{"id":9103,"date":"2023-09-18T15:26:40","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T20:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thethousandmiler.com\/?p=9103"},"modified":"2023-11-26T16:57:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-26T22:57:37","slug":"day-12-mt-taylor-to-near-cattle-guard-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thethousandmiler.com\/day-12-mt-taylor-to-near-cattle-guard-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 12: Mt. Taylor to Near Cattle Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/p>\n I woke up at 6:00 a.m. today, hoping to get an early start to reach a sweet camping spot south of a cattle guard, according to the FarOut app<\/a>. It would be about 17 miles (27.4 km). There was an owl in a tree right near my tent. It didn\u2019t stir as I got out of the tent, then back in to get my camera and take a picture. Too cool. Then it hooted twice and flew away.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a brisk morning – perfect when you\u2019ll be climbing a mountain – and I was off by 7:30. Hugo and Carole said it was easy to follow the path, which wasn\u2019t blazed. It was easy in parts, but hard in others. Luckily, the app kept me on course.<\/span><\/p>\n The 2 miles (3.2 km) up were grueling, but the scenery was incredible. I was psyched when I reached the top of Mt Taylor. Of course I signed the register and took a photo by the sign. Then it was back downhill. For a while anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n I reveled in the downhill, but it went to a saddle, so soon I was climbing again. It was torture. But I made it. The rest of the way on this alternate route was a wide dirt road, mostly downhill. I made great time.<\/span><\/p>\nMaking My Way to the Cattle Guard<\/span><\/h2>\n