08-Aug-2009 -- This confluence point is an easy one to get to. Head south on highway 12 from Datil, NM for about 14.4 miles. The area is sparsely populated with ranches and lots of wide open rangeland with mountain ranges visible from all cardinal points. It has been nine years since this confluence was visited by Mr. Greschke, and there have been some obvious changes. I’ve included a picture of the road leading into the buildings. This was the same shot taken in 2000. The cattle crossing grate and fence have been rebuilt and the current residents have posted their name on the left hand side. (Cokers)

While the land was not posted anywhere on this side of the highway 12, I opted to leave my car next to the highway at the road entrance just in case the road was private. The confluence point was due east about 1.25 miles away. It was a very easy walk since the land is flat with typical rangeland grass growth. It only took a half hour of easy walking to reach the confluence. I took the necessary photos and enjoyed the scenery for 10 minutes before heading back.

On the way back to my vehicle, I was met by an older lady driving a white pickup truck who drove across the rangeland from the direction of the road leading to the buildings. I can only guess that this lady was the resident and curious as to why I was there. The lady was not confrontational. She was polite but direct. I explained to her the reason as to why I was there. She wasn’t impressed but more concerned that I represented a group of people who might upset the local tranquility. Of course, that’s not the case but some people don’t want anything to do with society. That’s why they move waaaaayyyy out there. I’m okay with that. Sensing that she was not at all happy with my presence, I asked if the property was privately owned. I never got a direct answer from her but she went on to say that the land is intermingled with private ownership and leased public land. I suspect that the land is being leased from the Bureau of Land Management. (Public Land) Otherwise, given her demeanor and verbiage about my presence, the land would have been posted. This last statement is just a hunch, not factual.

I would suggest that future CP hunters to this site give the dear lady the benefit of the doubt and call the Cokers up first as a matter of courtesy. If you find the entrance road going to the buildings posted subsequent to this visit, do some homework before visiting the CP and make sure the land hasn’t been illegally posted. I’ve run into this before. Illegally posted land is like reverse trespassing. The BLM doesn’t take to kindly to this practice. It’s all public record and easily researched. I just want to make sure both sides respect one another’s rights. If the land is indeed private, don’t go on it without permission. At any rate, this makes the second visit and hopefully, the area remains this way for a very long time.