Monday July 31 – Green Chile Hamburger Burrito and a little diesel in Reserve

On our way into town the Tortuga stopped at the Reserve Ranger Station, just out of Reserve N.M. to seek camping advice.  It never hurts to ask the local expert on where to camp and what to see.  Once again, the Tortuga came across a ranger that was passionate and knowledgeable about the area.  In fact, she was camping last weekend and had first-hand knowledge of the area, GO UP PAST THE SAW MILL FOR NINE MILES TO APACHE PEAK.  A PLAN…

First off to Reserve.  Two gas stations, two Restaurants and cowboys, with big hats and hiking boots. Tortuga needs to do a better job of taking people pictures.  You just don’t find people this interesting in the big city.  

It was time to refuel. A little diesel and a little food at the Adobe Does Bar-B- Que restaurant.  Who would have thought you could get a Green Chile Hamburger Burrito in Reserve?  In fact, who would have thought you could get a Green Chile Hamburger Burrito anywhere? TTP (Tortuga Teaching Point) adventure can be found everywhere, even in the menu of great little restaurants that are filled with people you won’t meet back home.

Refueled and ready, off toward the saw mill and Apache point. The town meandered down the valley.  The further the Tortuga went, each successive home and ranch was just a little further apart.  At the end of the county road there stood an old saw mill with tall rust colored structures they used to burn sawdust and wood scrape. The Tortuga has seen the steel cone shaped wall and the grate on top, used to stop hot cinders, glow hot orange, but not today.  This saw mill looked like the best days were in the past and it was working hard to hang on to what was left.

Well the legacy left by the lumber industry was a pretty good logging road winding up the mountain.  Immediately after the lumber yard the road started a steep climb into the forest.  As the road climbed, the numerous switch backs presented ever greater vistas.  At one point the views almost didn’t look real, the view could have been a painting. The colors were so intense, the blues and greens this day were hard to be trusted.  This is what the Ponderosa must have looked like. (youngsters may have to google).

Apache Peak was 10 miles up the road and the views made the trip seem shorter than it actually was, but then the turn off appeared.  A rock strewn road with a mud hole to greet the Tortuga.  The site was only a few miles up the road, and the Tortuga was off, up the hill.  Going a little slower than the Tortuga normal slow was in efforts not to shake the cabin too much, the search was on for a nest for the night.  Calibrating the terrain to the forest service maps has been the challenge for the entire trip. The lack of detail in the maps (or the Tortuga’s need for more map reading practice) always made it questionable of an exact location on the maps.  (STOP! Part of the challenge of most Tortuga Trips are to use non-electronic navigational aids.  Maps, terrain orientation and odometer readings are the primary navigation tools, and yes when in too much doubt the GPS comes out.) Tortuga will talk about how many maps are carried around later, but as a preview, a trailer may soon be necessary.

After about a mile the Tortuga came upon a Y in the road.  Each path looked even more rocky with trees encroaching on each side.  The location itself was acceptable as a camp site with tall pines surrounding the location and the skies peering down from above.  Instead of moving forward the prudent call was a ground recon.  Up the hill and to the right was the path selected.  It was hard to determine after about 30 minutes that the path would lead to a great vista, but it did lead to a man made earthen dam used as a tank (watering hole for animals).  As the Tortuga got close to tank the sound of a heavy hoofed animal was heard on the far side of the tank.  The sound heavier than a cow or a deer quickly lead to the decision to head back down. No need to disturb any elk, if it was one, on this day.

Once back to the Y in the road, the decision to camp was made.  A cool and quiet evening high in the mountains with absolutely no complaints.

The following morning for a little excitement a walk down the left branch was in order.  No more than 200 yards down the road was an open meadow with previously used fire rings. This would have been just a little better camping site.  TTP When doing ground recon, recon available options. Missed this opportunity, oh well, maybe next time.