<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Buckeye,<div><br></div><div>You came to the right place for advice and will get lots of great information.</div><div><br></div><div>I am starting out on the Columbus route on April 14th. I am flying into El Paso, TX from Portland, ME on the 13th and bussing to Deming, NM and will be picked up by Keith (coyote) a trail angel. Stay at his place that evening and he will give me a ride to Columbus and the border the next day.</div><div><br></div><div>From all the advice that I have received you would be better off starting in one of the starting points; there is Antelope Wells, Crazy Cook and Columbus. Each has its advantages and problems. As you hike north any snow (and there seems there will be) will be melting. </div><div><br></div><div>Having a car is a great advantage. My wife and I hiked the AT in 2001 and the PCT in 2007. On the AT we almost leapfrogged a vehicle with another couple but decided to stay with a foot hike.</div><div><br></div><div>From all indications there will a lot of CDT hikers this year. April/May will only be NOBO hikers, although there may be some strong individuals going south bound from Canada. Also check postholer.com, trailforums.com, trailjournals.com, CDT group on yahoo, CDT group on Google for potential partners.</div><div><br></div><div>Good luck with your plans! I hope to see you on the trail,</div><div><br></div><div>tumbleweed</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Good luck on your plans. <br><div><div>On Feb 12, 2010, at 9:12 AM, FRANK HOMEROSKY wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div class="hmmessage" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana; ">Im Buckeye and im new to the cdt-l. I wanted to introduce myself to the group and to ask for some advice. Im an experienced hiker, 50'ish, from Ohio, semi-retired engineer/cattle rancher. Ive completed the AT and nearly finished with the PCT having done both in generally 6 week sections. I want to do the same on the CDT and do a section this spring. On the AT , I averaged in the teens with a range of low teens to mid 20's per day. On the PCT, I averaged in the mid 20's with a range of low 20 to low 30's per day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>I favor doing NM because my hiking window of availability is April ,May , first week of June at the latest this year and as we all know, snow may be a major factor this spring. Can anyone suggest the best way to do NM within that window to experience the best of what NM has to offer. Should I hike S - N or N - S or start in the middle and flip. I will probably have a car and can use it to advantage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>My second question: Is anyone looking for a hiking partner or know of someone looking that might want to hike in this window. Is anyone out there interested in leapfrogging vehicles..<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Your advice is appreciated. Buckeye (aka Frank) <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:buckeye@hotmail.com">buckeye@hotmail.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br><hr>Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469228/direct/01/" target="_new">Get it now.</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>_______________________________________________<br>Cdt-l mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br><a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>