Journey Day 502 | CDT Day 165

I enjoyed high views into the Gila Wilderness on Thanksgiving 1987.

11/26/87

Thanksgiving begins very cold, stays cold, snows slightly four times. I never take off my rain jacket, polypro pants. Road windy, weather nasty, me nasty. Miss route, possibly would have been OK, but come back a ways to road headed south, which soon hits Route 49.

A ways farther, cross Route 545 with power saws loudening as I approach. I walk by lake, then Torrette Lakes, ducks hanging around. Down canyon after break, guys hauling wood fly by several times.

Canyon to high views into the Gila Wilderness, as the road begins a descent to Reserve. A grader, survey workers working on the road. Looks like it'll soon be paved. Seems like a long way down, legs hurt. One break with cows watching. Now it's sunny. Then push to the bottom. Grader passes, I keep going down. After a day staying on the road, I cut the corner and, of course, end up on the wrong road. Have to walk back. It's getting late.

Angry, I'm glad when I hit the intersection, hike past more cows along the river to the highway. Hear a car coming, rushing to get to the road when I notice Reinker behind the car in his truck.

I dump my pack, we throw football a bit, then cruise toward Glenwood and its hot springs. First check out post office in Reserve. Drink, end up driving an Arizona guy whose car broke down to a phone. He's reckless. We leave him and book down to Glenwood. Stop to ponder meal vs. hot springs.

Decide to take a hotel owned by a relative of Allred, a surgeon in McKinney, Texas, where I worked as a reporter. Another weird coincidence. Into the room, party. Restaurant not open, so we buy frozen Mexican pork dish and ice cream, cookies, potato chips. TV has no channels. Back at the room, munch, party, pass out after unsuccessful search for hot springs.