After leaving Taos and my visit with fellow barefooter Mark Corske, I then headed to Mesa Verda, in the southwest corner of Colorado. I managed to upload my last two entries at a nice little barefoot-friendly internet cafe in Durango (which is a really nice city, by the way).
After arriving in Mesa Verde, I had time to set up my campsight, and then take a quick hike.
Right off the campground is a hiking trail called the Knife’s Edge trail. It’s the path the old road into Mesa Verde took until they bored a tunnel back in 1957. It was called the Knife’s Edge trail for obvious reasons. And if there was a landslide . . .
Here’s the view north along the hike.
The View From Knife’s Edge
You can see how obscured it is. That is not from smoke from wildfires. That is just grit picked up by the wind, which was gusting up to at least 50 miles per hour. In fact, the park had a complete fire ban when I arrived.
Along the hike, there is a wonderful look back at what is called “Point Lookout”. And, in fact, the Army used it for signalling a hundred years ago.
Point Lookout
The trail is just an out and back hike (and they warn you of it at the beginning). Here’s what you see when you get to the end:
Sign at End of Trail
STOP!!
Trail End
Slide Area
But wait. There’s another smaller sign behind it. What does it say?
The Good Sign
Well now. That’s a very smart sign. Somebody knows
what they are talking about.
I wonder if it means that I can go past the sign?
Probably not. I didn’t, and returned. But the thought is nice.
I mentioned the wind. Even though I did the Knife’s Edge hike later in the day, and with temperatures at around 55°, I was quite comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt.
And then it got cold.
The sun set, and the dry mountain air radiated out its heat. The overnight low was around 36°. When I got up the next morning, I really didn’t want to get out of my sleeping bag.
One of my favorite phrases for when people ask me if my feet are cold is
If I don’t need gloves, I don’t need shoes.
Well, that morning I actually put on a pair of gloves. And discovered that my phrase is not accurate, because I didn’t put on shoes. My feet were perfectly comfortable.
I then headed out to “do” Mesa Verde National Park.
Tune in tomorrow.
Ahcuah 
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