To Southern New Mexico: Our Logistics Good Luck Continues

New Mexico, Land of Enchantment has the most lovely license plates I've seen. 

We boarded a luxurious Greyhound bus in Albuquerque this morning well before sunrise, waking at 3am to a silent hostel of sleeping travelers. We quickly packed our bags and shared a chicken salad sandwich we'd purchased the night before at a nearby market. After sleeping only little and lightly, we had both awoken easily. Amid silent streets, we walked the 0.8 miles to the Amtrak & Greyhound station, grateful for our layers of fleece which held back the chilly air.

Beautiful mosaics adorned Albuquerque

Despite the early hour, the station filled with a cross section of travelers. We boarded with 10 others the bus coming from Denver and bound for Las Cruces. Once onboard, we gratefully fell to sleep, wedging our bodies against one another & the seats to create just enough comfort for sleep to be possible.

We had planned to spend a night in Las Cruces, based solely on logistical necessity. Even though we arrived by 8:30am, the westbound Greyhound connection had already departed for the day. Research ahead of time meant this information wasn't a surprise, but it was still disappointing. Worse was the fact that the nearest lodging was 5 miles away. Bleary eyed as we disembarked the early morning bus, we didn't know what to do, or in which direction to proceed. One of the practices we've adopted over the years helped us address this quandary. The practice is based on being legitimately lost in the woods, but applied well to this situation as well. It goes like this - when it's unclear which is the correct direction to proceed, stay put, drink water, eat something & only then pull the maps back out to consult. Fortunately for us, there was a lovely Mexican restaurant adjacent to the bus drop off, Chachi's, where we gratefully consumed huevos con chorizo and a custom avocado, egg & cheese breakfast burrito. 

Breakfast nourishment encouraged us to start walking the 5 miles to town. After all, walking is why we came to New Mexico. About 2 miles  into the walk, a retired couple on their way out to breakfast in town offered us a ride into town. Isaac & Tilly had lived in the area since 1968, with his work for NASA also taking them to Florida & California. They mentioned that there was another bus company, El Paso Limosine, that also provides service to Lordsburg, our desired destination.  All within an hour time, we had gone from being lost, resigned to spending an unwanted night in Las Cruces, to being dropped off right at the bus station with an upcoming departure at 11am. There were two principles at play in this encounter that astounded me. First, it helps to get physically closer to where one is desiring to go. From Seattle, the logistics of getting to the start of the Continental Divide Trail southern terminus were overwhelming & unfigurable, despite research. It took faith & past experience of success to be willing to just keep taking the next step. The other principle is one that Reed & I talk about each time we plan a trip with many logistics. It involves a tremendous amount of chaos & unknown. No matter how well we plan, the last couple of days before getting on trail end up presenting chaos & usually, surprising resolutions to the chaos. I don't think that chaos is indicative that resolution will follow, but it almost seems that it is a necessary step in the process.

So, here we are, sitting at McDonald's in Lordsburg, having just finished an m&m Mcflurry. It's 2:15, the motel where we'll stay, and hopefully sleep tonight, is just 1/2 mile away.  The plan for this afternoon is to take naps, buy and package foods & lounge in preparation for tomorrow. But, wouldn't you know it, we were finally able to arrange a shuttle to Crazy Cook monument while sitting at the bus depot in Las Cruces. That's exactly where we've been hoping we'd be able to start the hike, but the logistics of it required a shuttle. Take one step & the next step in the path will appear.