We follow more old roads and tromp through a field to FS239, the road we’ll follow for the rest of the day. It rolls across the top of the large Mesa Chivata, through woods and meadows.

We come to our first chance for water after about 9 miles. It is reddish brown and features a cow standing in it up to it’s knees, pooping. We decide to continue 4 miles to Ojo del Dado. This water is at the top of a rocky basalt canyon. It has no cow, but is an unappealing green. We still have more than two liters of water between us, and the day isn’t too hot. After some consideration we decide to go 7 more miles to Ojo los Indios for water.

We start to slow down, but we make our first 20-mile day with plenty of light left. This is good, because we discover that it is a 3-mile round trip to the spring at the bottom of the canyon. I take off with the water bags.

The descent into Canyon los Indios is really pretty, with good views to north and green grass rustling in the setting sun. The water is good and clear, and I leave with two gallons.

I get back to our camp before dark, but it’s dark and getting cold when we eat dinner.