Red Dot to River Trail to Water Canyon Crossing

So happy to have gone down the Red Dot Trail today with the Wednesday group! I'm the slowest on that steep, rocky downhill but I made it intact to the bottom. The group planned to look at petroglyphs along the Rio but I was mainly interested in going further downstream on the River Trail so I checked out of the hike. I walked as far as the Water Canyon crossing of the River Trail. I especially enjoyed the section just before and above the Rio Grande. The Rio is looking beautiful! On the way back, I ran into the group. They asked what was ahead and I told them about the beautiful section above the Rio which encouraged them to keep going. I kept going too, back along the River Trail and then up the tough "stair climb" on the Red Dot and didn't eat lunch until I was back at the car. Lots of beautiful views of the Sangres and the Rio sustained me on the way up. Every year I tell myself that this will be the last year I go down the Red Dot. I am so painfully slow on the downhill, carefully planting my feet, trying not to torque my knees. Each year, though, I can't resist and do it again!