On the morning of July 29, after rearm, resupply and refuel operations at a Las Cruces Wal-Mart, the Tortuga headed West towards Deming, New Mexico. For those that remember their grade school geography class the Tortuga had a date with the Continental Divide, that special place in the Americas where east meets west. A ridge of mountains that delineates the direction a drop of rain will roll to the sea.

After Deming, the compass pointed north (side bar- just thought compass sounded more romantic than GPS) toward Silver City, New Mexico that sits on the southern edge of the Gila National Forest. New Mexico Highway 15 would lead the Tortuga North. At the onset, the road was a non-descript, two lane road with a center line and shoulder striping. It did not take long before the Tortuga noticed the effort to climb the grade. Each mile added an element of difficulty, as the grade increased and the elevation made the air thinner. If that was not enough, the shoulder striping disappeared, quickly followed by the centerline, and the grade was getting steeper on what now looked like a one lane road. Just then National Forest Service signs appeared announcing that the Gila Cliff Dwellings were just a mere 28 miles away and it would take 45 minutes. Then, the speed limit signs announced a 25 mile per hour speed limit, and the road started to bend and turn on itself like a snake on a hot tin roof.  The Tortuga was dancing not to get bit.

The Tortuga is a nimble beast at 20,000 pounds.  The tight switch back turns were handled with ease but the Tortuga was extremely cautious with the 7 mile section down into the valley where the Cliff Dwelling would be found. Brakes can get hot and smoke if solely depended on, and the last time the Tortuga went down this same hill last year, it was not pretty. Thank you exhaust brake! Hey big truck, be ready.

 

The thrill of a steep accent followed by an even steeper decent by the big Tortuga Truck was rewarded by vistas and an easy camp site for the evening at Forks.  After tucking the Tortuga into a nice flat spot, a hike down the bluff below found a nice swimming hole below along the Gila River, and a cantankerous bull frog voicing his opinion of people enjoying his domain.