New Mexico in my sights

Tuesday, August 24
Today I reached Fort Garland Colorado after passing through and over some amazing mountains in the Sangre de Cristo range. I basically finished up a portion of the mountain range by dropping down into Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. I played in the sand like I was an eight-year old child again, then down by the creek fronting the dunes, the mosquitoes discovered me and had a feast on my legs. I had to run away like that Monti Python skit where they were running away from the killer bunnies. The mosquitoes were definitely the worst of the entire trip, and they were small with a potent bite.


I have reached the big section on the trip where I am required to do some road walking because there is no public land for me to transit. I had about 10 miles of road walking yesterday and 18.4 miles today. Tomorrow I have about 16 and the next day around 24. But it’s fine I’m actually enjoying the change of pace, it is nice to see some of humanities changes they’ve done to the earth surface instead of a pure wilderness scene.


Two more days of hiking and I will cross into New Mexico. Soon after entering New Mexico I’ll enter the Carson National Forest where I basically have public land all the way to Santa Fe. Today Maria mailed my very last resupply package which is going to Angel Fire New Mexico. This hike would’ve not been possible without the amazing Maria being a world class trail angel and mailing me all my food. I will also pass through Red River New Mexico where I will have a burger.

I am definitely at the point of long-distance hiking when one feels push to finish the journey. I’m going to enjoy the rest of the approximate 240 miles I have left to the hike but to be open I am looking forward to finishing this amazing endeavor and returning to my lovely wife Maria in Washington and the community I cherish.

During long-distance hiking the change in daylight, the shortening of the days that one experiences and is so I tuned into, naturally causes some excitement to finish up as fall approaches. I feel the evening is getting cooler, the mornings are crisp and the daytime is pleasantly warm.

With the studs I’m ready to finish this amazing summer, so I better get to bed because I have 16 miles of road walking to do tomorrow. Here I come New Mexico you will soon have the return of The Animal.

Thank you for reading in joining me on my summer hike.

Kevin Koski