Day 13 - Back to El Paso - a long day in the sun

Got up and out early, but found it difficult finding a place to catch breakfast.  Ended up chowing down some microwave fare from a local gas station. As the route between Columbus and El Paso has nowhere to stop for even water, we had to provision accordingly which meant even more gas station food for along the way.

This is us just heading out on this final day.  The proprietor of this hotel is a charming and engaging women who shared a bit about this small town.  It turns out her husband is the mayor.  One of us asked in jest "so who is the judge?".  Without missing a beat, she replied; "oh, that's my brother-in-law".  :)

She runs a very nice establishment with complimentary beer, snacks and use of the laundry. Martha (that's her name) did mention, with a bit of a sideways glance, the border patrol officers like to drop in and grab the free snacks.

She gets lots of bikers and hikers stopping in and will happily shuttle you around - but we chose to stretch our legs and walk.  We also passed on her kind offer to take us across the border for dinner in Mexico, but in retrospect, may have been nice to do.

There wasn't much to look at on the final day - as Christian said; "miles and miles of miles and miles".  The first hour was calm, but mother nature had the final say, pestering us with a very unwelcome quartering headwind that made the 74 miles feel like much more.

180 ° panoramic

Martha, on her way to see her orthopedic doctor (broke her arm ice skating!) in El Paso, stopped to say hi and ask if we needed anything.  We take a lot for granted, not having to travel 75 miles to visit our docs.

That's Mexico - you can barely make out the border fence.  Hmmmm - will this be a big beautiful wall someday?

We came onto the Border Patrol headquarters near the 3/4 point in the ride.  There was a constant stream of their vehicles up and down the road all day long.  We did not see any relevant activity, just a lot of gas being consumed.  We also saw a number of horse trailers - did not know they still use horses to patrol - though the numerous ATVs would have replaced the horses by now.

Well, we did make it back to Texas, where the wind does blow in all directions at the same time.  That is some new highway construction (not on the maps) we had to find our way around and through.

Closer to El Paso, the route took us onto some rather iffy dirt roads.  Shortly after we started down, a border patrol officer took note and visited.  "You guys know where you're going?" he asked.  "Not a clue" came from the 3 gringos.  With that he cautioned us and recommended we find alternate route.

The conversation continued and came around to us describing our adventure and how we left El Paso 2 weeks early and this was the final piece of an 850 mile ride with 50,000 ft of hills.   "So why would you do this? Are you crazy?" he quipped.  "Because we can" came promptly and proudly.  After a bit more banter, his view changed and making us smile, he said "well, I'm not that much younger than you guys, so maybe when I retire, I'll do the same".  So much for being crazy.

The main road into El Paso, right along the border.  The fence one right is the border - the Rio Grande river is just on the other side.

Back to the hotel after 800+ miles and lots of fabulous memories.

Day 12 - South to the border - Columbus, NM

The local bike shop in Silver City that was very handy.

We found ourselves there on both stops and left bit poorer.

Up and out early.  Yes that is a Walmart in the background.

Relatively flat and straight road ahead.  Some of the busiest so far.

So very cool! 

As we passed a small group of what appeared to be antelope, 

they took off running parallel to us in a race - we lost :(

Lots of history

Sergio got the prize thus far with 7 flats.  

1 each (so far) for Christian and me.

Sergio working!  

Must say we enjoyed the rest.

Our overnight stop in Columbus, only 6 miles to the border.

Cold free beers offered  - very welcome after a swift 85 miles.

Very little climbing, and for the most part, little head wind.

Best moving average for the trip.

Local dinner stop - nice people and good food!

Tomorrow is another flat 74 mile day along the border into El Paso.

Day 11 - Back to Silver City

We completed the northern loop, heading back to the Palace Hotel in Silver City.

 Our 4 star accommodations at the Econo Lodge in Lordsburg, NM

Held up at a crossing by a very long train carrying shipping containers 

Lordsburg is apparently a popular stop for those hiking the 

Continental Divide Trail extending from Mexico to Canada.  

When done, the fella on the left will have completed the "Triple Crown"  

having previously hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

Look Mom!  A diamondback rattlesnake! 

(Yes, it was dead along side the road - I think)

More straight roads - and onward to the hills ahead.

Back across the Continental Divide 

Great rooms at the old time Palace Hotel

We need to be up and out early for a long day tomorrow.  

Thankfully, its all downhill to Columbus, NM.  Hopefully

the wind will not be a factor.  A tailwind will be very welcomed.

Historic downtown Silver City on a Sunday night. 

Not much happening.

Day 10 - a rather warm ride in the high desert

This afternoon temps reached 101°F.  But a mostly helpful afternoon wind assisted us on this relatively flat, 70 mile leg with an average moving speed of about 14 mph.  A very welcome change.

Heading out in the morning from our hotel in Morenci.

A little up and down "getting out of  Dodge"

But soon out on the flats

And back into New Mexico

And onto this absolutely straight road for miles and miles with the wind mostly from our right quarter, but occasionally across our path.  Lots of water intake in the dry hot air.

There was a constant caravan of trucks hauling the refined copper from the mine south along the same road we traveled.

Flat!

Hotel entrance in Lordsburg, AZ

Back to Silver City tomorrow.

Day 9 - A day of extremes

What a day!

From taxing ascents to exhilarating descents and breathtaking vistas to the ravages of man on the earth.

Dinner and Breakfast in the lodge

Extremely BIG dogs

Ready to leave onward to Morenci

Max elevation for the tour

Just a little way down the road after leaving the lodge, we were at the highest point of the tour and great views awaited us.....

And exhilarating descents...

If you look close, you can see the road down...

But the downs were interrupted with what seemed to be endless climbs...

8 mile climb at 6 mph - you do the math :(

But then more descents.... yes, that is the road at the bottom!  We got here via a road along the ridge.

The road to Morenci went directly through the 2nd largest open pit copper mine in the world.  Quite a surprise!

Quite an engineering feat, but at the same time, very sad.

Maybe the next visit will be via this mode of transportation :)

Our evening accommodations.  Every room had a shoe brush at the door, apparently for the mine workers to clean their boots.  It was dusty everywhere.