Choose the good.
-from the memoir Educated by Tara Westover
March 17
Gila River Trailhead to Rainwater Collector AZT mile 288.8
26 miles
Boy howdy the heat turned up today. After following the Gila River for miles and hitting the lowest elevation point on the Arizona Trail, I was determined to get to the next water source. The trail leaves the Gila and climbs a few thousand feet up Alamo Canyon. It was a big day and I was determined to get to the rainwater collector by dark. This water source was built for hikers at a very needed location. It was more than glorious reaching it just as sunset lit up the sky. The water is fresh, cold, and clear, unlike the Gila River.
A few of you have asked who in the heck is Ranger John? He is my father in law and also a retired National Park Ranger. Over the last few years, he has faithfully sent me nightly weather and fire reports via Garmin. It has become a highlight of my hikes and always brings a smile to my face no matter how tired I might be.
Another question about my fingers… Yesterday my pinky finger straightened out and all the swelling is gone. I am good to go.
Thanks everyone for your encouragement and following along!
Pingback: Day 4 AZT – Low Point – Lean Into the Heat – Hike Mike
Christy, I love following your footsteps in the beautiful desert. I am with you on spirit.
Georgette
The opening photo is just super beautiful! I like the desert.
Love being able to follow along!
Beautiful pictures. Feel free to post more! Perhaps in the future pictures will be able to radiate the heat they are set in and maybe even the smells. Today’s lesson: I have learned that we PNW dwellers have thicker blood plasma to reduce heat conduction. It takes a couple of weeks to acclimate when we go anywhere else. I feel your fatigue!
That is just crazy. The Arizona Trail would be horrible the first week at least!
I have made a practice of telling every NPS employee I see 1) thank you for making our wonderful parks, monuments, historic sites and rec areas available to us “property owners”, and 2) keep up their superb work as we are counting on them for the sake of our grandkids. Let Ranger John know, ok? Questions: what do you make of that oblong, flattish rock with the indentation at the lower end and what is the building thing? Bathroom? You ARE a model of choosing the good, by the way.
The rock is the most perfect natural in nature sitting bench I have ever seen! The building is the rainwater collection tank built for hikers. Beautiful clear cool water in a very necessary spot. It really is worth a celebration just getting to it.