Sunday June 4; day 8 80s; light wind; 61 miles

We got on the trail about 7:00 a.m.  Beautiful cruiser ride on gravel skirting The Plains of St. Augustine-a wide open expanse of prairie surrounded by low mountains.  Three elk ran across the plain and crossed the road a hundred yards ahead of us.  They stopped to look before heading into the hills.  We came out of the plains by a church having Sunday services.  We filled up with water and travelled on.  Did some big wearing climbs.  Stopped and ate lunch about 2:00.  Pushed on in the heat of the day.  Smoky from wildfires.  New Mexico had several hundred lightning strikes during recent rains.  The tops of pines hit by lightning will smolder until after the rain drys, then take off in wild fires.  We were trying to make Pie Town today, a 61 mile ride.  It got long, but we made it and are staying at the Toaster hostel.  Neeta, the host, has accommodated hikers and bikers for the past 25 years.  We were able to shower, eat real food, and build enthusiasm for the next leg of the journey. 

Pics for Day 6

May 31, Wednesday, day 4, light wind; low 80s

We climbed out of Silver City about 11:30.  Had an excellent stay at the Palace Hotel.  Met  a young retired couple from Utah walking the CDT. They needed to carry gallons of water to make it from the border. And they had predropped stashes along the route. Intrepid. Mailed some items home before leaving town.  Hard psychologically hauling long underwear and a fleece with temps in the high 80s.  I'll need it in Colorado, but that's a few weeks and several  hundred bike miles. The route today was tough. We did have one redeeming  mile down late afternoon.  Today's section went through part of the gorgeous Gil's National Wilderness, home of the ancient cliff dwellers.  Lots of beautiful pine forest, a nice change from the desert. Rain chased us into a campground around 5:00.  Another short day. I was shot. Still getting into shape. Lots of granny gearing today and frequent road-side breathers.  Usually just collapse on my bike handle bars, too weary to get off the bike. Met a guy from Athens Georgia sagging for his son and two college buddies doing the GDT. One kid graduated from Anna's HS in Athens. Ain't that America!

Sat. June 3 Day 7; 41 miles; Lowe 80s & light wind.

Left Beaverhead at 8:00. Nice ride for the first 10 miles.  Then we hit mud.  About 3 miles of pushing and slogging.  Finally hit high ground and had a cruise for 25 miles. Saw 8 elk. Beautiful escaping on the run across an open hillside. They even stopped once to look at us.  Water is scarce.  Had to get water out of a cattle tank.  Sighs said "Don't drink the Water." We purified. Drank.  Met a father/son combination from Arizona riding the trail. Retired teacher on a bucket list.  Son was riding the first 2 weeks.  Good riders on expensive bikes. Staying in a beautiful canyon, still in the Gila Wilderness Area.  Hope to make Pie Town tomorrow with some hard riding. Take care. 

Day 6 25 miles

We left Black Canyon Campground in the Gila Wilderness about 8:00. Had a morning conversation with a gal from Canada doing an owl study for the forest service. She and a colleague work at night and tent at the campground.  Tents were packed a bit wet from the nightly thunderstorm.Ive never heard such loud and rolling thunder as in NM.Some real crashes each of the last four nights. And occurring as I write tonight.  The route had some good downhills today.  It was all gravel/dirt/boulders. We are staying at a forest service work camp.  Beaver head Work Center. Lots of guys ready to fight forest fires.  They gave us leftovers bag lunches and fruit to eat. Trail Magic! We are tenting outside their office with water and bathrooms available.  One crew member had iodine tablets for water purification so that dilemma is solved.Saw beautiful mule deer, Rocky Mountain blue birds, and lizards today. Our daily mileage has been meager, but we've come 200 miles through some tough stuff. The Gila is so incredible. Take care.  

Day 5

Got a 7:00 a.m. Start today. Nice 7 mile cruiser on asphalt to start.  Anna in the lead, rode along-side 4 elk for about a mile. Our challenge began when we turned onto gravel to follow the GDT route.  Took us the rest of the day to do 23 miles.  Lots of short-thigh kicking ups.  We did have a 3 mile screaming down into camp.  So steep, I had to stop three times to rest my wrists-the down-hill pressure so acute. Raining tonight.  Anna is using the neighbors water filter to get us clean drinking water for tomorrow.  I packed the wrong chemicals for my usual system. Bad Bahn! We'll make it...what's a little water on a NM bike ride?

Day 1-3 May 28th

Sunday May 28; slight north headwind; 88 degrees; 35 miles

Bern and I picked Anna V. Up at her cousins, Chance and Savahna Hoover in Albuquerque.  We left town about 11:30 headed for Antelope Springs, the border crossing with Mexico and start of the ride.  We started pedaling @ 4:30; temp 88 degrees.  Bern sagged for the first 35 miles.  We rode without packs. Nice. Lots of jackrabbits. They came out to party in the evening. Haven't seen so many at one time.  We set up tents at the side of the road at 35 miles.  Bern took off. It was a great kick-off to our 2000 mile adventure

Monday, May 2nine, Memorial Day; 15 mph SE wind; 50 miles. 88 degrees

We got a 7:30 a.m.. start after a good night of camping.  Coyotes adding the only disharmony to a quiet and star filled night.  We pedaled to a place called Separ located on Interstate 10. Border patrol pickups racing up and down an otherwise deserted desert highway.  Separ is a very active trinket stop-get your fireworks and southwest jewelry and art in one convenient stop. We got there about noon with temps in middle 80s.  Hung out until 4:00 and took off north on a gravel road. The road turns to sand in many spots making biking very tough.  We only made 15 miles because of the sand and taking our first wrong turn. Saw a havalina.  Big one! Exciting creature of the wild pig specie. Found a nice spot to camp.  Dirty Moore stew cold for sup.

May 30, Tuesday; 35 miles; light s
SE winds.  Lower 80s

Got a 7:00 A.M. Start today.  Rode along the Continental Divide for several miles.  Course it looks like desert at this point on the route.  Anna took the first spill of the trip on some of the sand road surface.  Hard to get out of those pedal clips.  The last 18 miles was hard surface road with a nice shoulder.  I wanted to go left when we came off the backroad, but Anna's GPS indicated right.  Good thing we have the technology. Eighteen miles later were in Silver City, NM. Staying in the Silver Palace, a nineteenth century hotel in the quaint downtown. Trying to get hydrated for the next 150 mile leg with few services. Staying hydrated has been a challenge.