It was 5:30 am and still dark. My friend Zoë asked, “How are you feeling this morning?” We were driving to Lordsburg, New Mexico, where I planned to take a shuttle that the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) arranged for hikers to get to the remote southern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) at the US and Mexico border. I said, “I’m feeling…..normal, and yeah, sure, I’m excited to start walking.” Zoë responded, “For the rest of your life, right?” I laughed hard. I thought she had a good insight into what I was about to begin – a new chapter of my life as a thru-hiker.
A year ago, I took a leave of absence from my work and hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. At the end of the 2,661–mile journey, I wished that I could keep going. I briefly went back to my job as the full-time Director of Equity and Inclusion at NatureBridge. On April 15th, I said goodbye to my dream job, stored my stuff in my friends’ homes, packed my backpack, and came to New Mexico to hike the Continental Divide Trail.
The shuttle or to be accurate, two high clearance 4WD trucks, took 7 of us to the southern terminus. Compared to 50 people departing each day from the PCT southern terminus, I thought I would see much less traffic on the CDT, which I was hoping for. We took some photos and I set my first step into the sandy trail towards the north, leaving the monument and people behind.
I heard that the CDT is a different level of thru-hiking compared to the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It’s the longest out of all three and very remote. It is rugged and goes along the Continental Divide and Rocky Mountains. In Colorado, the trail reaches over 13,000 feet. The desert section in New Mexico is 777 miles, 70 miles longer than the PCT desert section.
It’s one thing to understand what you’re getting yourself into. It’s another thing to go through it and let your body, mind, and spirit live it. Soon after I left, the trail disappeared. I was walking on the dried river bed when I saw a CDT trail sign on a post occasionally. Afternoon intense heat, sinking every step into the sand, carrying 14 pounds of water, and constant route finding consumed a lot of my mental and physical energy. There was no natural water source. Yet, the desert is full of life and beauty. The CDTC put five water cashes in the first 84 miles for hikers to get water. I was constantly carrying somewhere between 5 to 15 pounds of water to make it through. Even on the first day, I understood that CDT is a different game. Another thing I noticed was that it is extreme. From being scorched by the sun and sweating in the heat to putting my rain jacket on for a brief snowstorm and looking for a place to shelter from the wind gusts then falling asleep in the quiet full moon-lit desert evening, these all happened in less than a week! The interesting thing is that everything feels so normal in a very extreme environment. I’m comfortable in discomfort if that makes any sense. I was exhausted at the end of the day and at the same time, I was content.
It was just yesterday when I first saw the natural source of water that is clear and flowing. The moment I saw that, I relaxed and smiled. The day before I was willing to drink water from a cow tank that was full of bees and mosquito larvae!
Today while I was sitting for my lunch, a hummingbird came to visit. A good sign – I thought. Small and full of energy. As I left the most brutal part of the desert in terms of heat and water scarcity, I hope to enter the Gila wilderness, America’s first designated wilderness area, with the energy of humility.
Appreciation: Big thanks to those who helped me to transition from my full-time job at NatureBridge to a full-time thru-hiker. Beverly, Bhavana, Brian, and Francis for storing my belongings while I’m on the trail, Alexis for keeping my truck, Carol Anne and my former housemates, Brian and Dom for helping me move out, Carrie, Kelly, Francis, and Kristy for holding and sending my resupply. For those who helped me prep and pack food, including my East Bay Japanese community, Endria, Jen, Lesley, Mac, Maria, and Yoko. Alexis for taking me to the airport and Zoë for getting me from the Albuquerque airport and driving me to Lordsburg. For those who donated to financially support me- thank you. Your names are acknowledged on my support page. Those who work at CDTC for driving us to the southern terminus and those who picked me up on the road. Finally, water angels who left unexpected water caches in a remote area- you saved my life.
Best learnings: the sun will always rise from the east! I’m so embarrassed to say this because, in my 20+ years of wilderness navigation experience, I never made this mistake until now. I went southbound for about a mile when I got back on the trail from my camp at 6 am in the dark. I saw the sunrise and thought it was strange that the sun was rising from the west, still thinking that I was going north. A few minutes later, a couple I met the day before came up and that’s when I realized that I was going south! On the CDT, an app called Far Out was highly recommended by the CDTC. I never liked using an app like this because it makes it easier to disengage my senses. This was an example of how lazy I became. A true learning for me to be humble and always exercise my senses.
Challenges: Water scarcity was more serious than the PCT desert section. I dreamt of bathing in the cool stream after hot days.
Disappointment: going southbound without stopping to doubt myself when I saw the sunrise! Broke my beloved spoon but I guess it saves me 0.5 oz weight.
Exciting moments: full moon early morning walk, desert sunrise, wildflowers, meeting a couple from Australia who share my values of love for nature, and finding a water cache at the end of the day when I was ready to camp without enough water!
