Day 17 | April 7, 2022
10 Miles

I made it in and out of Kearny with ease, thanks to Gary and the Old Time Pizza crew, who make it easy for hikers to get to town and get what they need (which interestingly seems to often involve pizza). Most people were hanging out in town, waiting out the heat before heading back to trail. When I finished my chores, I felt ready to walk and decided to hitch back alone. I was given a brief tour of a local mine and a ride back to trail by a friendly local named Joey. Joey visited Old Time Pizza several times to see if any hikers needed a ride. I greatly appreciated the generosity of the people of Kearny when it came to helping hikers. Thru-hiking is always enriched by the feeling of being supported and connected to the locals.

I followed the trail as it wound through the Gila River corridor, sometimes rising several hundred feet above the water, sometimes closely following it, passing through saguaro forests and featuring expansive views.

Day 18 | April 8, 2022
23.4 Miles

I woke up early knowing that I had a long, hot climb ahead of me. The landscape began to change, revealing huge, rocky spires in the distance.

I stopped to take a break in a shaded spot before climbing away from the river. Despite being brown and silty, the water tasted fine after it was treated with aquamira and placed in my dromedary. My break was cut short by an intimidating group of cattle who crowded down into my spot. 

This section felt a lot more desolate than the others. There was no cell phone service (rare on the AZT) and I hadn't seen anyone for hours. The sun beat down, and I was thirsty. 

My plan was to meet Haiku at a water tank in this section, but I missed the turnoff and realized it too late. As I drank the last of my silt water, I spotted a yellowish brown pond of still water surrounded by muddy cow prints and lined with cow pies. In the center of the repulsive puddle, the water (or rather, the brown liquid substance) remained out of reach, encircled by frothy yellow bubbles that resembled the mouth of a rabid dog.

Thirsty and desperate, I hesitated, questioning the safety of drinking that contaminated water. With no other options in sight, I reluctantly filled my dromedary, uncertain if any treatment would make it drinkable, and hoped for the best.

Following spectacular ridgelines and deep chasms, the trail entered Tonto National Forest and continued north towards Picketpost Mountain. There were towering saguaro, rugged mountains, and rocky canyons along the well-maintained singletrack. Luckily, I was in Alamo Canyon in the spring when wildflowers covered the hillsides.

I hiked through Pickpost Trailhead and went straight for the Picketpost Trailhead Resupply Box, just north of the paved parking lot. I opened the box and breathed a sigh of relief when I found it fully stocked with bottled water labeled specifically for AZT hikers. My body craved hydration, and I was immensely grateful for this unexpected respite. Although I had cautiously sipped from the dubious cow water, I lacked the courage to consume it in larger quantities, leaving my thirst unquenched.

I put down my pack, dumped out the dirty water, and refilled with the clean, chugging some as I went.

When Haiku finally arrived, he seemed more annoyed than relieved, questioning why I hadn't made it to the water tank on time. I quickly explained the missed turnoff and the subsequent water dilemma, hoping to alleviate any tension. He nodded in understanding, and with the matter resolved, we pressed on.

Catching Picketpost Mountain at sunset was a highlight of the day.

Haiku and I got a ride into the town of Superior where we met up with Aladdin. We went out for a well-deserved burrito dinner and camped at MJ’s hiker hostel. 

Day 19 | April 9, 2022
1.5 Miles

The next day was spent relaxing. We made pizza and sat on the porch at MJ’s while more folks trickled into town.

Later that night a big group of us went on to a bar and met up with Witt, aka "Matador", a trail runner and backpacker who happened to be doing some big runs along the Arizona Trail. A few people decided to stay another night in Superior, but Haiku and I left with Witt who was planning to camp at the trailhead that night.