This was a day of contrasts. The morning started with more road walking past piñon-juniper woodlands and dry meadows for 4 miles. At De Los Indios Spring, a kind soul left a gallon of water at the turnoff so I didn’t need to walk the half mile to the spring. Onward now on a trail thru more of the same vegetation for 9 miles. The trail was more pleasant than the road. Some of the patches of woodland had burned. I ate lunch where the trail started a steep descent. At the bottom, I filled all my water bottles (5.5 liters worth) and continued north through shale and sandstone rocks of the Colorado Plateau. I crossed the wide Arroyo Chico and gained elevation to a road and a new home. What was it doing here? I gained more elevation to a sandstone escarpment and skirted a steep sandstone cliff. Delightful scenery. About 5 pm, I caught up with Marty McFly and Kale. They were headed for a hoped-for water cache in 4 miles. I was pooped and found a scenic campsite (see photo). 23.3 miles today. I hope the water cache has water. If it doesn’t, the first water tomorrow is 21 miles away.
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