Already 5.3 miles out from my driveway, I’m continuing my quest to mount the “Three Sisters” aka The Tres Hermanas mountains. 

Er, I meant “to the mount of the Three Sisters.” 😉

Having discovered this trail a week before, I had to turn around at this point because I hadn’t planned for a long ride, and my eBike’s battery was at half mast due to a few rides previous. And the last thing I ever want to do is hike out these hills with a 90 lbs bike in tow.

Now fully charged, I’m here again, and ready to see if I can get to the Tres Hermanas mountains you see in the distance. These mountains are currently under a study to designate them, and our surrounding mountains as a National Historic Monument known as the Mimbres Peaks. As it happens, I’m doing all I can to assist in getting this done. You can visit my site www.MimbresPeaks.com for more information. Anywaaaaaaay….

Three miles later over a really fun and challenging trail (deep sand is not your friend on a bike), I arrived at the feet of the Sisters. I did find a path that went up further than I could see. I made a quick attempt to ride up it, but the shale was so loose I gave up thinking “I really shouldn’t try this out here alone”. That’s the difference between a 16 year old and 64 year old. So, back down the hill I went.

Turning around I was faced with the expanse of the valley my little village finds itself nestled in.

Looking to the east you can see the entirety of the Florida Mountains, also included in the Mimbres Peaks range. Not really sure what this old marker signified, but I noted people have been here a long time. In fact, the indigenous peoples are the Mimbres Indians.

Hence the Mimbres Peaks.  What happened to the Mimbres tribe? Around A.D. 1150 Mimbres society disappeared. Because their pottery is not found elsewhere, it is assumed that the Mimbres did not take their cultural traditions with them when they left the area. Houses and villages were deliberately abandoned. The Paquime tribes were further south in what is now Old Mexico. A two-day trip and tour can be purchased here when available. Check for our next date!

Time to head back to the barn.

I followed the trails down the hill. Some of them turned back up towards the mountains that I’ll have to explore next time. Doubling back I picked up where I turned off and kept heading down. About mile down I came across on old stockyard. Actually, I’ve found many of them up and around these mountains, but this one is by far the most ambitiously built. Although the water tank behind it is dry, and out-of-order, it looks to me like this stockyard is still used from time to time.  I was so impressed I took the time to make this little video tour for you old cowpokes.

Leaving the stockyard, I continued down the trail towards Highway 11, my route back to the village. Having a lot of difficulty on the loose sand of the trail, I decided to go off it and simply coast down the hardened desert floor. Following alongside the trail to make sure I would find all the openings and gates in the fences, I made quick work of a 2 mile descent to the highway, and then four miles back home.

The only thing that would make this ride more enjoyable is COMPANY!

-BigAddison
Host at the Hole in the Wall Getaway B&B