Hiking, and other things.

>>18791983
>there is only the noises of the wind and leaves, not even the airplane above.
>it is a bit eerie to be this quiet.
>we think, maybe the altitude? but considering the peak at the Manzano mountains is about 9700 Ft and we were at around 7300 FT, that seemed impossible.
>check the GPS on my phone to see how much further until the next fork/peak, and it shows about 2 more miles (estimate due to low signal)
>There was a particular tree with a hole, and in it was a white rock.
>take notice of the rock/tree, to make sure we take the correct path down.
>some time later we see a couple of dudes hiking up
>you can smell the weed from the 20 ft away they were
>ask us how much longer to the peak, and we say there's about 2 more miles of trail, give or take
>they say "thanks dude" and go on.
>find a point of interest to rest, a fairly big rock next to a view.
>we take off again after about 10 minutes, and we see the exact same tree with the hole and the white rock.
>we knew it was the same tree since I etched a G on it.
>we think "huh we may have looped around".
>think not much other than coincidence, and go on.
>remember that we saw a similar tree on a previous trail, the week before.
>about an hour later we reach the top, take another rest before we head down.
>it starts to get Much colder and the air feels sharp when we breathe.
>notice how repetitive the trail really was.
>yeah it's a mountainside trail but it was Near Exact every loop.
>eerily similar cacti plants on the side of it, trees bent the same way, usual.
>confused, we look at the GPS, and find out we are in fact going the right way.
>on the way down we reach the area where, we though, we'd seen the tree and the white rock.
>it isn't there, there is a cut and burnt stump, surrounded by white powdery dirt/rocks

>>18792016
>a LOT of things become more and more repetitive, so we panic a little thinking we took a Really wrong turn.
>reach the Travertine Falls end/fork much faster than we'd thought.
>when we get there, the falls are actually a little more giving, there a decently small stream coming from them, and the air feels more moist.
>There is still little to no ambient noise however.
>again we hear 2 females talking/whispering in the distance but see nothing.
>some 20 minutes later, arriving at the car, we see the 2 stoners preparing to go on the hike.
>if not similar, they were identical people to who we saw
>same shirts, hairstyles, sunglasses and shorts
>but their voices were less south NM accented and more of a normal accent.
>say hi to us, and again, ask how long until the peak, and we tell them about 10 miles
>say thank you, and we go on, and plan another hike for the upcoming friday.

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>>18792016
>we decide on Birdhouse Ridge for the next hike
(pic related, the peak/end view)
>talking about life struggles, and remembering the shit we experience on the previous hike that wednesday.
>we arrive at the top, nothing of much notice was seen/heard, but again the ambient noise was Not There.
>take a rest near the area in the picture.
>look down from the rocks, and there is a biker, going on the trail and singing.
>some time later (about 30 minutes), there a pair of mid 20s women walking along the trail.
>the same whisper like voices as before.
>for a moment we think of it as just placebo, since we couldn't possible hear them clearly.
>we notice a sort of derelict trail behind our point of interest.
>decide to explore it, and off we went.
>there are scorched trees, beaten/unkept paths around it, and it generally looks like it had been sealed off.
>there's a long shale slide on the side, and we can see a trail to the way up at the bottom.
>cross the shale to what seemed to be the other side of the derelict path.
>there is an ammo can, etched on the side is "geochache"
>curious we open it, why not?
>there is a 50 ct coin minted 1974, with a nick near kennedy's chin.
>A US Flag Patch
>a decent condition 9 of Hearts playing card
>and a yellow guitar pick.
>I put in my zippo lighter, $5, a Blue LEGO 1982 spaceman (always for some reason carry a LEGO man on me), and a replica WW1 Airship pin.
(will post the items found if asked)
>so we move on, and we see a glass container on a burnt tree hole
>go down the shale slide, trying not to die
>in it is a small white pebble, a crown royal bottle, still reeking of alcohol.
>make nothing of it and move on.
>after a bit of mindless exploring, we make our way back, but we recognize nothing except the path.
>maybe our minds messing with us from curiosity, but we recognize nothing.
>Taking the same path we took, we notice more cacti, fallen tree stumps, and all.
>hear a plane soaring above us, but see nothing.

>>18792099
Considering Albuquerque is host to Kirkland Air Base, we think "hey maybe its just one of those training things they hold"
>on the way down, we spot a C-130, usually common to see them flying in pairs in the spring time.
>but this one was alone, and the sound of the engines echoed all over the clearing
>for some reason, birds all of a sudden decided to start chirping near violently, maybe they were startled.
>on the way down, again we see the 2 stoner guys, but back with their south NM accent.
>say hi, and again, ask how long till the peak.
>continue, and the air again feels sharp and cold, but the temperature was about 80 degrees F, how?
>we see near identical trail loops, but this time it was kind of expected.
>something we didn't see before was a rock with a hole in the middle on a tree (pic related)
>it's one of those things you'd Notice the first go, but we didn't see it.
>start a bit of an argument as to whether we'd seen it or not, and concluded we Hadn't.
>take a photo and go.
>again we hear the bike ring, but no biker.
>This time we ignore it.
>we hear the plane's engines soaring again, and with it the violent chirping begins, like the birds wanted to overpower the sound of the engines.
>after a seemingly unending loops of near identical trail sections, we reach the car, and only just notice it is near pitch black and silent on an otherwise busy road (it branches of I-40/R66 to several small towns).
>stand there for about 10 minutes, kinda lost on how exactly it went from a bright day to a near pitch black twilight so fast.
>maybe the trail had become so repetitive that we went on just autopilot, not taking in the surroundings.
>maybe the trail was just short, but the GPS read 14 miles (round trip).
>somehow after the rock with the hole we didn't take conscious notice of how fast time went, and "awoke" when we reached the car.

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>>18792156
(forgot pic)
>some things out of place
>I remember my camelbak being about half or so full at the holed rock
>and at the car it was empty
>phone battery at the peak was 73%, after a few photos, and loss due to signal search.
>at the car it was down to 11%, even though on the way up there was full signal and i had it on power save.
>3 missed calls, and a few unanswered texts.
>my knife went from my chest strap to my right leg pocket, and some powdery debris on it.
>My jacket had dirt on it.
>a rip on the left butt of my sweats
>part of my shoe had black marks (like ash)
>I do not remember ever doing things that would result in that.
>I remember a near hypnotic and endless looping path in the mountain. All went blank after the holed rock (pic related)

Maybe not the best story, but if anyone reads it, comment on it, i have no idea what to make of it other than a mental auto pilot.

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>>18792170
Also, here are the Geo Cache items, for anyone interested.

I don't know what to make of it, neither does the friend I went with, as he experienced the same auto pilot feeling.

cool story, bro

I live at about 6500 feet on the back side of the Manzanos, NW of Mountainair NM as far as hearing people talking goes. I can hear my nearest neighbor when they are outside talking 3/4 of a mile away. Sound travels so well out there. At night I can hear cars coming down the dirt road for miles. Haven't had any spooky encounters out there but I can tell you were there are a lot of old mines out that way and even an abandoned military missile launch site not to far from 60.

so did you experience lost time?
could be ayy lmaos

>>18792197
Yeah for some reason these mountains are really good at tricking with noise. You heard those rumors how the sandías are hollowed out by the AF?
>>18792210
Nah it wasn't like lost time per se, but like my mind realized it was more repetitive than normal and just blocked off. I take it as I may have fallen or something on the way and had to move my stuff but still can't think of how the phone was nearly dead

>>18792556
Also this is OP, can't trip code on mobile

>>18792185
thanks