February 29, 2024
Day 9: Guadalupe Peak “Rest” Day
Really nice “rest” day today. Nice to be out of the saddle for a day and Jude and I both love hiking. Plus these mountains are really beautiful, it’s definitely an underrated National Park. We both slept in a bit, thanks to my new warm sleeping bag! The tent held up well with the freezing rain and snow, but by the time we got out it was mostly melted. We broke out Elizabeth’s granola for breakfast in the tent and got ready for the hike up Guadalupe Peak.
We bundled up to start but soon shed layers as we were working hard for the first 1.5 miles, climbing a bit over 1,000 feet. It eventually became a gentler slope and we had some great sunny views of Bear Canyon and Hunter Peak. As we climbed higher, though, it became slightly chillier and a bit snowier, but no ice, just slush. We added layers back on as we neared the top and the wind picked up again. No views due to the clouds so we took our requisite summit picture and headed back down. The summit was at 8,719 feet and we had gained about 3,000 feet in just 4.5 miles. This was my 36th state high point and Jude’s 28th. We passed 4 groups or solo hikers on the way up and maybe 10 on the way down. We made it up in 2:15 and back down in 1:30. We took it super easy so we didn’t hurt our quads or knees for the next few days on the bike. We didn’t take any breaks, either, though. Just like when we ride, we generally have the same pace and are able to key off each other well. We had some good conversations, too, just about life, Jude’s trip and random thoughts.
Back down at camp we had our lunch of rolled tortillas with PB&J, Nutella and summer sausage (not all at once), and then hit the Visitor’s Center to fill up water bottles and charge electronics. Back at camp our tent had blown over on one side, so we secured it again with sticks and rocks. Stakes don’t work in the rocky soil. I took a short nap and Jude rested on the picnic table. Then we headed back out on a 4-mile out-and-back hike to Devil’s Hall. This one was fairly level but rocky as it was mostly in a wash with a bit of minor scrambling near the end. Erosion has some really cool effects and it was definitely worth the hike. Another underrated part of the Park. We also met Joe and Kalyn from New York. Jude noticed them filming and asked if they had a YouTube channel. They said this is their third channel and this one is finally catching on. They mainly talk about life on the road as they travel to different short term jobs and take different trips with their 5th wheel RV, their pet rabbit, and their newly adopted dog from the oil fields near Pecos, TX. They’ve been at it for 5 years and are starting to make enough from their latest channel to be self-supportive. This summer they’ll head to Alaska with another RV couple. They were a really nice couple and were very interested in Jude’s trip. They found out he was going to Wheaton College and then started talking about church. They had kept up with their church online during their travels, but more recently started attending local churches in-person. Jude shared a bit about his experiences at different churches in his travels as well. The connections we make in-person are so much stronger and richer, and I’m glad Jude has pursued the intentional communion with other believers in the body of Christ on his trip. We all come from different cultures and traditions, but the bond of sharing a common belief in Christ and his salvation for us is truly special, spiritual and eternal. As we parted ways with Joe and Kalyn in the trail, Jude said one of the best part of this trip has been meeting people, talking to them and learning about their lives.
When we returned to our campsite, we found our sticks and rocks had held up this time as the wind had picked up even more. We found a guy from Louisville who boiled water for our beef stroganoff and chicken pesto pasta. Thanks Gary! Then we talked to Elizabeth, Primrose and Clarissa before having dessert. We’re hoping the wind dies down tonight and we’re a bit nervous about how cold it will be to start the day. We’re glad to have each other, though, and to bounce ideas off each other and make plans for the 100+ mile ride to El Paso tomorrow.
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