AZT 2019 Day 3: Campsite near Canelo Pass Trailhead (mile 36.2) to Patagonia (mile 51.2)

16.0 miles

Last night was very pleasant. It was warm enough to keep the tent fly off and look at the stars. Unfortunately, pleasant nights usually make for hot days in the desert. This was part of the reason I packed up my tent and started hiking about 30 minutes before first light. The other reason was that I wanted to get into town in time to enjoy it and get my town chores done.

Even though I enjoy a good night's sleep, there is also something special about hiking under the stars. I got to enjoy that for a little while before seeing the sunlight start poking out of the horizon. I crested a hill and missed the sunrise itself, but got to see a lovely pink cast on the surrounding mountains.

Near sunrise.

Early morning on the AZT.

I was headed towards a water source about 3 miles away. I had used up most of my water at dinner the previous night, so it was important that I get there quickly and load up on water for a hot day. I could tell it would be miserable later. On “normal” temperature days, the air is cool to hike in the early morning. Today, it felt as if I was walking between warm layers and cool breeze layers. It is a nice feeling in the early morning, but, again, leads to misery later.

The water source I was approaching was called Down Under Tank, which was a cattle tank/cow pond. I saw a lone cow on the hillside as I got closer. I thought I saw a smaller, brown cow, but it ended up being a javelina! That was the first javelina I have ever seen and possibly my first wild peccary. Javelinas are a type of peccary, not pig, even though they look pig-like. Peccaries are usually described as pig-like, but are their own category of hooved mammal.

Javelina!

I got to the cattle tank, which was a minefield of cow pies. Thanks to notes from other hikers in the Arizona Trail app, I went past it to a man made dam in a nearby creek. There was flowing water on the creek just past the dam, which was clearer and much more inviting than the cattle tank. I made up some electrolytes to drink with breakfast, then packed 3 liters of water for the remaining 13 miles into town. I normally wouldn't carry that much over 13 miles but, again, I knew it would be hot.

A flattering picture of Down Under Tank.

Cow pie minefield. 

Early morning at the dam.

In the next few miles I saw cows. Lots of cows. The baby/momma cow groups would get scared and run off at my approach, sometimes mooing angrily. Many of the solo cows just stared at me as I walked past, like they just didn't care that this noisy, foreign, smelly creature was near them.

Apathetic cow.

Confused baby cow.

It didn't take long to get hot. The heat, combined with the same scenery I had been seeing over and over made the hike drag a little. That is, until I saw a splash of color. There were still patches of poppies blooming in random spots along the trail.

Poppies!

I stopped and took pictures at several of the patches along the way. It was pretty rejuvenating to see such beautiful scenery and for a while I zipped along the trail. That is, until the scenery changed back into hot grasses/hills, and then it started to drag again. The funny thing is that I probably would have really enjoyed the scenery had it been cooler.

The final approach into Patagonia. 

After taking many “heat breaks” and a quick lunch break, I exited the AZT trailhead and turned onto Harshaw Road to do the final road walk stretch into Patagonia. Patagonia is a tiny and cute little old town.

Patagonia. 

I immediately stopped in the deli/convenience store/gift shop. I had heard that there were milkshakes and root beer floats there, and I was very hot and thirsty. They had something I wanted more in that moment, slushies! I bought a berry slushie, downed half of it immediately on the patio, then headed to check into my hotel.

I was staying at the Stage Stop Inn, which is an expensive but fun place to stay. It is in the original location of the stage stop (from the days when stage stops were a thing) and had a very old west feel. I picked up my resupply packed that from the front desk and walked up the old staircase and exited to an outdoor corridor where I had a room overlooking the pool.

The Stage Stop Inn and Wild Horse Restaurant. 

The view from my room.

Upper lobby.

Lower lobby.

I pretty much dropped my stuff on the floor and immediately headed into the shower. I had gotten incredibly dirty in 3 days. So much so, that I splashed streaks of dirt on the tub walls as soon as the water hit my legs.

The hotel didn't have guest laundry set up yet, so the lady at the front desk sent me to the launderette a couple buildings down. I marched down there in my rain gear, stopped at the market again (in my rain gear) to get another cold drink and a tide pod (for laundry, I'm not Gen Z). I went to the launderette, which was a couple machines in a storage closet in the back of a building) and cleaned my very sweaty, smelly clothes.

After that, I started prepping my resupply for the next section, ate dinner at the hotel's restaurant, and knocked together my first few journal entries. Then, I hopped into a real bed for the night.

Video Journal: