07/05 Day 26 New Mexico Pie Town
From now
on, the days were going to be hot, even for Texans, and it was important to get
out early. The 4 of us rolled out in the
dark.
We took the
El Malpais alternate, leaving Grants on Hwy 117. While still dark a pack of dogs came out of some
nearby yard chasing us. What a heart
pounder! I was nervous for the hours
after that until the sun came up. I like
to be able to see what is about to bite me.
I was
having one of those slow sluggish days.
I’d had enough food. Enough rest
by TD standards. It was just one of
those days where a rally was hard and my disposition bleak.
 |
| Still trying to capture a sunrise |
The bright
spot was entering the El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area. Just stunning! To our left, ice caves, tall cliffs and
natural arches. To the right, a huge
expanse of exposed lava flow. (Yes, we took a lot of pictures)
 |
| Head selfi capturing Luke and Marion |
At about 40
miles, we left El Malpais and turned on to some of the crappiest (dry) dirt
road of the TD. Could have been my
by-now-reduced state, but I found it hard to believe following the dusty misery
of FR 250 after Platoro that there could be a more wash-boarded, dustier
road. The route from El Malpais to Pie Town
I cried
when we got to the Pie Café. I was
exhausted and so grateful to have arrived at the place we had talked about for
so long. The end was near.
 |
| Name says it all |
There are 2
pie restaurants in Pie Town STB and I talked the most about. Not getting to Antelope Wells but to Pie Town STB got the turkey burger variation and
I went straight up burger, and a hot dog, and fries. Pie choice?
New Mexico
Pie Café
was only open until 4pm .
The plan was to find the hikers/cyclist’s hostel, Toaster House, shower,
nap and come back for a 2nd meal at Pie Café before they closed at 4pm .
Toaster
House is the eclectic, once full time home of Nita Larronde, turned pay what
you can refuge for hikers and bikers of the Colorado Divide Trail (CDT ).
It is so named for all of the toasters hanging along the entry fence and
gateway to the house. There was no one
there when we arrived but there were plenty of notes tacked here and there
telling us how things worked. We could
eat what ever we found and sleep in any space not already claimed.
The shower
it was noted, was not working because of a recent freeze but we had noticed an
RV park just 2 doors down that also had showers. We spoke to the RV park owner who let us know
that his showers were also just pay what you can for trail users. What a cool place. We took nice hot showers and returned to
Toaster House.
We claimed
as home what looked to have been a child’s purple painted bedroom with a net
still full of stuffed animals tacked up in one corner. Full and showered, we rolled out our sleep
kits and slept for 2 hours; hard.
 |
| This place would fit right well in Austin |
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| Toaster House |
Just before
4:00
we went back to the café. I ordered
another hot dog and a piece of cherry pie to go. My stomach hurt (now there is a surprise) so
I did not eat the meal. We chatted with
the owner while they cleaned up shop. I
said that I’d never seen a café owner bus tables wearing a side arm. We received quite the lecture on the ways of
the Wild West and his days as a retired police man…….. He also told us there was a law on the books
in that county requiring all heads of household to own a fire arm. Wow. I
am totally surprised the Texas Legislature has not jumped on that one.
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