The Turquoise Trail

Last night Thomas and I decided we wanted to do a little letterboxing and hiking this morning. So I checked what was available and got everything together. We decided to try for three more of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series. So that meant a trip down the Turquoise Trail to Cedar Crest. I also wanted to get another of my Alphabetical New Mexico Series planted - 'T'.

We left the house a little before 7:00am and headed out. I always like driving NM14 - it is a great drive and it sure beats the traffic on I25. As we drove I kept my eye out for a good spot to plant my box - we would stop on the way home and hide it. It didn't take us long to get to the trailhead in Cedar Crest. The boxes are hidden in the John A. Milne/Gutierrez Canyon Open Space. We gathered out things and headed down the trail. We enjoyed a great walk, it was cool in the canyon areas. It was quiet and peaceful (when we parked there were no other cars). We followed TT's clues and eventually came to the first box. We found it and sat and stamped in - a very nice stamp and a first finder certificate. Once the box was in place we read the next clues and then continued along the trail. We walked until we came to the next landmark- a arrow with red letters. We followed the clues and in no time had the second box in our hands. I found a shady spot to sit and stamp in. The stamp was really good and there was a first finder certificate and a surprise (a dish towel with a rooster on it). We rehid the box and made our way back to the main trail and followed the clues to the next box. We enjoyed our walk through trees, along arroyos and by meadows. There were quite a few wildflowers along the way. We arrived at the next landmark - a very large ponderosa pine. From there it was only a few short steps to the letterbox. We sat and stamped in and enjoyed our surroundings. I collected another nice stamp and another first finder certificate and another surprise (this time it was a horseshoe - how lucky is that). We rehid the box and the hunting was complete. We still had a little way to go to return to our car. We did encounter a very strange cairn. It was composed of rocks and a creepy little baby doll. So we made it back to the car and talked about how this was a great way to begin the weekend and a great way to spend a Saturday morning. I do have to confess something. I was a little nervous during the hike. TT stated that this is an area that is frequented by mountain lions and bears. And with all the news about bear sightings and attacks in this area I was a little worried. Thankfully we didn't encounter anything ferocious. Here is a little pamphlet I came across that might help you deal with bears when you are out in the wilderness. It is called Be Bear Aware.

It was still early when we got to the car so we stopped and had some breakfast at a cafe right next to the trailhead. Fat Boy Café was pretty good - we had breakfast and coffee and talked about our hike.

Time to head back to Santa Fe and find a spot to hide my box. Thomas and I had picked two potential spots. As we approached the first one we decided to keep going and plant the box at the other spot we found. I felt that it had better views. So we placed the box, wrote the clues and took some pictures. So another letter (T) in my Alphabetical New Mexico series is planted. That makes 14 of the 26 boxes placed. I guess I have a little more work to do. We had a nice drive back home and made it back well before noon. It was a great outing and we really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks Twinville Trekkers for some great boxes in a great area and thanks for the little surprises in the boxes.