Day 22 to Harris Bear Spring

We returned to the CDT today heading west. It was hard to pull away from the vortex of Ghost Ranch, especially after another AYCE breakfast, but we managed. We said goodbye to Ro as he headed east to return to the GDR. We passed the 2 CDT section hikers we'd seen on Mount Taylor on our way out.

After a few miles of highway then dirt road, we were back on trail. We alternatively rode/pushed our bikes to the top of Mesa de los Viejos and were rewarded with outstanding views of the Chama River and reservoir and the Piedra Lumbre. We could also see a new fire to the southeast that we'd later learn was the big burn near Los Alamos. The morning's single track was fun climbing, traversing then descending from the mesa. We then began a hot climb eventually ascending to cooler ponderosa forest.

After lunch we got lost in a 3 hour/3 mile bushwhack in overgrown Martinez Canyon. There was no trail to be seen and it was impossible to push our bikes through the brambles. We tried climbing out of the canyon only to face a set of sheer cliffs. When I get upset I curse (above quote) while Cassi usually gets sad. I was all set to give up on the CDT and return to dirt road but Cassi's optimism convinced us to try a faint cow path we'd come across. 30 minutes later the canyon opened up and we were back on recognizable trail. Soon after we passed a rancher looking for his cows, the only person we'd seen since leaving Ghost Ranch.

The end of our hard day was a long climb to 9400 feet and Harris Bear Spring. The water was cool, clear and flowing well. An open meadow begged to be camped on, so we obliged. I am in total agreement with what Cassi wrote in her journal, "As long as the trail is not as tough as the thicket through Martinez canyon, I will not complain and be forever grateful."