<html><div style='background-color:'><P>I'm at the Lordsberg library, waiting for the sickening afternoon heat to subside. Thought I'd bring up a few comments, and put *hiker alert* in the sbj line for all those on the trail checking emails sporadically:</P>
<P>My *brand new* Pur/Katadyn filter clogged at the forst water source on the trail, Sheridan Tank in the Big Hatchets (On the AT in '97, my filter lasted me 4 months--what a little alge will do). If you have iodine, chlorine dioxide, etc, plan on using that if you need to fill from a green tank. I genenrally never use a water filter, but figured NM and the Great Divide Basin would be good places. Fortunately, I haven't needed water treatment since, and will have my Polar Pure waiting for me at the PO at Silver City.</P>
<P>sobo hikers and NB'ers that haven't started yet:<BR>NM39c - the local rancher is wondering why people are hiking through his back yard (very nice rancher though). There is survey tape here and there, but the rest is UVed out or blown away. head west between sections 34 and 35 (south of Pride Peak) and rejoin the trail south of East Center Tank, water source #2 on the map (just beeline it past the water #1 on Ley's map). Other than that, there's a few signs up in the Coyote Hills area, and a lot of flagging that's missing here and there. Land navigation in this area is easy. The Pyramid mountains area is awesome, but watch the rattlesnakes living under the water tanks' concrete pads next to some of the windmills--almost stepped on one.</P>
<P>I'd like to thank everyone else for their great information I've read about over the last several months! Spiriteagle's info on h20 sources thru this area is excellent!!</P>
<P>My computer time is expiring, so I'm outta here.</P>
<P>-Andy aka<BR>Skygod (maybe I'll start using this again if I start to run into some other hikers!)<BR><A href="http://andylinger.com">http://andylinger.com</A></P></div></html>