Epilogue

What would you do different? I would not travel in June and not during a drought. Spring or fall, especially in a normal moisture year, would be more enjoyable. Dodging fires and scarcity of water made us bypass some parts (Middle and West Forks of the Gilia River, Black Range, Tularosa Mts) I would have liked to seen. I would also check my ego at the door. The CDT especially on a mt bike is a lot harder than other trails Iike the Colorado Trail.

What would you do the same? Mountain biking is the way to go on the CDT in NM. Though you can not do the cross-country parts and have to get off the bike to hike the wilderness areas, you can bike those miles and miles of dirt road that is the CDT in much of NM. This year, with the drought and fires, we would not have made it on foot in June. I would not change our gear. With everything attached to our bikes we did not need a trailer and could ride the CDT not just the GDR. I also like using a bounce box and will continue to do so on future long distance trips.

What were your favorite parts? Spending a whole month with my daughter, Cassi. What a bright, tough, amazing person. Sunrise and sunsets in the desert. Riding my bike (almost) every day. Eating whatever I wanted (and more). The folks of Pietown (oh yeah, the pie was good too). Malpais especially the ice caves. San Pedro Parks. Ghost Ranch, especially Box Canyon. The single track down to Cumbres Pass.

What were your least favorite parts? The mid day heat. Lack of water. South side of Big Burro Peak, Martinez Canyon, and losing water bottles (mainly because of the first two)

Would you do it again? Maybe to visit the parts we bypassed. First I'd like to complete the rest of the CDT, the PCT, perhaps the AT ... Too many trails. Not enough time.