Because the six million steps of the Continental Divide Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and the Coast-To-Coast Southern Route begin, ends, or lays over at practically my doorstep…
I’ve hung a shingle out offering the needed services for all those who answer the call to walk or pedal the length or breadth of the continental United States.
My name is BigAddison and I’m the self-appointed head of tourism for the Village of Columbus, New Mexico, and it’s MOST usual for my day here in the middle of nowhere to go something like this.
“BZZZZZT” vibrates the phone in my pocket. I got a new text from an unknown sender: “I need a shuttle ride from El Paso airport to Columbus”. I call the number and meet Tod. Tod needs that ride TOMORROW. Fortunately my schedule was clear.
I sent Tod a payment prompt to his phone and bing-bang-boom I’m booked and paid to pick-up Tod curbside at the airport at 12:30 pm and drop him off at the New Mexico / Mexico Border Port of Entry in Columbus. Why? Because Tod is going to hike the nearly 3000 mile long Continental Divide Trail (CDT). It’s going to take him 6 months. This is his third attempt. He’s 68 y.o.
Tod’s plane arrived right on time. Unfortunately the right time was 10:30am, not 12:30pm. Tod forgot about the time change as he lives in….wait for it….COLUMBUS, OH.
Leaving my house at 10:30am I arrived just after noon (early on my schedule), and quickly found Tod standing curbside at the small airport. A quick “How-do-you-do”, tossing the backpack in the trunk, and we are west bound for the New Mexico / Mexico border. I’ll be back home by 2:30 to go about my day. But, like the weather changes in an instant out here in the high desert of the southwest, Tod threw a monkey in to the works.
“Addison, I’ll pay you whatever, buy you lunch, and fill your gas tank up if you’ll drive me up north a ways so I can stash half my food that I’ll hike to in about a week?”
The reason was to shed the weight for the first leg of his hike. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Good money, good company, and as it turned out, a really beautiful drive through country I hadn’t yet traveled. So north we went. Bypassing the usual 60 mile trip home parallel to the border wall, we stayed on I10 West and headed to Deming, NM where we ate a good Mexican meal and then headed north towards Silver City.
As we approached Bayard, NM (thirty or so miles up the 180), I asked Tod where exactly he wanted to stop to hide his food cache. Consulting his route on his phone app he began to give me driving instructions. We headed east from Bayard to the back country of the Mimbres Mountains where the gigantic Chino Copper Mine has been operating for over a century.
And we kept going and going.
Now I’m getting a bit concerned about how far we’re going to go. There’s no gas stations or much of anything out here. “Just 15 miles to a left turn, then 5 or so miles to the spot” Tod relays. Now four hours since we left the airport we cross of a cattle guard into the Gila National Forest and immediately notice the road sign indicating a hiking trail.
Then he sees it. The “CDT TRAIL MARKER” just off the side of the highway.
We pulled over and parked safely just off the road.
After a much need stretch and natures call, Tod begins separating his food into a white canvas “Bear Proof” bag he then ties up on a utility pole just next the trail.
With the mission complete we return to the car and head south to Columbus. About 150 miles to go.
“Okay Tod, by the time we get back to Columbus it’ll be 6:30 or so. Why don’t you just stay in my Bed & Breakfast tonight no charge, and I’ll drop you in the morning at the border. How’s that sound?” Of course that was an offer he couldn’t pass up. And so it was. Arriving to a couple of very happy and very hungry dogs, I gave Tod a quick tour, showed him his room and bid him goodnight. Eight hours of total driving and I was wiped.
We were up early after a good nights sleep.
I delivered Tod to the border just before sunrise. Taking a quick selfie of us for the scrapbooks, a hearty hug and handshake, a “Take care and God Bless”, Tod was off to step on the borderline, turn around, and take the 1st of 6,000,000 steps.
Vaya con Dios Tod!
Who’s Next?
Contact BigAddison
Text First (DO NOT CALL) to 626-335-1000
Links:
Hole in the Wall Getaway – B&B Hotel
Columbus, NM Online Visitors Center
