Day 26 - 76 miles

Today was really hard. Lots of hills and an afternoon headwind of about 20 mph gusting to 35  We didn't quite make it to camp, nor did several others.  The van picked us up about 6 miles out. With the wind, that would have taken us about two hours.  The scenery today was really dull too.  We got by for a while by listening to a book on tape.  Now it's almost 10 pm, and the damn wind is blowing the tent around like crazy. It is inescapable!

Day 25 - 55 miles. Sanderson TX

Today was another mostly downhill day with a tailwind, but not as spectacular as yesterday. We got to the RV park about 1:30, had a good lunch at a Mexican restaurant next door.  The campsite has one women's toilet and shower in the same room to serve all of our group and another bike group too.  It's hot, dusty, and windy.  Ugh.  I am not in the best mood.  - Sue

Today's 55 mile ride to Sanderson, TX, wasn't too bad.  Some minor uphill, some flat and slight decline made for an easy ride thru West Texas.  Passing thru these small towns that once thrived you see closed shops and businesses, and populations of 400 people.  It's beautiful country with struggling little towns.
Tomorrow we head to Comstock, an 81 mile ride. Early to bed tonight and off we go.  Annie

 

 

Day 24 - 54.7 miles. Marathon TX

Happiness is a tailwind and downhill ride!  We did the 54 mile ride in four hours total, averaging over 15 mph.  It was a real treat to go fast for a change, and really feel like we were moving.  On top of all that, the scenery was magnificent - grasslands with mountains in the background.  Now we are relaxing in our camp. It is still windy, but we put the tents up on a fairly sheltered pavilion, and life is good!  - Sue

 

 

 

Day 23 - 0 miles. Fort Davis

Today was a day off and it was divine sleeping in a bed!  So far we've pedaled around 1 ,100 miles.
Today in addition to doing chores and resting, we went to the McDonald Observatory-Annie

Yes, today was a nice, relaxing day.  The trip to the observatory was a nice change.  McDonald Observatory is the source of the "Star Date" broadcasts on NPR, which I have always enjoyed, so it was a treat to go there.  We saw a presentation in the sun, including live images from their telescopes.  Lots of fun!  The day got a little exciting at dinner time.  Annie was one of the cooks, and just as the prep was going full force a terrific wind storm came up.  The prep was finished in our room! - Sue

 

 

Day 22 - 55 miles - Fort Davis

If you look at the map, you will see that today should have been 93 miles, but that was too much for us!  The route involved about 3000 feet of climbing, passing the McDonald observatory.  We made it to the water stop, and realized that we would be riding after dark, so called it a day.  We hopped in the van, and marveled at all the hills we missed.  The ride today was in really remote areas, and we were accompanied only by curious cows and our faithful sweep, Jarod.  We have just finished a big dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and are looking forward to our day off tomorrow. - Sue

 

 

Day 21 - 75.2 miles. Van Horn TX

We had a great tailwind most of the time today, so we moved right along. A lot of the day was on or next to I-10, so I spent a lot of time looking at trucks.  Before the I-10 stage, we rode thru ranch land with lots of curious cows. - Sue

I never thought I'd ever say this, but today's 75 mile ride was not bad.  I am still tired from it, but the easy down grades made for lite pedaling.
This experience has been very enlightening regarding Maslow's hierarchy of needs.  From biking and camping everyday and ruffling it a bit, I've realized that combing my hair is not a major need.  I haven't combed my hair in 3 weeks!  - Annie
 
 

Day 20 - 36.9 miles - Fort Hancock, TX

A short day today!  More cotton fields and pecan groves.  We are camping at a wonderful church with air conditioning and a big dining hall.  Showers were at the high school right next to the church, and laundry dried almost instantly.  The bike is cleaned, adjusted and ready for tomorrow.  You can see what is important now! - Sue

Today's ride was essentially a day off, it was only 35 miles.  We have some tough rides in the next 2 days-75 and 91 miles.  So I spent the day resting.  We are riding close to the border of Mexico. It's very isolated country.  There are loads of farms growing pecans and walnuts, but you see so many people living in run down mobile homes and in poverty. - Annie

Sent from my iPhone

  

Annie and her buddies this morning.

 

Day 19 - 75.0 miles

  Today's ride was 75 miles, it felt great not having to deal with the wind/sand storm, thank heavens it cleared up.  Today we left Las Cruces went thru El Paso into San Elizario where we are camping in this guy Dave's backyard.  Dave donates his backyard for bikers and gets to take a tax write off.  The great thing about his backyard is its right next to a farm with beautiful horses right next door.  So beautiful. This is our first night in Texas, and its going take us a few weeks to get across "the miles and miles of Texas". - Annie

The first part of the ride today was in the beautiful Mesilla Valley with miles of pecan orchards.  Another flat tire slowed us down a little, but the wind was mainly a cross wind or tail wind so we moved along.  We are fascinated by the Rio Grande with no water, and enjoyed a wonderful bike path leading into El Paso.  Then the 30 mile slog began thru El Paso traffic.  It wasn't as bad as Phoenix and Tempe, but we sure we're glad to leave it behind and get to our destination.  Everyone agreed it was a long day. - Sue

 

 

The Rio Grande !

 

Day 18 - 61.3 miles

We are sitting in a cabin listening to the wind howl.  We were riding this afternoon in a 40 mph wind, first as a cross wind and then as a head wind for about the last 5 miles.  The wind storm created huge dust clouds, stinging any exposed flesh and making the sky gray.  Mercifully we are staying at a KOA that could put us in cabins.  There is no way that we could have put up tents.  We can hardly stand up.  The ride today was really nice until the wind kicked up. We went through Hatch and saw lots of chili, cotton, pecan, and walnut farming.  We saw people harvesting red chilies that had apparently been left to dry on the plants over the winter.  The ride was mainly flat, and we made good time until two flat tires slowed us down. - Sue

There were times today when the sand/wind storm pushed the bike in several directions, we had some scary times today.  This storm should quiet down tonight and hopefully things will be better tomorrow. In the photo below the picture shows a gray sky with low visibility, this is what the storm looked like. - Annie 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 17 - 60.6 miles

Highlights of the day were crossing Emery Pass (the highest point on our trip at 8220 feet) and having dinner with Priscilla and Annie Lou Spitler.  The climb to the pass was 15 miles and took four hours. Part of the way was in a gorgeous forest with big rocky cliffs that reminded me of Yosemite.  After the pass was lots of steep downhill that Ammie handled masterfully.  Finally we got to Caballo Lake and turned into a huge headwind for the last 7 miles. We left at 8:00 and got in at 4:30, just in time to put up our tent and get ready for the Spitlers. - Sue

 

 

 

Day 15 - 23.8 miles

Today was a short ride, but not too easy from my point of view.  We are over 6000 feet, and the route was a series of hills.  So we slog up the hills, then I get scared on the downhills.  My shoulders are VERY tight!  The most interesting sight was a huge open pit copper mine.  We can't possibly capture its size with our photos.  Since the ride was short, we all stopped for lunch at a really friendly restaurant in Mimbres. - Sue

Today was like a day off and I am feeling ready for tomorrow's ride which includes a 10 mile 6% grade.  This will take Sue and I at at least 2 hours to do.  We're ready or this.  The beauty of this ride remains breathtaking-Annie

 

 

 

Day 15 - 0 miles

Today was a rest day in Silver City, and it was a welcome rest. We caught up on laundry, cleaned the bike, and ate a lot.  It was a nice, relaxed day.  Silver City has a quaint downtown area and a great, friendly bike shop... and good Mexican food! - Sue

 

Oh what a wonderful day off in Silver City, New Mexico.  It's a nice little town, but it's like so many of the towns we've see along the way, it's like they put up businesses and homes with no attention to aesthetics.  It's a shame because the surrounding nature is so beautiful.  I hope some day they improve on this.

Tomorrow's ride is only 25 miles, which is the same as having another day off.  We need the rest for the upcoming longer and mountainous rides.-Annie

 

Day 14 - 46.4 miles

Today we crossed the Continental Divide!  Hooray!!  We climbed around 4000 feet today, and had a great ride.  It was a much better day than yesterday.  Yesterday before dinner I thought I would never get on the tandem again.  A good dinner and the map meeting magically changed my mind, and I am very glad we rode today.  It was a lot of uphill, but we made it. - Sue

We are staying tonight and tomorrow at the Silver City RV Park, in Silver City, New Mexico, the town where Billy the Kid was first arrested, where Geronimo hid in the foothills and where Butch Cassidy and his gang raised some hell.  The ride today was great, but many, many long hills.  Sue is wearing a shade over bike helmet, she looks just like a fireman on bike!

 

 

 

More Pictures

 

 

This was the climb out of Tonto Basin a couple of days ago

Day 13 - 44 miles

Today's ride was an another 80 mile ride with the 35 miles uphill.  Sue and I have been struggling on these, they're particularly hard on a tandem.  By 45 miles into New Mexico in a little town called Duncan, which happens to be where Sandra Day O'Connor grew up, Sue and I hopped the van to finish the ride.  Tomorrow is a shorter ride and then we get a day off to rest and recover and head into our third week of riding.
While riding these long days I've come to realize that the easiest miles are the first 25 and the hardest are the last 10 miles of a day's ride.
 

 

 

Day 12 - 76.7 miles

Today looked easy, but of course it was it was not.  We got an early start, and The first part was rolling, and we moved right along.  Unfortunately the road (US 70) was very busy, with lots of truck traffic and a very narrow, bad shoulder.  We were actually riding in the San Carlos reservation for most of the day.  The road flattened out, and we cruised along, stopping often to apply more chamois cream.  I was uncomfortable all day.  The last few miles off route to the Essence of Tranquility hostel and campsite were a real slog.  The high today was at least 87, so we suffered from the heat too.  I guess this wasn't my best day.  Things are better now that I've had a nice shower.

 

 

 

Day 11 - 57.4 miles

Today was another long day, though not as bad as yesterday. The first part was really nice, rolling terrain mostly along Lake Roosevelt.  The lake had lots of RV sites and lots of boat activity.  Then came the long climb out of Tonto Basin.  It was 5 miles of 7% grade.  What a pain!  Then more rolling until we got to Globe.  We had a nasty climb out of Globe on a major highway. It was not fun at all!  Mercifully once we got out of town, we had a pretty downhill ride to the Apache Gold Casino on the San Carlos Reservation where we are spending the night.  The rooms are luxurious.  Tomorrow is a 70 mile ride, Sue and I will be asleep by 8pm.

 

 

 

Day 10 - 79.6 miles

Today was hard!  We climbed over 5000 feet total, and rode almost 80 miles.  We left at 6:45 am and got in at 5:30 pm. We go up the steep climbs at about 3.8 miles an hour.  Thank goodness for our small chain ring!  The last few miles were mostly downhill, and that was a big relief. Everyone cheered for us when we got in - they recognize that pushing the tandem uphill is hard.  I'm proud of us!  We have more climbing tomorrow, but not as much uphill and a shorter day.  Stayed in a motel in Tonto Basin. 

Both Sue and I have the bane of all bikers ,diaper rash.  Luckily we have various creams and are wearing double bike shorts, which helps somewhat.  

The country side is desert and so beautiful.  

 

 

 

Day 9 - 0 miles

Our first day off, we've ridden about 400 miles so far and this day off is most welcome.  We're doing laundry, having lunch with Annie's old friend from college, Jerry James and his wife Kathy, updating our blog and going to bed early to get ready for tomorrow's 81 mile ride.  We will set out tomorrow around 7am, after another grand nite in a real bed!

The other 13 people with us are so nice and supportive, we couldn't ask for a better group.

 

Day 8 - 68.3 miles

Today was supposed to be Jarod's favorite day, and it was pretty awful.  It started out nice for the first thirty miles.  Then we hit the town of Surprise which was the start of the Phoenix/Tempe metro area.  We had lots of heavy traffic and stop lights, then about 30 miles of a not very pretty bike trail. At least there was no traffic.  My butt hurt all day in spite of cream and double shorts.  Annie says I have an open sore.  Damn. Now we are in a Motel 6 in Tempe, and tomorrow is a day off.  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to sleep in a real bed!  It's the little things that are so wonderful sometimes.

 

  

 

Day 7 - 54.4 miles

Today was nice.  I really enjoyed it. We left early again, and I even needed a jacket for the first 45 minutes or so. Then it warmed up, but there was a nice breeze so I never got too hot.  It was desert, of course, but it was always kind of green so not too bad.  It looked like we went thru a cotton growing region, since there were lots of tufts on the ground.  The ride was slightly uphill for most of the way, but the last 10 miles were downhill. Wickenberg is a big town, with lots of traffic going out of town. We stopped at Chapparal Ice Cream and had a big cone.  There was a live singer in there with a great voice. It was a good end to the day.  I am really enjoying the ride and the group and the camping.