The SF2T Thru-Hike will be at the New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show

WHERE: Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex, 300 San Pedro Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

WHEN:

Friday, Feb. 14, 12 Noon – 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m

More info at the Dept of Fish and Game website

I am signed up for a booth at the New Mexico Outdoor Adventures Show. This is a little bit daunting, but it’s a great opportunity to talk to a lot of people about the thru-hike. I will be giving out free merch, including information folders, bookmarks, and postcards.

I should have a simple membership program for the thru-hike set up by the show. More about that in the next newsletter.

BONUS: The 72nd annual New Mexico Shrine Circus will also be at the Expo Hall all three days I’m at the Outdoor Adventures Show. Adventure AND a circus!

In other news…

• Detailed directions for the thru-hike are available.
  You can access them through the main route page on the website.
  

• The homepage of the website and each of the section pages now has a big image slider of photographs from the route.
  Want to see what it looks like to do the thru-hike? Now you can. There’s a main slider on the bottom of the homepage that has 52 images. There’s also a slider for each of the six sections of the route.

• In development: An alt route of the thru-hike for mountain bikers and another route for touring bikes.
  So… the thru-hike was never designed or intended for bicyclists. ~40 miles of the route also goes through the Pecos Wilderness, where bikes aren’t allowed. But as the thru-hike gets more and more visibility, I get more and more questions about a route for mountain bikers. So I am developing one.
  The mountain biking route will include South Boundary Trail in Taos and maybe Winsor Trail in Santa Fe. The touring bike route is basically The High Road to Taos, plus some redirects to keep people off big highways and away from pinch points along the route. I have spoken with a few mountain bikers already and will soon be reaching out to more. If you are a mountain biker or do bike tours and want to see what I’m planning, please reply to this email.
  

• The guidebook is coming along. I am editing it and creating maps. 60 maps… It is currently 177 pages, which is about as long as it can be to still qualify as “a pocket guide.” If anything, the big challenge with the guidebook is keeping it pocket-sized.
  

• Thank you to everyone who is signed up to be a beta reader or to advertise. If you didn’t sign up and would like to, you can do so here.
  

• For everyone who voted about the name change: I am leaning heavily towards “The Plaza to Plaza Thru-Hike”, but not quite sure enough yet to make the change.
  

• Project “Offer guided hikes and backpacking trips” moves forward. I got two Leave No Trace certifications since the last time you heard from me. And I am signed up to recertify as a Wilderness First Responder this April. My WFR certification doesn’t lapse until April 2026, but if I really am going to lead groups this summer, I want my medical skills tuned up.
  

That’s enough for an email. If you read or even skimmed all the way to here - wow. Thank you.

Cheers,
Pam Neely

Founder, The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike