CDT 2024 - Day 24, Moving Day to Cuba

Cuba, New Mexico and Teresa's RV Park and Hair Salon

Hiker's Oasis off Powerline Road, Mesa San Luis, south of Cuba, NM.

I took my time on departure from the KOA this morning and stopped at a Starbucks on the way out of town. I checked Runningbird's SPOT and saw that she was approaching a mile marker on the CDT designated as the hiker's oasis. When she had told me yesterday that there was talk on the trail of such a place I told her it was probably just a wate cache with eight gallons of water rather than just four. As I neared the road that branched off the highway towards the road crossing for the oasis, I checked the SPOT and it showed she was there. I found the next place I could turn around to get off the highway to Powerline Road and then her location I decided to take a chance and see if I could catch her. So off I went with the detour. At the mile marker I was shocked. There were several big tents, lots of water, a menu board, fresh fruit, salads, lots of stuff. There were even a couple of port-a-potties there. Evidently different hiking groups from the area take turns hosting the place on a daily basis until the end of May. It didn't take long for them to realize I was Wingman and they told me I had missed Runningbird by about ten minutes. The two hikers that she has been hiking with introduced themselves, E-Rod and Chukar Bird. They reported that she was doing well and they were just heading out and would catch up with her later. They planned to camp at the same spot. I would see all of them tomorrow afternoon in Cuba and they all had arranged for us to meet for dinner in town.

Extensive menu and quite the set-up at the Hiker's Oasis.

Continuing up the highway into the "village" of Cuba the speed limit first dropped from 65 to 55, then 45, and finally 35 as the four-lane road rolled through the main part of town. Cuba has a population of about 625 and is at just shy of 7,000 feet. So far as I know, there is no bakery here. Thus, its a village and not a real town. But I'll keep looking. The buildings were old and most appeared in need of repair but the majority of them were still open and in use. Circle "K", Phillips 66, Cuban Cafe, El Bruno's Cantina, a post office, Family Dollar, Napa Auto Parts, True Value Hardware, a small hotel; all the necessities for a small village. Still, no bakery. Just outside the far end of town I found Theresa's RV Park and Hair Salon. Directly adjacent across the highway, a cute little espresso kiosk. Convenient.

Theresa's RV Park and Hair Salon is not really a lot to look at but it serves the purpose. The street sign is weather worn and hard to read. There is no organization of layout for the maybe ten sites but I think most of them have a power hookup and some have water and sewer. Theresa, I guessed, was about eighty years old (later she would tell me she was 69 and again later she said 79) and runs the place on her own and keeps busy with her hair business as well. She's a good soul and we spent about an hour sitting in rockers on her porch chatting before I even parked the rig. She reminds me a bit of my mom in that when I told her a joke she laughed and punched me at the same time. My brother and sisters would know what I'm talking about. She showed me the back door entrance to get in so Runningbird could access the shower and then I went out to park the rig. It was a bit of a puzzle but I'm settled and have power, water, and sewer. It is a far reach from a KOA but it feels good to know I'm helping her small business and it does serve the purpose. Runningbird's only requirement is that it have a shower.

There is quite a bit of noise here from the highway and a lot of barking dogs off in the distance. The cloud cover has moved in holding the temperatures in the low 70's. No rain is forecast for the foreseeable future, for whatever good the forecast is. In the evening another car with a little Scamp trailer pulled in and settled next to me.