March 15 When I woke my tent was covered in frost. I looked out at the canyon walls to the east, waiting for the sun to poke through and bring some warmth, but no luck this morning. Sometimes the world is too tall, even for the sun. Instead I pack lazily, sipping on hot coffee … More Hayduke Day 5

March 14 By 6:30 I was in the common room of Lazy Lizard Hostel eating the dregs of a community jar of extra crunchy peanut butter. As I topped off my cell phone battery a couple of early risers filled in the room and I casually asked one if he was going in to town … More Hayduke Day 4

March 13 All night long the rain fell, and the creekside camping site turned into a riotous affair. The stream churned a chocolate brown and far above a waterfall opened on the lichen stained cliff wall. Melanie and I attempted to continue our route, trying the exit Courthouse Wash just near where it meets the … More Hayduke Day 3

March 12, 2019 “Am I a thru hiker again?” I ask the sky in the morning. It doesnt respond–that silent assessor–but something inside me says no, not yet. The old skin is still there, not completely shed, but I can feel it peeling. Melanie and I walk along at an easy pace, talking as we … More Hayduke Day 2

March 11 2019 It wasnt supposed to start like this, but what good stories ever do? My journey from there to here has run its course and I’m in the parking lot of Devils Garden Trailhead with my sister, ready to begin. We’re beginning a day early because of a poor weather outlook over the … More Hayduke Day 1