Day 17 - Las Cruces Rest Day

Today I packed up my cold weather gear and mailed it home. Shouldn't need it anymore and there's no reason go drag it all of the way to Florida. Glad I had it though, everything that was sent home today was used at some point during weeks one and two.

Jerry's friends Ellie and Weldon drove down from near Albuquerque to spend the day with us. Jerry met them in 2008 when he traveled to New Mexico to work on the Obama campaign. We drove to Mesilla, one of the oldest towns in the southwest, to do some exploring and to eat lunch.

Billy the Kid was tried and convicted in the Mesilla Courthouse (he escaped, of course, to meet his end at the hands of Pat Garrett, the courthouse us now a gift shop). During the civil war Mesilla was the Capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. Surprising number of civil war references this early in the trip, we traveled on the Jefferson Davis Highway in Arizona and will be traveling in Jeff Davis County Texas in a couple if days.

At the Santa Rita Mine a few days ago, some folks from Las Cruces recommended we eat at La Posta in Mesilla, so we did. It was pretty good, but we've had better, I suspect that when it comes to Mexican food we've become spoiled.

Restocked at the local Walmart.

Day 16 - Hillsboro to Las Cruces

Sometimes it's just hard to decide. How do we process these things? For example: sour cream enchiladas, tamales, or just regular bacon and eggs? I struggled, but ended up having green chile tamales with eggs over medium and hash browns. I think I made the right choice. So delicious in fact that I completely forgot to snap a picture to post. Oh well, you'll have to use your imagination.

After a breakfast like that I was looking forward to a good day. Flat, easy, scenic.

After a quick 400' climb to loosen up the legs we rolled east along flattish roads, with the occasional roller, to the Rio Grande, the second of the great American rivers we'll cross. I don't know why, but I was expecting a little more green, there was some, but not much.

We ran into a couple traveling by horseback. Michele struck up a conversation and it turns out they roam the west on horseback from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona in the south to Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas in the north, stopping to work odd jobs when necessary. I find it comforting that folks can still live like that, if they choose, in 2012.

We followed the river south the rest of the day to Las Cruces. Except for the occasional chile farm, chile drying facility and pecan orchard there wasn't much to see. I know I have a bias, but to me Arizona is the more beautiful State. New Mexico has been pretty blah. I'm sure it's more scenic further north.

We stopped in Arrey for a coke and a snack, and in Hatch for lunch. Lunch was almost as tasty as breakfast: tacos de barbacoa. Yum. Two delicious meals in one day.

After lunch, just headwinds. I really don't mind working hard to summit a pass, but fighting a headwind is just demoralizing. I eventually gave up, let J&M go down the road without me and just let brother wind set my pace. If the wind won't let me go faster than 10 mph, then I'll just go 10 mph. I'll get there eventually.

Traffic was light all day until Las Cruces, then it was a little frantic, but we made it to the hotel without major incident. Jerry did see his camera hop out of his handlebar bag and crash to the pavement after I led him over a nasty little speed bump (sorry Jerry). Thankfully it still seems to function properly.

Dinner at Appleby's, a disappointing end to the day.

Day 15 - Silver City to Hillsboro

Today's the day I had secretly been worrying about. Up to 8200'. Seems pretty high to me, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do so off we went. Pat sent us off well feed: bacon; eggs; toast; coffee and even got on his new recumbent and rode with us out of town. Very thoughtful, thanks Pat. Seems cold tho, did that temperature sign really say 40F? Must be broken.

The first 20 miles were some pretty significant rollers, followed by a pretty good climb. Not what I would have requested given the magnitude of the final climb to come. Pat told us that the climb we did out if Arizona was more difficult, maybe, maybe he was just trying to settle our nerves.

At the base of the climb we stopped in at a senior center in San Lorenzo to get out of the wind. Yup, more wind. Tail winds mostly today. Couple of nervous cross wind moments tho. The folks at the senior center let us eat our PBJs inside where it was warm.

About half way up the pass Michele and I discussed some ominous clouds that were gathering. Michele had seen them at lunch too. I waved them off as not a concern, more for my benefit I think, but did make a comment that rain or snow I was going over the pass today, no way I was turning back. I was only joking. Not half an hour later it started to snow, very lightly at first, but by the time we were at the summit it was noticeably snowing. A lot of folks made the effort to wave at us as they drove by today. Feeling sorry for us I suppose.

At that point, with 20 miles of down hill coming I was glad I had carried all of that cold weather gear. The heavy wool sweater, the winter gloves, the heavy fleece skull cap, I put it all on. Should have put on another pair of pants, cold.

It continued to snow until about half way down the mountain, but the roads were fine. I think the snow evaporated as soon as it hit the ground.

Knowing that all of the restaurants in Hillsboro would be closed before we got to our motel, Jerry had requested that sandwiches be left in our rooms. Good thinking!

Just watched a special on Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird on PBS (the motel only gets one station). I should read that again.

Day 14 - Buckhorn to Silver City

Slept late at the RV Park and started the day with instant oatmeal and instant coffee. This was to be an easy day. 38 miles, sure there's the 1700' of climbing, but 1700' over about 30 miles is not that steep so should be a pleasant day, right?

Wrong. Head and cross winds all day. Turned to tail wind for the last ten, but it was too late, the damage was done. Combine with yesterday's efforts and we were exhausted.

That's not to say that the day was a total loss. We crossed the continental divide east of Silver City, that's some sort of milestone. Everything now reaches to the Atlantic, just like us.

We also met Pat and Eileen. Jerry found Pat and Eileen on the warm showers website and they made room for us in their home. Pat drove out Route 180 in the morning to find us and to see if we needed anything, and later Pat and Eileen rode out to ride with us for the last few miles. They even tolerated our insistence that we stop at the continental divide for photos.

After a few beers and a tasty, tasty dinner of pasta and meatballs, salad, bread, and strawberry rhubarb pie with ice cream for dessert (Tasty!) Pat entertained us with stories of his long distance cycling adventures and Eileen entertained us by performing traditional Irish music. Eileen has also performed with the Albuquerque Philharmonic. Eileen mentioned that the Silver City Folk Music Festival is often looking for musicians to perform so I showed her Dana and Susan's website and suggested that they might be a good fit. I'm sure they don't need my help, but what the heck. You should all check it out. http://www.robinsongs.com/

One more thing: I'm asking again, does anybody have a recommendation for a better iPhone blogging app. I find Blogger to be frustrating.

Day 13 - Safford, AZ to Buckhorn, NM

I nominate that as the hardest day yet. 75 miles, 2 mountain passes, 4300' climbing, 5000 calories and pretty darned hot. Desolate too, no water for the last 45 miles.

Joyce, Mons' mother, woke up early and made us all breakfast: waffles with buttermilk syrup, bacon, scrambled eggs, orange juice and milk. After our good byes we were off and climbing immediately. Gradually at first, but it got steeper.

I waited for J&M at the top of the days first climb for a long time and eventually I got worried. I turned back and started heading back down the way I came and there they were. Michele had flatted. That's one for each of us if you're keeping score.

On the way down to Three Way, a town that seems to consist mainly of a corner store and a ranger station, we passed Steve, a southern tier rider, heading west. He's almost done, what a great feeling that must be. He warned us of the climb to come and we warned him of the long 7% grade he was about to face. Worried, we went our separate ways.

After PBJs and diet coke for lunch at the Three Way Ranger Station the real challenge of the day began: a 2500' climb over 14 miles. Ouch! I can now report with confidence that the chain suck problem has been completely resolved by the new chain and yes, it is possible to pedal a 24-36 gear and remain upright. A decent cadence will keep you moving along at about 4 mph and it's a gear I needed for this climb. Glad I swapped out that chain ring before I left.

Hours later we reached the top and descended in to pine forest and in to New Mexico. Very sad to be leaving Arizona, but I guess it had to happen eventually. Michele commented that she would be surprised if we don't look back at Arizona as being the most difficult state. I reminded her of our 3000' climb the day after tomorrow.

I went into the day thinking the today's last climb would be the continental divide, I was mistaken about that. It will be one of tomorrow's climbs. Something to look forward to.

We arrived in Buckhorn, NM at sunset. Rather than cook up some if the emergency rations we're carrying, we popped into the only market/restaurant in town and ordered a pizza. We then found the local RV park and set up camp. We agreed to try to sleep in tomorrow, less than 40 miles to ride.