Las Cruses, NM to El Paso, TX

Today seems like a rest day even though I rode 65.26 miles at an average of 14.6. This morning everyone was worried about predicted high winds so I rolled out of the hotel parking lot at 7:06am with Lois B and Marcie. These two ladies are just awesome. They tucked me into the middle and they took turns pulling. We finished the ride in 4:28. Counting our stops we got to the hotel about noon. The hotel was able to give us rooms. The trailer with our luggage arrived shortly and we all grabbed washing machines. Only one of the next four night's hotels has a washing machine so laundry was critical.

The ride was pretty nice. We rode on empty roads through farm land and a lot of horse country. We saw lots of pecan groves and really beautiful horses. We had been warned about El Paso traffic but because we were early on a Sunday morning we were pretty lucky.

Much to our disappointment there was no "Welcome to Texas" sign. Considering we are here for the next three weeks I thought there would be more. At San Jacinto Plaza we tried to take a photo of the Texas flag but as you can see the wind did not cooperate.

Today at dinner we will celebrate our new state line crossing. It is hard to believe that we now have ridden from the Pacific Ocean, across California, Arizona and now New Mexico. I have ridden a total of 861 miles.

A photo of a flooded pecan grove with birds on the water.

The lone star flag.

Sign at San Jacinto Plaza.

Beautiful only Kress building in downtown El Paso.

Kingston, NM to Las Cruces, NM

Today we rode 88.42 miles after our tough day of climbing yesterday. Surprisingly my legs were not dead as I expected them to be. It was good thing too. The ride began with some nice down hills as Kingston was still up the mountain we had climbed the day before. There was about 3 miles of climbing between 9.5 and 12.5.

We rode through tiny towns with names like, Arrey, Derry and Salem.Then around mile 51 we arrived in Hatch. For any chili lovers out there Hatch is famous for growing some of the best red chili's around. Stopped at a Mexican restaurant and had lunch. That may have been my big mistake. By the time we headed out we had a head wind. So basically from mile 51 to our hotel we fought either cross winds or head winds. I am very happy to say I completed the ride but was also very happy to be at the hotel.

Art work out back at the Black Range Lodge.

Same chicken just a different angle.

Some of the beautiful country side. It is so vast and beautiful a camera cannot do it justice.

In ne of One of the small towns we rode through. I think Arrey.

In the same town.

For my granddaughter, Katy who loves horses. (the picture not the horse)


Hatch, New Mexico


The Rio Grande

Silver City, NM to Kingston, NM

Today was our highest climb of the trip. Depending on whose garmain you believe we climbed between 4,996 and 5,208 and descended betwenn 4,588 and 5,011 feet. This was over 47.20 miles and it took me 5:42 with an average speed of 8.3 mph.
The amazing thing for mw was I did all the climbing and then actually did the descent. For those of you who know me I am not big on descending but I did it.

This was a rock formation early on in the ride.

Some of the beautiful scenery on the climb.

I made it to Emery Pass

Emery Pass, 8,828 feet.

More beautiful scenery

Old produce labels on the kitchen door at the lodge.

The kitchen stove. They are cooking our dinner turkey in it.

Old piano at the lodge.

Great old stove at the lodge.

Marci and Donna relaxing on the porch of the lodge.

A welcome sign and package from Chris(Marni's sister) was waiting for us when we got here. There were flowers, cookies, fruit and cheese.

Thanks

A special thanks for all the encouragement from everyone. I am feeling better today. Today is a rest day and I am taking it very easy. Will be back on my bike tomorrow as we climb Emery Pass, our highest elevation climb of the tour.

Lordsburg, NM to Silver City, NM

Today was only a 47 miles but there was a lot of climbing. We crossed the continental divide. So far on the trip I have ridden 660 miles and I have a total of 1,897 for the year. I definitely think I will be over the 5,000 mile mark for the year.

As I left Lordsburg this morning I passed this signer on the road. Thought it was interesting.

This was an interesting plant I saw along the road.

Proof I made it to the continental divide.

Several of us arrived in Silver City pretty close to each other. (Marcie, Lois B, Marnie, Michele and I) We decided it was to early to check in our hotel so we rode into town to have lunch. Michele recommended a restaurant called Vicki's. We set outside on the patio and had lunch. From where I sat I could see this art work. Thought it was cute.

I am really tired, both physically and emotionally. I called Greg today and told him to come pick me up I was done. He said NO. I had trained for a year and a half for this and I was going to complete it. He told me to go down to the trailer have a glass of wine and visit with some of the women. Well it worked. I learned that a lot of women were feeling this way and it was just natural. Tomorrow is a rest day and Lois S and I are going in town for lunch and to get more screws for my cleats. I lost 3 screws today and when I stopped I could not get my shoe out of the pedal. Not good. Well relaxing tomorrow should help everything.