa Rita mountains. The staff were super hiker friendly and encouraged us to hangout, which we did from open to close.

While I sorted my resupply and caught up on email, Charlie got a ride into Vail to pick up a couple things. I tried the prickly pear soft serve and it was delicious. He cleaned out a Talenti container for cold soaking. Eventually we went on a classic cave tour.

The cave got a lot of use over the years so it had broken stalactites and rocks rubbed smooth by human hands. However, it had a fascinating history. First used by Native Americans then as a hideout for train robbers. Later, Frank Schmidt, instrumental in protecting the cave, used to rappel his family and living items into the interior to escape the summer’s heat. During the Great Depression, he turned the cave over to the government (staying on as a caretaker) and 400 CCC workers built the walkway & lighting system.

Our tour guide, Adam, had a passion for the cave that really brought the tour to life. Oooh, and a cool feature, he ran a flashlight over the cave’s wall and it captured the light, creating phosphorescent artwork that slowly faded.

After the tour, it was the heat of the day so we hung out for a while longer. I got pumpkin soft serve and Charlie got french fries. We departed ~3:30 pm, covering 13 miles, the last couple hours in the dark. With crossings of several highways and a plethora of dirt roads, we didn’t miss much by night hiking. The I-10 Underpass had this amazing snake head artwork.

Day 38

All day the trail wound gently up and down through the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. Mid-morning we stopped at Twin Tanks for a shady snack break. I got a liter of water. Charlie serenaded a couple cows; the mom seemed intrigued by the guitar music while her little one fled up a hillside.

The temperature was back to the low 90s. With the open terrain, Charlie & I used our sun umbrellas most of the morning and afternoon. Around 3:30 pm, we reached a resupply box with 27 gallons of water. The Arizona trail angels are amazing! I chugged a liter, filled my bottles, and prepped my dinner. The box also contained a dark chocolate bar, which we split. It was soft, yet not melted.

After 21 miles, we stopped in a flat spot with great views of the surrounding hills and mountains, later of the stars. The comet was barely visible in the sky, having faded even more from last night. Charlie & I both cowboy camped; I wanted to try it once this trail. As I wiped my face and legs free of the day’s trail grime, Charlie strummed his guitar and sang. I enjoyed the music and realized that I was less than 100 miles from Mexico!

Day 39

There were a lot of dirt roads mixed into the first portion of the day. Charlie & I often hiked side-by-side, chatting about birthdays, family, and board games. The terrain was gorgeous, golden grass dotted with oak, juniper, and agave. Eight miles brought us to Kentucky Camp, a historic house originally built during the gold rush days. There was a bathroom, water spigots, and trash cans; a real oasis in the desert.

It was an easy 3.6 mile walk to another water cache, this one with over 30 gallons. I replaced what I drank and added a liter, bringing my total to four. The next water source sounded reliable, but had no recent comments. From the cache, the trail wound along hillsides. I listened to an audiobook.

Our final water source, El Pilar Tank, was a steep, though short, descent from the trail. It was unique, possibly my favorite tank. A deep pool of water lay at the base of a very rough, over 60 ft. tall pillar of rock. We sat in a nearby grassy area to filter water and as we did so, Charlie spotted a coatimundi! We watched the agile, ring-tailed mammal climb down a tree trunk, go up another trunk, and jump to a rock outcropping. Such an awesome sighting!

From El Pilar, the trail dipped into a wash then climbed 500 ft. to a hilltop with a campsite. Unfortunately, it had ant holes and wasn’t very scenic. We ended up going a little further and creating our own site, beside a barely visible road on a ridge.

Day 40

It was a 13 mile hike from our campsite to the Casa Blanca Canyon TH. There were a few short climbs, but much of the trail wove back and forth along a ridge-line that sloped gently downward. My favorite moment was when a handsome green & black patterned lizard, perched on a rock, let me get close for a picture. Seek said it was a spiny lizard.

Once at the trailhead, we walked to Highway 82 and got a hitch into Patagonia. I picked up my last resupply box from the post office. We were saved from walking to TerraSol when Mary, the hostel owner, drove by and had us hop in for the short drive there. TerraSol has tent or RV spots with a common area kitchen and bathroom space. I took a shower then happily put on a loaner shirt and sandals. Charlie ran our laundry through the washer and we hung it to dry.

In the early evening, Charlie & I rode bikes to the Wagon Wheel Saloon. I got nachos with guacamole and he got a burger with fries. An odd music playlist, heavy metal mixed with country, played in the background. Charlie excitedly watched Thursday night football. For the first quarter of the game, I hung out with him. Then I biked back to the hostel, which had a great night-time ambiance, pools of light dotting the yard.