Monday, April 5th Cinco de Mayo

We started at mile marker 260 today. Still on Highway 60 going from Globe to Show Low. We saw a highway work crew sweeping the shoulder of the highway and wondered if this was going to be the highlight of the day. Thankfully it wasn't. Shortly after that, we saw a Golden Eagle. It was under the culvert or bridge we were crossing and I guess we startled it. It flew out into the open and we got a good look at it. It was a very big bird and soon flew into some trees and we couldn't see it any longer. On we walked until a jeep pulled over to the side of the road. It was Suzanne Kay, a reporter for the Copper Country News. She took our photo and didn't ask many questions as she got most of the information from Ruth. On we walked, mostly uphill. We are walking in the Tonto National Forest and the Apache Mountains. John documented a skunk roadkill and we saw a ground squirrel scamper across the road. On we walked, and walked and walked, all uphill.

We came to mile marker 272 and then a short distance later, we came to mile marker 275, the shortest 3 miles I ever walked. The mile marker here were not right and we decided to go by the odometer in the car. On we walked, uphill and uphill. We are almost out of cactus country here. There are prickly pear cactus and that is about all. There are more cedar and pine trees as we gain altitude. We finally reached the top, 15.8 miles. I found one penny today. Stay tuned.