Men: think twice if you believe that you are better hikers than women. Jennifer Pharr Davis just set the record for the fastest walk down the Appalachian Trail (2,180 mile trek from Maine to Georgia). She did it in a record 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes! Here she is at the finish line. Not long ago Sunrise Hiker Hall of Famer, James Holloway, hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail.
Hiking and walking take a toll on our feet. I asked two of our experts, Judy Ackerman and John Moses, what tips they can give us for foot care. Both emphasized wearing good footwear and breaking in your boots first before doing long hikes in them. Wear them for some walks around the block before taking a trek up the mountain. Judy and John also emphasized the importance of clean, dry socks. Both carry an extra pair on every trek. Judy mentioned that properly laced high top boots will help toes from being jammed (and a toenail lost) when going downhill. Judy repeated that hikers must find what works for them: foot powder, insoles, ointments – whatever. My favorite after hike care is to soak my feet in a basin of very warm water with dissolved Epsom salts! Checkout online tips here and here. If you are diabetic, go here. For overall foot pampering – here.
Here’s our line-up of upcoming hikes:
Thursday, August 4 at 6:00 a.m. South Tin Mine/East Cottonwood Springs Hike. Meet at Chuck Heinrich Park. (Parking is at the end of Jon Cunningham Blvd. just west of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.) This is an easy to moderate hike over good trails except for the last 100 yards to East Cottonwood Springs, which is bushwhacking over firm and loose rocks and cactus. Hike leader Mark Worley calls this a 3 hour moderate hike.
Saturday, August 6 at 7:00/8:00 a.m. Dripping Springs. With the recent rains, will the falls be roaring or dripping or something in between? Come and find out on this easy 3.5 mile hike with very little elevation gain into the beautiful Organ Mountains. The hike culminates at an old sanitarium with a lovely natural pool and waterfall. Sorry, pets are not allowed.
Easy directions: Go north on I-10 to Las Cruces. From the junction of I-10 and I-25, follow I-25 north one mile to the University Avenue Exit. Turn right (east) on University Ave. University Avenue will turn into Dripping Springs Rd. Follow Dripping Springs Road east for about 5 miles until the pavement ends. Continue an additional 2.5 miles to the junction of Dripping Springs Rd. and Baylor Canyon Rd. Just a little further ahead on Dripping Springs Road you will find the paved entrance to Dripping Springs Natural Area. The entrance fee is $3 per vehicle.
Meet at the I-10/Transmountain Shell Station at 7 a.m. for carpooling. Otherwise, we will see you in the parking lot of the Visitor’s Center at Dripping Springs at 8 a.m. Bring plenty of water and a snack.
After our hike, there’s plenty to do and great places to eat in Las Cruces. After all, what’s an excursion without food and libations, good company, and rollicking conversation. One of our favorite places in Cruces is the High Desert Brewing Company. One Sunriser suggested the International Delights Café. There’s always a fine selection of restaurants in Mesilla. And, of course, Hatch is less than 40 miles up scenic Highway 185. What’s in Hatch? Sparky’s of course. All I’ve thought about recently are their Chile Mango shakes. Perhaps, before lunch or afterwards depending on when we finish our hike, there is the Las Cruces Farmers Market. Look for Karen Hackey’s decorative sandblasting art. No visit to Cruces (or the Farmers Market) is complete without spending time browsing books at COAS Bookstore.
Saturday, August 6 at 7:30 a.m. Reservoirs Down the Valley Birding Trip. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Feather Lake, 9500 North Loop at Bordeaux. Carpool from there. Bring lunch, water and binoculars.. This is a popular trip because we'll visit three reservoirs in the Lower Valley that offer a variety of land birds and water birds. The first stop will be McNary, then on to Ft. Hancock and finally Tornillo with a stop along the way to have a picnic lunch. Some possible birds are egrets, herons, hawks, pelicans, gulls, sandpipers, grebes, cormorants, ducks and others. Nonmembers of Audubon Society and beginners are always welcome. Contact Mark Perkins 637-3521 or mperkins4@elp.rr.com.
Every Sunday is Scenic Sunday at Scenic Drive from 6 - 11 a.m. Walk, run or bicycle this 4.1 mile round trip of panoramic views and 500 million-year-old fossils. Pets (dogs) are allowed. Even Chihuahuas.
Do check out, bookmark and join the El Paso Hiking Group and the Las Cruces Hiking Group. Bookmark Celebration of Our Mountains now and start looking for a line-up of their fall festival (September – November) excursions.
Finally, the El Paso Sunrise Hikers, Franklin Mountains State Park Volunteers, the El Paso Ridgewalkers and the El Paso Hiking Group are having a rummage sale at this year’s Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta on September 17th to benefit the Franklin Mountains State Park. Please donate any good, clean used (or new) hiking or camping gear that you don’t plan on using again. For more information and/or to make a donation, please call Jim Tolbert at 915-525-7364 or email him or call Richard Love at 915-474-1384 or email him. We will arrange to pick up all items that you wish to donate.
Excelsior!
Jim H. Tolbert
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