Off To "Off The Grid"

[BD]

Yesterday we left the mountains ("A" on the map) for a second time and descended into the VALLEY OF FIRES, the black looking lake on the map which is actually lava.  The original plan to hike a ways into the White Mountain Wilderness was thwarted by the CG hostess suggesting that it was a great hike, and that the resident mountain lion was pretty friendly, but watch out for the sow bear and 2 cubs that hang out in the1st mile of the trail. 


Even city slickers like us know that is a combination not to test, so down the hill we went.






Since we got a late start, (seems to be a recurring theme), We decided to head directly for some place with showers to get rid of the 20-30 lbs of dust we'd each accumulated on the ride in and back out.

Though called the Valley of Fires a better name would have been Valley of Monstrous Cow Pies. Three miles wide and 50 or so long, it is a rugged moonscape but also covered with a cool assortment of vegetation.

Ansel Adams - Eat your heart out.

It also happened that this was a night of a full moon so bright that we couldn't resist a night walk around the circuit.  It was so bright that no flashlight was needed.  (Mom-Mom has already given me heck for doing that.)

In reality, the landscape is so forbidding that nothing larger than a pocket mouse lives there.  (And it was too cool out for snakes.).


So....  By the end of the day, we were clean, fed and thoroughly content with the trip so far.


It is now Saturday 5 May.  We made our way from Carrizozo to Albuquerque area where we are overnighting in a hotel in prep for the next leg of the journey.  Had an awesome Mexican dinner at a local joint with the best sopapillas I've ever had. (Actually the only sopapillas I've ever had.)  We've restocked the funmobile and tomorrow at the crack of dawn (or 9 am whichever comes later) we head to Chaco Culture National Historical Park.


This is a well developed NPS facility, but is located far out into the back country with very limited resources, (like food, water, and cell phone coverage).    The roads to the area are long, dusty and rough, but within the park, they are paved.  So the plan is to stay for 2-3 days and explore the area on our bikes.


Anyway, we do not expect to be able to access email or phones for the next several days but will have lots to report when come in off the reservation.


It's late again so that's it for now.






Brad and Val