The wind that blew all day died down overnight. I was barely warm in my sleeping bag, but I didn’t don my long john bottoms or my wind jacket. The trail gained elevation to a northeast-trending ridge where I had expansive views plus cell phone service. I called Betsy to check in. From the ridge the trail slowly lost elevation through ponderosa pine forest then Douglas-fir forest the piñon-juniper woodland. I passed by a dry lake densely populated with grasses. In two miles, I passed by a water cache. I took only a little opting to fill my bottles at a metal stock tank in a mile. Past the tank, the trail climbed for two miles to US Hwy 12. I could have hitched 28 miles to Reserve, NM, but opted to walk 40 miles to Pie Town. The last 4.7 miles of the day were hard on my feet. I found a fine campsite under a ponderosa pine. Hikers, Minutes and Bartender, were setting up their tent. We chatted then got down to business of setting up camp and eating dinner. 22.2 miles today.
Al,
Nice recovery ! I do not know if you read this stuff , but I once ran 113 miles using Vaseline on my feet to cut down the friction.