So much has happened since our last adventure. On a global scale, we have all endured the pandemic and associated lockdowns, with the complete up-ending of everything that we once considered normal; on the personal side, an encounter with cancer certainly made me re-assess what I wanted to do and … Read More
Well, I’m sorry to say that after two and a half days of really brutal hiking, we have quit the trail. Progress was simply too difficult, too slow and too strenuous. Hiking through deep snow was exhausting, and if anything had gone wrong I doubted that we would have had … Read More
We’re on our way! Two days later than planned, thanks to us both coming down with flu during the week. But we’re feeling a bit better, so have taken the plunge and driven north to the Drovers Inn at Inverarnan, just north of Loch Lomond. Luckily the outside temperature has … Read More
An inspired idea or complete madness? Time will tell. But when Neil was unexpectedly released from his work contract a month early through no fault of his own, it seemed like a good opportunity to go hiking. The fact that we are both somewhat broke dictated that it would be … Read More
Six and a half weeks to go until we set off for America, and I can’t say I ever thought I would feel this physically unprepared at this stage! I really hoped that stopping work would lead to a major improvement in the state of my back and allow me … Read More
Well, after a hectic three days we’re pretty much ready to go! Since dossing down in Manchester Airport on Sunday night, we’ve taken five flights, numerous airport shuttles, way too many security checks, a seriously late Greyhound bus journey, and finally arrived at Lordsburg, New Mexico at 3am Wednesday local … Read More
Just back from our little trial excursion onto the trail, and pleased to report that we really liked it! It is rough, rocky and spiky underfoot, it’s so hot and windy that it feels like you’re walking under a hairdryer, but it is beautiful. We only walked about 4 miles … Read More
The hike has begun! On Saturday at 6.30am, ten excited hikers piled into two enormous pick-up trucks rented by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and we headed for the Mexican border. Four hours later (with the last three on dirt roads) we arrived at Crazy Cook Monument. After the obligatory … Read More
We’ve just finished the first stage of our hike, and we’re really hoping it might get a little easier soon! We arrived back into Lordsburg at 6.30 last night, the first 85 miles of trail successfully completed. Neil was still smugly blister-free (if a little footsore), while I was limping … Read More
So much for our route getting easier! It’s only been 50 miles since Silver City, but the trail has got harder and harder. After a few easy miles on tarmac then dirt roads on Wednesday evening, we spent Thursday morning winding through the Gila National Forest on steep, rough and … Read More