Day 304 and 5 May 29 and 30, 2017 Deming to Lordsburg, NM and a rest day.

We talked about today's ride. Our original plan was to ride 54 miles NW from Deming to Silver City today, then ride 47 miles SW on 5/30 from Silver City to Lordsburg. The purpose of the two day excursion was to avoid the 64 mile ride, mostly on I-10, from Deming to Lordsburg. BUT. Wind today was forecast to be up to 17 mph from the ESE. What the hell, lets go with being Windstrong!

Today's ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21597808

We started the day by replacing our almost 4,000 mile old front tire. While we slept last night, some of the plies gave way, and the tire had a serious bulge in the morning. No problem. With a new Schalbe Marathon plus in place, we headed out of town.

Old steam switch engine on display in downtown Deming.


Passing under I-10 in Deming. Why don't more towns decorate stuff like this? New Mexico seems to do it a lot.


We were concerned about being able to get enough water and food during our ride today. Soon billboards reassured us we had nothing to worry about. Truck stops along I-10 are abundant in this area.


I mentioned in a previous post that any road that required you to enter it by crossing a cattle guard, was to be avoided.


I've changed my mind. If the cattle guard has round bars, avoid it; if the bars have flat tops, it is OK, if a bit unnerving to cross.






They do like their fireworks at these truck stops.


More miles and miles of miles and miles. I don't know why the distant mountains are hazy. The humidity is in the teens.






When I originally looked at today's profile, I noticed that we gently climbed until about mile 36, and then fell gently almost all the way to Lordsburg. Go look at the route link, and you will see what I mean. Curious. Then at mile 36 I was given the answer.


Once we passed the divide, we really started to pick up speed. Between the tail wind, and the down grade, we averaged over 20 mph from mile 46 to 56. Averaged almost 15 mph overall today.

Lordsburg, while the county seat, is kind of a run down little town. Makes me wonder what industry moved out. We will spend 5/30 here as a rest day, and then ride to Rodeo, NM for our last night in this state. Probably. Unless the wind looks like crap.

Day 303 May 28, 2017 Las Cruces to Deming, NM

In 2006, John, our friend AD, and I went on GITAP - the worst organized ride we have ever experienced. However, proving that every cloud has a silver lining, Kay and Paul were also on the ride, and we became fast friends. Over the years we have kept loosely in touch, reading each others blogs and emailing. As luck would have it, we were able to meet up with not only Kay and Paul, but also their friend Lee just outside of Las Cruces and rode to the hotel together.

A drive by shot of Lee

It was like we had never been apart and had known Lee forever as well. After much story swapping, food and a couple beers, we hit the sack promising to meet at 7:15 the next morning.

Kay and Paul

Paul, who knows the Las Cruces area well decided to give us a hand getting out of town. On the way, we stopped by Mesilla, a quaint tourist town. It was established when the land belonged to Mexico and has been in continuous use since then. It is arranged in the classic Spanish style with a church at one end, a central plaza and alleyway/streets leading out of the square.

 In 2008, San Albino was designated a minor basilica by the Holy See. For the non- Catholics out there, only the Holy See, that is to say the pope and his close minions, can grant basilica status. A basilica is a site of holy pilgrimage. They are generally yuge, ornate churches, most found in Rome dating from Roman times. In Mexico City, Our Lady of Guadalupe had 6.1 million pilgrims in one weekend. The whole major/minor basilica difference is complicated and not that interesting. Suffice it to say the designation is a big deal to Catholics. I would have liked to see the inside but alas, time was short and our day long.

La Mesilla Historic District, which includes Mesilla Plaza, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 (Wikipedia)

Paul giving us a history lesson on the Rio Grande River. We've been criss-crossing the river for several days, but this is our last time. 

Las Cruces is a located in a flood plain of the Rio Grande and therefore is an agricultural area. We passed vineyards, alfalfa and onion field, but by far the largest crop is pecan trees. We're still in the Chihuahua Desert so it is odd the see groves of trees suddenly come into view.


Shortly after we crossed the Rio Grande for the last time, Kay, Paul and Lee had to go their own way and we still had 50 odd miles to go. We headed west along side the Organ (pronounced Oregon) and later the Robledo Mountains.
















Bicycles, which are normally not allowed on interstates, may use them if there is no other road available. Today was one of those days.

Luckily, there was a wide shoulder and not much traffic.










A few miles down the road, however, we had to exit for a border control inspection. John and I did not know what to expect and stopped to dig out our driver's licenses. In reality, they were very friendly and just asked where we came from and sent us on our way.

Dust storms are no joke but today we lucked out.

 It was a beautiful day with clear skies and a bit of a tail wind. All in all, I can't complain. Tomorrow we head to Lordsburg, 66 miles west.

Day 298-302 May 23-27, 2017 Carlsbad, NM to El Paso, TX to Las Cruces, NM

We rented a car in Carlsbad so that we could go to the caverns, and generally get around. The night we rented it there was a heck of a thunder storm with marble sized hail. Fortunately no damage to the car.


We figured out for ourselves, and everyone we asked agreed, that there was no way we could ride from Carlsbad, NM to El Paso TX. The trip would require us to make a 135 mile ride in one day. Signs on the road warned there were no services for 130 miles. Not doing it. We ended up renting a U-Haul truck, and sagging ourselves to El Paso


The road to El Paso.


Salt flats?


Coming into El Paso in the U-Haul.


Entrance to Hotel El Paso, where we would spend three nights. Nice.


We did walk across the bridge to Juarez, Mexico. Mostly just to say that we did it. We were disappointed that the Mexican border agents didn't stamp our passports.




Coming back home.


Today we left El Paso, and rode to Las Cruces, NM. We crossed the TX/NM border several times today, kind of a Tex/Mex day. We also crossed the Rio Grande River four times.

Today's route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21562622

The weather forecast for today promised temperatures rising into the mid 90's with a west wind building to 17 mph. We decided to get on the road early, and were rewarded by no headwind for the first 20 miles. Loved it; averaged 12.5 mph. After 20 miles, however, the forecast proved accurate, and our day became more difficult.

Leaving town this morning on US-85. The Mexican border is the fence to the left. Also, you will notice the road construction, a sure sign we are in Texas.


Our first crossing of the Rio Grande.


Miles 14 to 22 were on a bike path paralleling the Rio Grande. Very nice riding.


Rio Grande in the foreground; the Franklin Mountains in the back round.


In 2010 we did a ride called GITAP, the Greater Illinois Trails and Parks ride, which was one of the worst rides we have ever done. A bright spot was that we met Kay and Paul, bike tourists extraordinaire from Albuquerque, NM. We have kept in touch over the years, emailing and following each other's blogs. We were fortunately able to meet up with them, and their friend, Lee, on a very nice P-38 recumbent, for part of today's ride as well as part of tomorrows.

Lots of pecan groves lined the roads for the last 15 miles of our ride. They also served to protect us from the wind. The pecan tree has deep roots, and requires deep irrigation. The method used is to flood the field a couple times a year, and let the water soak in. Seemed a bit odd to me. We are still in the Chihuahuan desert after all.

Beginning to flood a field. It will end up flooded 6-8 inches deep.


Following Kay and Paul on their RANS crank forward tandem.


Us in front of a partially flooded field.


Neat church we passed later in the day.


Crossing the Rio Grande for the last time today.


Pictures of Lee and his P-38 will have to wait for tomorrow. The ones we took today did not turn out.

Tomorrow we ride 61 miles to Deming, partially on I-10, and with a 12 mph tail wind promised. I do hope that promise is kept.

Day 297 May 22, 2017 Carlsbad Caverns, NM

Carlsbad City, NM, where we are staying is 27 miles north east and 1,300 feet lower than the famous Carlsbad Caverns. We decided it was not practical to bike to the caverns. Our choices were limited, either ride 97 miles instead of 70 on May 20th or stay in Carlsbad and ride 27 miles uphill to the park, visit the caverns and then ride 27 miles back in one day. We rented a car.



The caverns are in the Chihuahuan Desert. Once in the park, the road rises sharply, curving up and around the Guadalupe Mountains. There were several spots to pull off for plaques and/or informative walks that we took advantage of.

 Most of the places I have recommended  visiting have been in the spirit of if you're in the area, you should stop and see xyz tourist sight, not this time. Put the Carlsbad Caverns National Park on your bucket list, go hundreds of miles out of your way, make it a destination. It makes the Luray Caverns look like a child's diorama. It's like nothing either John or I have ever seen. Truly. Ya gotta go.

The view of the Guadalupe Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert outside of the caverns.

Again, just outside the cavern,
signs and a park ranger warned
about the strenuous nature of
the trip.

Once inside the Welcome Center you are presented with more informative displays, a short film and tour choices. Clearly, the emphasis is on education not tourism.

You can reach the cavern's main room by taking a 3 hour walk, or riding an elevator 78 stories down. We had not gone hundreds of miles out of our way to ride an elevator. We wanted to see it all. After being warned that the path down was steep, long, and slippery, we chose to walk.

The minute you clear the bat viewing area it becomes obvious the warnings are warranted. The path entered the cave winds back and forth down the steep slope offering a view from the top that is awe inspiring. It is enormously beautiful.

The bats that live in the cave are not visible but hundreds of nesting swifts are. They swoop and chirp flying in and out of the cave by the hundreds.The park refers to the birds as their day shift bug control and the bats as the night shift.

The grey strip is the path down into the cavern.

In case folks did not listen the first
four times.

After a short while the sun is no longer available. The park lights the path and formations dimly so that the bats that call it home are not disturbed. Additionally, it keeps the birds and other desert critters from venturing to far into the cavern where they become lost and eventually die.

They used lights effectively to allow people to safely walk and to point out "decorations" - their term for the formation all around the path. Any number of times, John and I stopped to just stare at the enormous number and variety of these decorations.




I was familiar with stalactites and stalagmites and columns that are made by the meeting of the two, but there were many others.



Long sheets of rock formed draperies folding gratefully down from the ceiling.

Rough edges balls to rock called popcorn clung to most surfaces.

Large mounds of still forming rock that looked for all the world like ice to me because of the water constantly dripping onto them.

Stalactites, thin, fragile looking and sharp edged decorated the ceilings.





































Straws, looking like tree roots wound across ceilings and draped down walls.
















After 3 hours of meandering down to the elevator level, we were given the choice of continuing on to the Big Room or taking the elevator up.

The Big Room made the ones we had just been through seem petite. Walking through it takes an hour and a half! The beauty of it is indescribable.

We kept trying to imagine what it must have been like for the first explorers making their way though with only a lantern to light the way. How they did not become lost is beyond my understanding.

We finally emerged after 5 hours without words to adequately describe the experience. It just has to be experienced to be believed.