Double H part 2

This is the second part of our trip to HH in New Mexico. Pictures contributed by Neil, Steve and Rick. Start at the bottom and scroll up.

Tips

· Hiking poles – a must for adults. We all had them and they helped a lot. Not necessary for the scouts. Those that took them never learned to use them and they ended up on their packs most of the time.

· Hat - make sure you have a good hat to keep the sun off. The sun can be intense.

· Be in shape to hike – Bushwhacking is much tougher than trail hiking. HH is all about backpacking. There are some programs but not like Philmont. At HH the hiking is the program. We had 3 tough prep hikes to get ready physically and to get the crew prepared mentally as well. We also had a morning hike every Saturday with packs at a local park.

· If you want to tour the Big Array make arrangements ahead of time. The tours are free but we were unable to work it into our schedule.

· Stoves – we took 3 whisper lights. 2 to cook on and a spare. We took 3 fuel bottles but only used 2. We only used the stoves at dinner for cooking and cleanup.

· Water – We had 3 MSR filters that worked great. At some of the water sources we had to clean them repeatedly but they are easy to take apart and clean so that was not a problem. We tried to pump water from the windmill pipe whenever we could by collecting the water in a pot and then pumping from the pot. We learned that sometimes waiting until evening would provide enough breeze to get the windmills turning. The water tanks are a lovely shade of green but the water looked and tasted fine after filtering. We also treated with polar pure to kill any viruses.

· Water – I packed 4 or 5 liters of water per day depending on the length of that days hike. I always had some water left when we reached camp. It’s good to have some kind of drinking tube so that you can constantly sip to stay hydrated. We all did fine but 2 members of the other crew that went out the same day we did had to be taken off the trail due to dehydration.

· I made my drinking tube out of a piece of tubing and plastic valve I bought at the hardware store. The tubing is what they use to hook up ice makers and there is no taste. I drilled a hole in the top of a 2 liter bottle cap a little smaller than the tube so I have a press fit. I added the valve on the other end with another short piece of tubing for a mouthpiece. The whole rig cost about $6, mostly for the valve. I can replace the tubing for about $.50 instead of trying to clean it. I did have to blow air into it occasionally to re-inflate the pop bottle. I carried 2 2-liters pop bottles and a 3 liter collapsible nalgene. (The idea that pop bottles cannot be reused because of cancer causing chemicals is a myth that continues to circulate the web).

· Hiking boots – Even more critical than at Philmont. Well broken in boots are a must. This is the first time the bottom of my feet got sore from hiking. Not sure what you can do about that, maybe go barefoot a lot to toughen them up ?

· Practice GPS and map and compass. HH is true wilderness navigation and your crew needs to know what they are doing. Be cautious with the GPS and use it only to check location. It can easily become a “video game” if overused.

· Tents – we took a variety of our own tents and ended up using one of the Philmont tents since one of ours arrived without the fly. (No it wasn’t lost, just forgotten) All the tents worked fine. Never had trouble with stakes going in and holding.

· Tarp - We used our own 10x12 lightweigh nylon dining fly with 2 8’ poles. Because of the open country and evening wind we only used 2 pole sections (4’) when pitching.

· Food – same as Philmont but there is no place to trade with other crews. I thought it was fine but I am not picky.

Totally tuckered out.

Looking a little ragged but almost home.

In the Cinci terminal after the longest train ride ever.

Go fish ! Between trains in Chi town.

Day 12 - Home

The train rolls along. We layover in Chicago and head into the city in shifts to get real Chicago deep dish pizza. Not sure what all the hype is. It’s good but nothing different from any other good pizza.

We get on the train to Cinci and it is a real step down from the first train. Smaller seats, less room and more people. To make matters worse we are stuck at one end of a car with a broken door. As the train turns or rocks the door opens – bang – and closes – slam – and opens – bang – and closes – slam. It looks like it is going to be a very long night. I don’t know how right I am.

In the middle of the night we find out the train is delayed. First by a little, then by a lot. It turns out there are floods in Illinois and we have to take a detour that basically doubles the time it takes to get to Cinci. The train has been fun but this last leg puts us over the limit for train travel. It goes on and on and on. Door banging. Train bumping. If I did this again I would look into upgrading to a sleeper compartment.

The moms pick us up in Cinci and drive us (yawn) home. We stop for a big Bob Evans breakfast on the way. It has been quite an adventure.

Some little station, somewhere, sometime in the middle of the night.

Great clouds

The conductor impresses us all with his artistic talent.

Eagerly anticipating dinner.

Watching the rain on the plain (no, we are not in Spain)

Here we go, back on the train again.

Ben gets schooled in table tennis.

And of course, the hot tub.

There was plenty of time to enjoy the large pool.

The scouts busy themselves making the beds.

Mean while Chuck watched Lord of the Rings for the 14th time.

I wonder if they were taking pictures of us taking pictures of them.

They came right over the hotel.

Here they come.

We were greated by flight of hot air balloons first thing in the morning.

Another shot from the hotel

This impressive massif overlooks Albuquerque

Our great hotel - the Plaza Inn

Day 11 - R&R and then back on the train

After sleeping in we open the drapes and are greeted by a half dozen hot air balloons heading our way through the morning light. They head right toward our hotel and look bright and cheerful against the dry blue New Mexico sky. Our train does not leave until around noon and there is nothing interesting within walking distance of our hotel so we spend our morning in the pool and hot tub or watching TV.

When it is time to leave for the train the shuttle driver does an impressive job of fitting all of us and our luggage into a single hotel shuttle. He clearly has had enough experience to know how to use every cubic inch of available space to his advantage.

We know the train routine and quickly board and get settled. It turns out that the crew that took care of us so well on the way out is on this run as well and we are happy to see each other again. After dinner the conductor entertains the boys by drawing a variety of super hero comic characters on the paper covering the tables. I snooze, read and listen to books on tape and prepare for another night of sleeping in a chair.

Ready to invade the hotel

Ears on and cruisin' down the highway

A little more waiting

The last desert flower

Last chance to teach Taylor how to play Euchre

Waiting for the van to the big city

Load up those packs

Hooray ! The trucks are here !

Ganola and some kind of bar again today...

Time for a leisurely breakfast.

What a clever name for a gate.

This tumbleweed's tumbling days are over

Luke and Tim may be regretting wearing red T-shirts today.

Keep on truckin

Stampede !

Does anyone see a gate ? Or a fence ? Or a road ?

Maybe these tracks are from the coyote we heard last night.

Purty

The mysterious and unforgiving Serengheti stretches out before us....

Day 10 - Rene Tank to Basecamp to Albuquerque

Our final day. Off across the Serengeti at dawn. I can appreciate it a little more this morning after a good night’s sleep. Taylor does not have the coordinates of the gate where we will be picked up so we head out in the general direction that seems correct. There are a lot of cattle around that eye us suspiciously. Some of the bulls let us know we are on their turf.

We keep moving and hoping to find a clue to where the gate is where we will be picked up. At one point a pickup truck comes out of nowhere down a road we have followed for a short distance and Taylor asks the driver if he knows where we need to go. It turns out we are heading in pretty much the right direction. The plan becomes keep going until we hit the fence, turn left and follow the fence until we find the gate. That works well and we arrive at the pickup point with enough time to eat breakfast before the vans arrive from the basecamp.

Now we are the dirty, grizzled, hardened hikers returning to the world. As we arrive at basecamp the clean and eager faces of those about to go out look us over. I don’t have much to say to them. “It’s tough” and “Take the high road when you have the chance” but there’s really nothing I can say to prepare them. We retrieve our gear and put things in order ready for the ride to the hotel in Albuquerque. Some of the crew unpack clean clothes and head for the showers. I decide to wait until we hit the hotel. I want my first shower to be long and hot. I want to be able to bask in the luxury of clean running water for a long time.

We check out the trading post looking for matching T-shirts for our crew but come away disappointed. They have an odd assortment of colors and sizes so that we cannot find what we need and come away empty handed. They suggest we order them from the web when we get back and that seems like a good idea. When we get back we will find there is even less available on the web.

The van arrives right on time to take us back to civilization. We are all tired and quiet on the ride. The scouts are happy to have their electronics back. A few of them snooze.

I’m aware in the van that I don’t exactly smell like a rose. The full realization of how gross I am doesn’t hit me until I walk into the lobby of the hotel. Fortunately for the other guests I don’t have to loiter there but go directly up to my room. The shower is fantastic. Not one of those anemic super water savers but a full blast of steamy water. What a great decision we made to stay overnight at this hotel before heading home.

The rest of the afternoon is a blur of napping, eating, and time in the pool and hot tub. The pool is large and deep and big enough to actually swim in. The scouts enjoy a game of “pickle” in the pool with a nerf football. Seeing all that pure water in one place is almost shocking after our week in the dry backcountry.

I know that tomorrow night I will be trying again to sleep on the train so tonight I really appreciate and enjoy an actual bed with clean sheets.