On my way to El Paso - It's a strip mall paradise

I left Las Cruces in excruciating back pain knowing I had 50 miles to go with a cross wind of 25-30 mph winds. But surprisingly, the ride was a rather smooth one with a tail wind for most of the journey with a crosswind only a few times on road bends. Some tumble weeds along my route, nearly rolled me into their paths. At times, with the gusts so fervent, I thought I was going to meet Auntie Em!

Town immediately next to Las Cruces

Xmas wreaths made of chili peppers in Mesilla

Mile after mile of pecan and cotton fields were prevalent on the 50 mile ride. Perfectly spaced pecan orchards were a thing to marvel.

Pecan orchards

Outside Chamberino, NM

TEXAS

I ended up at a Starbucks, 7 miles from my destination and warmed up a bit and relaxed, and grabbed some internet. I ultimately found my way to my host's home just off the campus of University of Texas, El Paso. I'm in a mansion with 5 grad students. I took my initial host Daniel and his house mate Meredith to dinner as a thank you for hosting me for two nights and my bike for several more. 

Dearest reader, please note the lack of photos of El Paso. It's one strip mall and stand alone chain restaurant after another. Not much different than any other suburbia or city. From the house, there is a nice view of Juarez, but I didn't get my Kevlar vest from my saddlebags so I have't taken a picture. Perhaps in the morning!

All my best my friends!

Out of Hillsboro and on to Las Cruces - 76 miles away

Before leaving the quaint town of Hillsboro, I decided to make a quick stop into the Hillsboro General Store and Cafe. I anticipated a hodgepodge of items for sale an a typical old counter style cafe. Unfortunately the store didn't have a hodgepodge of items for sale (unless you count M&Ms, snickers, and some traditional southwest clothing a true hodgepodge). It did have the traditional counter and stools that were not being used. However, the floor where I anticipated shelves of the unusual were several tables that were teeming with local folks from this apparent artsy town.

I wandered a bit and looked a the various artifacts from history including antique medicine bottles, farm implements, and advertisements. I spoke to the woman behind the counter and expressed my love for the antique look of the store. I was quickly offered the opportunity to buy the shop. The owners wanted to move back to Canada. Believe it or not, I turned down the opportunity lacking the funds that morning.

After a brief stop back at the B&B, F.G Superman and I headed out of town toward Las Cruces.

On my ride, I was fortunate enough to see a peccary that ran into a culvert that traversed under the road but didn't exit. I didn't want to stay around the area of the exit because there were several bulls at the exit that didn't seem pleased with my presence. I did get chased by a bull when I was a child and that alone thwarted my dreams of a rodeo clown.

Additionally, I also saw a hawk that was soaring along the sky and somehow oblivious to me and my bicycle. It swooped in the direction of my path, following a draft of wind and was stunned to see me coming so close to it and suddenly veered onto another trajectory.

Two peregrine falcons sat perfectly perched for a photo shoot. When I pulled out my camera oh so slowly, the birds didn't move. When I turned on the camera and it made it's dopey, "I'M OPENING UP THE LENS NOW!" sound, the birds flew off so I could only gain a photo of tail feathers...I chose not to photo bird butts.

Also, among the lowland friends I saw as I followed the Rio Grande were a coyote and my first road runner. No Warner Brothers jokes here.

In the areas leading to Las Cruces, were overwhelmed by pecan and chili pepper crops. Tractor trailers of both drove by me on Rt 185. Before I knew what they were, I stopped by a small orchard of pecans where a woman was preparing to harvest the nuts. She explained that the leaves fall off the trees, then are cleared out from beneath the trees, then tarps are placed on the ground beneath the trees and tree shakers are used to rattle the nuts from their temporary homes. Large orchards use mechanized devices to shake the trees.

Just a few pecans had dropped on the ground that this woman picked up. She offered me some for my ride. I declined at first, but then decided it was in my best interest to take them because it was such a kind gesture. I graciously thanked the nutty lady and proceeded on. Just about a mile down the road, I saw a man using a large hooked stick to shake a pecan tree and dislodge the pecans just as the woman described just a few minutes earlier.

Looking back toward Hillsboro

Looking back toward Hillsboro

Overseeing Caballo Mountains and Lake Caballo

Right by Lake Caballo

Closeup of the endorphin producing goodness

Chili pepper field

Rio Grande? Rio Lame.

Chili peppers peeking out from the crates. Arrey and Hatch areas were littered along the road with  chili peppers!

Dozens of trucks passed me by on my route with approximately 8 processing plants.

Cotton field and pecan orchard

I'm going next year!

Looking toward the Rio Grande

Rio Grande visible

Finally after 76 miles!

I noted a hint of a cold coming on when I rode into town. I grabbed a hotel and used up a box of tissues. The next morning, Saturday, I got up very slowly, blew my nose too many times for my liking and got a massage to help my lumbar region, went to a bike shop to get a device to help my lumbar region while riding and ate at an all-you-can-eat buffet to help my stomach region.

I found my way back to the hotel and slept from approximately 4:00 PM until 8:00 AM on Sunday. I kicked the cold! Woo hoo.

Well, I'm back on the road today and hitting El Paso and staying there for a day or two because I realized I have jury duty. Don't want to forget to perform my civic duty!

My Thanksgiving Treat to Myself

Well, I found a few photos this afternoon on my camera that were in the internal memory that I forgot to pull onto my SD card from days and weeks that have passed.

Beautiful flower amongst really sharp barbs of  a nasty desert plant.

In Safford, AZ. I found this a bit unusual. Insurance & Cotton Company. It just caught my eye.

Bales of cotton in AZ.

Looking up the mountain that I descended going to my three day stopover in Three Way.

I was sure I took a photo of the guy chomping my hand! I did. It was at the Three Way, AZ Ranger station.

On the ascent toward Emory Pass.

Love the clouds!

I was along side the road, taking a break, when a woman with MD license plates stopped to see if I was OK. She had an enormous lab, named Sherman. We spoke a bit, she took my photo for me and gave me a bottle of water, at my request, because I was unsure how much further I had to go. We hugged.  It was just a few miles to the spot I decided to camp. I was then able to fill all of my water containers with fresh stream water (purified by my really cool purifier I got at REI). Holy smokes, the water tasted amazingly good.

Although I didn't take any photos of my campsite, I assure you it was wonderful. I was incredibly chilly as I got my water bottles filled by one of the few streams I have seen since San Diego (no kidding), and made my dinner. But as misfortune would have it, as I bent over into my tent, I had a really nasty pop occur in my lower back. So very sad. For those of you who know me, this is the one that makes me grunt when I walk, beg for mercy when I sit up, and cry when I bend to tie my shoes. I had a terrible feeling I would be stuck in the tent for two days.

As I lay there contemplating my next day of travel or not, I did everything I could think of to put that vertebrae back in place. Stretching, twisting, putting a large roll under my knees to take pressure off my back, took some ibuprophen and I did a little voodoo too just for good measure. I nuzzled in my tent and sleeping bag and did my best to relax, including listening to a meditation podcast. After the podcast, I thought of a recent massage I had and placed my fist under my back, at the point of pain. I moved the fist around slowly, pressing on the muscles, tendons and nerves in an effort to relieve the excruciating pain. I tried to read while doing this but was only mildly successful. I turned out my headlamp and listened to hours of meditation podcasts, trying to relax and ease the pain. 

In the AM, I woke up and was very much aware of what I had in store for myself today. Climbing to the apex of the entire southern tier, Emory Pass. Very fortunately, my hip / back popped back into place when I climbed out of the tent! Although not perfect, it worked wonders compared to hobbling around like a troll.

After a breakfast of 4 oatmeals (because I put in too much water), I headed out on the road for the last few miles of climbing to the pinnacle of the ride. Below are some photos I took on the ascent. 

Love the clouds in this one!

This my friends, is the sign for a switchback.

Looking back down from the Emory Pass

Ta da! I did it! 8,828 feet! Also, I have too much stuff!

F.G. Superman overlooking the valley we later descended. 

The overlook of Emory Pass with the both of us. 

Sign at Emory Pass Overlook

One of the greatest signs to see as a bicyclist! This preceded a sign that said  something like "8 miles of steep descent." I had to stop twice on the ride down the mountain. First to put on a second pair of gloves and second to put on a balaclava to keep my chin and nose from freezing.

View from the overlook.

Don't know why, but I just love this view. It was right about here that I saw my first snowflake.

This is the tiny town where I stayed at a quaint B&B.

For those UD rugby players who recall the good old days, I believe I found the bear from the Swiss Inn at an antique shop in Hillsboro!

I found my way inside the B&B and took a long hot bath to ease my back pains that were still nagging. I then found my way to the glorious bed. And there I stayed and shall stay until breakfast calls. I'm looking forward to heading to Las Cruces tomorrow. That ride is approximately 75 miles of downhill or flatness! Hooray. Please pray for a tailwind to push me along my ride. 

To everyone I love - you know who you are - thank you for your support, your guidance and words of wisdom and encouragement. This has been an amazing journey and I'm truly thankful to be continuing this ride that I wanted to do about 20 years ago, but didn't have the courage to complete at the time. So here I am, having the ride of my life. Two people have been constantly with me on this trip in my heart and soul. I love you Gretel, I love you Bauer with every hint, nuance, ounce, and essence of my being. You need to know that. All of my love.

Dad.