Distance: 2,566 km
Today I began my walk from Clines Corners Center, located at the intersection of Freeways 40 and 285. Yesterday, I walked along Highway 40 because there was no other way to move east. The road was full of trucks, making it quite a challenging route. I stayed the night in Moriarty, kindly hosted by Sanket Bhai Patel, who treated me to a delicious dinner and a wonderful evening with his friends and family in town. I walked 36 km yesterday and camped in my tent behind the Clines Corners Center.
Today was a long and eventful day. I covered 46 km along Highway 285, a four-lane road with wide shoulders and very little traffic—ideal for walking. I started at 9:30 a.m., keeping a steady pace of 6 km per hour. Both sides of the road were lined with fences. New Mexico is a beautiful state—the soil is a rich red, covered with soft grass, and I passed many ranches along the way.
I had my lunch at 2 p.m. after walking 27 km. Soon after, the wind picked up against me, and dark clouds rolled in. Thunder followed, and a light rain began, quickly turning into a heavy downpour. My shoes, jacket, and pants were soaked. I paused when the rain was too heavy and continued when it lightened up.
At 6:30 p.m., I reached the small town of Encino, which has no shops. I changed my wet clothes at a Catholic church. While walking around the town looking for someone to ask about a place to pitch my tent, I met a lovely couple—Daniel and his wife. They had just arrived to spend a few days at their home in Encino. They tried contacting the fire station for help, but when that didn’t work out, they generously offered me shelter in their barn for the night. With the wind and rain, this barn is the perfect refuge. I’m deeply grateful to Daniel and his wife for their kindness.
Tomorrow, I’ll be heading toward Vaughn.
With gratitude,
Nitin😇🙏❤️