It's been a nominal riding day that's been more of a rest day.

We slept well at Meister's last night, waking to the 6 am alarm to find Bill had returned home while we slept and Theresa had already risen and left for work.

We packed and discussed the implications of an impending storm due in the mountains on Saturday.   The forecast is for 35 mph winds tomorrow, with gusts of between 55 and 70 mph possible.   Hardly conditions for safe riding.  Ocotillo,  our original goal for today, is a small village of just a few businesses at the foot of the mountains.  Bill strongly suggested that we'd probably be there for two days with very little to do.  And the Meister's, gracious as they have been,  have other plans for Saturday and can't host us for a second night.

So we've chosen to ride the 12 miles to El Centro,  and are spending a relaxing day in a hotel.  Then tomorrow we'll brave whatever headwinds there are on the way to Ocotillo, camp the night there and start climbing the mountains on Sunday. 

Barb and I thought you might find it interesting to see what we're facing on Sunday.

We're riding from right to left.  Ocotillo is just about where map 3 begins.  And that steep elevation change is the beginning of our Sunday ride.  How far we get into the series of peaks will depend on how our legs feel.  If the first long climb of the day were in a professional cycling race, it would be categorized in the second most difficult class of climbs.  Of course,  it's different because we won't be racing, but the pros wouldn't be hauling 45 lbs or so of gear with them.

So today we're doing what the pros would do.  NO, NO, NOT TAKING DRUGS TO ENHANCE OUR PERFORMANCE.   I mean resting our legs and eating well.

Before we left Bill, he treated us to a great breakfast at his favorite coffee shop in Brawley, the Rock Coffee Shop and Cafe.  Then on the way into El Centro we stopped at a Carrows restaurant for a very early dessert.  Then we did a quick light spin on our bikes to a local park where we napped on a couple of picnic tables waiting for our masseur to show up and work any residual soreness from our calves.  He never did, just  a guy with a shopping cart, fetching recyclables from the nearby garbage can.

Then we found reasonable and clean lodging with a friendly staff at the Brunner Inn and Suites, and rested until 5:30, when we took the very good recommendation of the hotel clerk, and dined at the Mexican seafood restaurant La Resaca.   We stuffed ourselves on three different preparations of shrimp, and as a bonus I finally took my revenge on a pair of unsuspecting Dos Equis. 

We're back in our hotel room and will sleep well tonight while the winds begin to rage in the mountains.  Tomorrow Ocotillo, and Sunday we'll climb.

Feeling refreshed and well.

We slept very well at Nancy's home last night and were up at 6 am to find Nancy already preparing breakfast.  While we changed into biking clothes and packed, she continued preparing a delicious bacon, egg, and cheese torta with tortillas, in a single skillet, which she then turned out onto a cutting board for serving.  It was delicious.  Then she served up some accumulated wisdom about the road we were to travel.  South of Palo Verde, CA 78 is a twisting curvy road, she told us, with many shor

steepisode hills that doesn't afford drivers much visibility.  Further, there is very little shoulder, and sometimes even worse there's a curb that keeps you from easily moving off the road.  Further, since it's a link for truck drivers to and from Yuma, there would be many larget trucks on the road.  And finally people driving large RVS and towing traIles would be on the road heading for the sand dunes with recreation on their minds. We should expect those conditions for the next 30 miles.  One thing you have to like about Nancy, she doesn't exaggerate.  Our experience on CA 78 lived up to her description.

Fortunately before we left I had my flat for the day, a depressingly low rear tire that both Barb and I worked on repairing before we even got on the road.  Jerome 17 Barb 0.

On the positive side there was fantastic scenery all day.  We gradually climbed as we skirted the Palo Verde, Midway, and Chocolate mountains, before descending into Glamis in the heart of the Algodones sand dunes.

Fortunately, the convenience store and restaurant in Glamis were open, so we stopped for lunch, breaking up what would have been 64 tough serviceless miles.

Then we  descended below sea level into the heavily agricultural Imperial Valley.

Finally we arrived hot and thirsty in Brawley, and headed for the first place we could find for a few sodas, and to check directions to our warmshowers hosts for the night, Bill and Theresa Meister.

Bill was out of town for the day, but Theresa welcomed us warmly and introduced us to the family's three dogs,  and half dozen parrots.  Then we both showered, ordered a pizza for supper, and got to hold Peaches, one of the family's cockatoos while we waited for the pizza to arrive.

We're now finishing a load of laundry and will then be getting a well deserved rest.

Tired, but happy we're through the long desert stretch.

130 miles to San Diego.

We slept well last night in the hold of the USS Constitution, as our coverted trailer at the Quartzsite Yacht Club was christened.   6 AM rolled around and both of us had been awake for 10 minutes or more, and it didn't take long for us to pack our panniers and get them back on the bikes which had spent the night tethered to the boat.  Sailing boats are always so cramped.   It wasn't until I began rolling mine toward the road that I noticed the back tire was three quarters flat.  Jerome 13 - Barb 0.  So I sat in front of the hotel office and proceeded to repair it whIle Barb got us a complimentary cup of coffee.

Tire repaired, we headed up the street to the Times Three restaurant which had been recommended for breakfast.   Fast service, standard breakfast fare at a good price.

Then we got on the road and started another gradual climb out of town on I -10.   The shoulders were smooth, the temperature mild, and there was very little wind.  We did the 8 mile climb in less than an hour and were enjoying the ensuing downhill.

That's when we ran across an old office chair, without a few of its casters,  but sitting upright off the shounder of the interstate.   How could we resist such a photo opp.  Look! Arizona has set up a rest stop for cyclists.   I should have known better.

A few miles later and just short of the real rest stop my bike began feeling strangely erratic.  Flat front tire as Arizona taught me respect.  Jerome 14 - Barb 0.

The rest of the ride out of Arizona was easy as we soon crossed the Colorado River and entered California.

Blythe CA is the last town to get supplies before tackling a 90 mile stretch of the route without services, so we stopped at an Albertsons supermarket to get Gatorade and food for lunch tomorrow.   Then Barb spotted a busy Mexican cafe as we passed by, so we stopped there for a quick lunch of shrimp tacos.

Then we took off into our long stretch, taking back roads through agricultural fields along the Colorado River.  A favorable wind had come up and we were making great time as we got on CA 78.  But five miles north of Palo Verde the squishiness in my rear wheel was back and we needed to stop while I changed yet another flat.  Jerome 15 - Barb 0.

Back on the road, we stopped in Palo Verde for a soda --Barb's treat as she was feeling sorry for me. We only had 5 miles to go to our host's home for the night.  Less than a mile from our turn.  Yes,  Jerome 16 - Barb 0. But this time I was able to simply pump a bit more air into the tire and didn't have to make a roadside repair.  Trying to be thankful.

We arrived at Nancy Dean Mercury's home in the desert south of Palo Verde shortly thereafter.   Nancy lives in a comfortable trailer in the tranquil peace of the desert and is a blessing for touring cyclists trying to bridge the long dry haul between Blythe and Brawley CA.  She's lived a very interesting life and has traveled much of the world before returning to her roots here in the desert.   She's greeted us warmly and provided snacks while I worked repairing my flat and patching tubes.  She cooked a delicious filling meal and has been a valuable source of information about the road ahead.

Despite the flats, it's been a good day and we're anxious to be through tomorrow's difficult stretch.

Well and resting comfortably.

Today's theme was another "You never know what to expect".

The morning started routinely, we were up at 6 am,  and packed and ready to leave shortly before 7.  The Salome Restaurant didn't open until 7 or 7:30, so we thought we'd take our chances a bit further on the route at the small town of Harcuvar.

We had an easy climb for four miles into town without much breeze and temperatures in the mid-50's, and of course the sun was just peeking over the mountains,  casting dramatic shadows.

The restaurant in Harcuvar was a bar and grill that hadn't opened for the day, so we just continued on, starting a pleasant descent into the next valley.  That's where we had our first unexpected encounter.  Andy an east-bound cyclist, came rolling up the grade toward us and stooped to briefly say hello.  He'd camped at Hope the night before and was getting an early start as well.  He mentioned that Graham another older cyclist was behind him and to pass on his greeting when we met him.

We continued our descent and next rode by a guy camping by  the side of the road, with all his gear in a shopping cartcart.  He hadn't awakened as far as we could tell, and didn't stop to get his story.  But we'd heard of more that one person walking and camping cross-country using a shopping cart.  Still it's a little jarring when you actually encounter it.

We stopped at the convenience store in the little town of Hope for coffee and a prepackaged roll, eaten standing in the corner with an chest freezer for a table.  The sign leaving town indicated that we were now beyond Hope.

Four miles west of Hope (beyond Hope, if you must) we passed a restaurant that addendums to our maps said was closed.  It had.  But just a half mile further was the Dos Amigos restaurant that was open and advertising Mexican and American breakfasts.  We still had an impending climb into Brenda and onto I -10,  so  we stopped for a more substantial breakfast.

We had just ordered and started a conversation with the other customer seated behind us, a contract self-taught mechanical engineer from Wyoming who prospects gold and gems when he's not building geothermal turbines, when a familiar face arrived, our young friend Jake.

We had expected Jake was already in California,  but he'd been  shopping for turquoise and was delayed.  Jake joined us for breakfast and then we enjoyed a pleasant morning cycling into Quartzsite together.

On the way, we met another east-bound cyclist, and knowing what Andy had said immediately began hailing him, asking if he were Graham.  Oops, wrong cyclist.   Mark, from Birmingham England started five days ago in San Diego. He'd run into warm weather crossing the California mountains, and was much hoping for cooler weather.

We wished Mark well and he was on his way.  Later Barb snapped one more photo of Jake and I.  The thin, attractive young man with the full auburn beard isn't me.

We reached Brenda, but still needed to climb further to reach the pass on I-10.  I was running a little short of water, so I stopped at the store and picked up a quart of cold Gatorade.  Rather than finding room for it in my panniers, I tucked It under the elastic cargo net I have strapped to my rear rack.  Then we were off climbing again.

The descent wasn't overly steep, so we were able to coast without serious braking at 16 to 18 mph.  It was glorius.  We went under an overpass and on the other side I could see we were rapidly approaching a rather sharp bump in the asphalt.  I called out "Bump" to alert the others and lifted myself out of the saddle to reduce the jarring effect.  As I went over the bump I heard a clunk, then watched as my newly purchased Gatorade rolled across both lanes of 70 mph traffic and over the far shoulder and into the median.  So long Gatorade.

The remaining descent into Quartzsite was uneventful.  As we pulled off the interstate to head through town there was a sign "Book Oasis 1/4 mile ahead".  Knowing that Barb's been trying to get a new paperback for a few days, I suggested we pull off and look, and soon were stopped in front of a used book store that appeared perfectly mundane.  That's when the 60ish proprietor stepped through the front door to greet us.  He was comfortably attired in absolutely nothing, save for a knitted black cod piece that covered, but hardly hid, his genitals.  Modesty, one supposes.  Then he retired back to his stacks.  Barb invited me to choose a book for her, but not knowing her literary taste I politely declined.   Fortunately, she was able to find something adequate on the 'Free' table outside the store, and we were soon on our way.   Paul, we later learned, is well known in the area and is happy to pose for photos with visitors.  My blog is G-rated and you'll have to check the Internet for his photos independently.

One of our warmshowers hosts suggested that we check the Quartzsite Yacht Club for accommodations.  So while we stopped at a convenience store, Barb called and learned the rooms were very reasonable.  So we finished our sodas, and began riding towards the Yacht Club .

That's when we ran into Graham.  He's an older gentleman who's been touring on his bicycle and limited budget since April, first cross-country east-to-west,  and now back in the other direction.  He declined lodging at the Yacht Club, or eating at their restaurant, but happily went on his way seeking camping and groceries.  You can tour in many styles.

We made it to the Yacht Club and said goodbye again to Jake.  This time probably the last on this tour.  There's a Halloween party in San Diego he's trying to attend and has some serious riding in the next few days.

The Yacht Club is one of those quirky places, that seems to have found its niche in an equally quirky town.  Their motto "Long time no sea" is prominently displayed. Their rooms are mostly converted mobile home trailers in a variety of configurations, though they do have a few permenantly dry docked yachts that are available for rent.

The associated bar and grill has a nautical decor, and fish and chips is a featured menu item.

We're resting comfortably in the USS Constitution, our room for the night.  It's been an interesting day.

We have 250 miles to go.

We woke this morning to the standard 6 am alarm, and were up for the complimentary hotel breakfast a half hour later.  By 7:15 we had checked out of the hotel and were on our bikes heading west on US 60.

The temps were cool, and the winds light and variable as we started a long gradual climb out of Wickenburg.   It was a pleasant morning with several chances to stop and photograph the surrounding mountains and a raptor perched regally atop a large Saguaro.  There were even folks out riding the high desert on horseback.

We had expected the climb to last a full sixteen miles, but when it ended a few miles early,  we weren't complaining, and began an even longer and more gradual descent.  Life was good, until I felt that strange squishiness and looked down to see I had another flat rear tire.  Jerome 12 Barb 0.  Embedded in my rear tire was a familiar piece of green glass.  A few Dos Equis will be drained tonight in revenge.

We did the 26 miles into Aguila and stopped at the Coyote Flats Bar and Grill for lunch. The place seems a watering hole for locals and tourists alike, though at 11 am in the morning, the ccustomers were of a distinctly gray-haired vintage.  We fit right in.

After lunch we had 23 miles to get to Wenden, and a bit of a headwind had kicked up.  Nothing fierce, just enough to know we were working into it.  At first, it appeared that the convenience store in Wenden had closed, but a block further down the street was a store with a sign that said hardware and market.  Exactly what the sign said, like an old country store, they dealt in a bit of everything.

The last four miles into Salome were easy after our break and we found a room at Sheffler's hotel, slightly updated, but more like a motel from the 50's.  Rooms are spacious and clean at a very reasonable price.

Dinner was next door at the Salome Restaurant, when we found the Mystic Wolf restaurant, that serves an native American menu, was closed.   The bar had no Dos Equis in stock so revenge served cold will wait for another day.

We plan to ride to Quartzsite tomorrow.

Feeling fine and enjoying the adventure.

We only planned a 38 mile ride today because of our last three longer days of riding.  So we slept in until 6:30 before we began packing and having a cup of coffee that our warmshowers host had prepared before he went out to try to reserve favorable tee times for his golf group.

Larry returned as Trudy made us smoothies for breakfast, and whipped up a batch of scrambled eggs, sautéed tomatoes with parmesan, and really delicious multi-grain bread.

Larry strongly recommended that we visit the Desert Caballeros Western Museum when we reached Wickenburg,  and wrote us a note to the staff to help us with entry.

Then we were off and beginning our day's ride.  The legs were a little sluggish from the start, but we plugged away, stopping at Whittman  for a break at the halfway point, and then continued heading for Wickenburg.

We got to the outskirts of Wickenburg,  and were about to stop for lunch,  when unexpected things happen.  An older gentleman approached us and began to ask how we were doing and the conversation headed to a decidedly bicycling direction.

Bob Reynolds is planning a Southern Tiers ride with a friend next spring and insisted on buying us lunch for a chance to spend time chatting with us.  He had passed on the road some 8 miles back and was hoping we'd pull in as we got I to town.

So we accepted Bob's gracious offer and had a delightful conversation as we enjoyed lunch.  Bob was particularly interested in our upcoming route as we cross the California coastal mountains and descend into San Diego.  We exchanged contact information and will be in touch again.

We checked into the Best Western near the town center, and laid on our beds for a few minutes relaxing, before heeding Larry's advice and heading over to the museum.   Larry's note gained us free admission and for nearly an hour we strolled through Western art, exhibits, and reconstructions, and generally had a great time.  Larry's advice was right on target.

Then we returned to the hotel and napped.  I ended up sleeping for two hrs and awoke to Barb encouraging me to come see the sunset.  I missed the best part, I'm afraid, but even what I caught was pretty spectacular.

Then we headed over to Anita's Cocina for Mexican food, one of Bob Reynolds suggestions.

We noticed a unloaded touring bike parked outside the restaurant,  and I thought it looked familiar.  And indeed when we entered the restaurant, there was Jake, young riding partner we had assumed was at least a day ahead of us.  So we sat down and caught up on recent experiences on the route over dinner.  Jake has been riding some of the tough sections we've chosen to bypass and has taken a few rest days with family and newly-made friends.  It was great to see him again, though he'll be riding longer distances starting tomorrow and this may be our last encounter on this trip.

We're back in our room, relaxing and getting ready for a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow we'll be riding to Salome.

Tired, and ready for sleep.  But feeling good and getting close to the end of our adventure.  Only 344 miles to San Diego.

Tonight we're in Sun City AZ at the home of Larry Vroom and Trudy Bryson, our warmshowers hosts.

The day was one of urban cycling. We had 5 miles this morning to get into Apache Junction,  then it was an entire day of riding though residential developments and outlying shopping areas while skirting the Phoenix downtown.

We made it to Tempe about 11 am, and stopped at a bike shop to have a bolt tightened and pick up a few replacement parts for my rear derailleur.  Then it was only a few blocks to Rosita's Fine Mexican Food, a restaurant highly recommended by Sally and Garth Molyneux,  our good friends.

Per Sally's recommendation, we both ordered the chicken rellenos.   It was delicious and filling, as the following photos will attest.

After lunch,  we got back on our bikes, and followed the route through less busy streets and then along a bike path that followed a canal to the outskirts of Sun City.  From there we called Larry for directions to their home.

Today's mileage was more than we'd initially expected, but was rewarded by the hospitality of our hosts.

We dined on salads, grilled ahi tuna,  ratatouille,  with strawberries and chocolate hummus for dessert.  Trust me it was delicious.

We'll be back on our bikes tomorrow morning and heading for Wickenburg AZ,  a relatively shor ride of 40 miles,  after some longer days recently.  Hard to believe, but San Diego is only 385 miles away.

We're well and enjoying our adventure.

I'm pretty sure most of you have seen the nature progams from the African savanna.   The wildebeests are migrating when they come to a croc infested river.  They plough through knowing that most of them will make it, and hoping that they aren't the ones the crocs take down.  The first half of today's ride was like that.

We started the day well enough,  meeting a pair of east-bound riders, Larry and Mary, on the way to breakfast.  They had heard of us though Jake, whom they crossed paths with a day ago.  We exchanged information about what lay ahead, and headed for breakfast.   A half hour later we were back on the road.

The shoulders of the road were narrow, where they existed at all, and what shoulder there was was often blocked with an overgrown,  thorny mesquite that left us with options of moving onto the road into the path of a speeding truck,  or slowing drastically to check the road before sneaking into a break in traffic, and then retreating back to your six inches of shoulder.

The most appropriate advice of the day came from an old rancher in Miami, where we stopped for a snack before tackling the second big climb of the day. "Try not to get hit."  Prophetic.

Thank you for your prayers for our safety thru the Queen Creek tunnel.  It was probably the easiest part of our morning.   I told Barb I'd stop before the tunnel to consider options,  but there was no shoulder to stop on.  Thank heaven Barb had the foresight to have us turn on our blinking taillights a few miles earlier.   Then we hit the tunnel just after a string of cars following an 18 wheeler loaded with cattle.  We made our break and glided dowhill through the tunnel with only the threatening sounds of a following semi to worry us.

A few miles later we were in Superior and stopping for lunch at Edwardo's Pizzeria.   We refueled  and replenished our water supply, then hended back onto US 60.

What a difference a good shoulder makes.  Just west of Superior,  the road became divided four lanes, with a wide smooth shoulder.  Combined with the easiest climb of the day,  and the long gradual downhill that followed,  it made cycling a totally different experience.  We had time to stop and take photos of the mountains,  and Barb found a nearby Saguaro to pose next to.  She did pick up a piece of roadside tire scrap to probe for snakes, but the way seemed clear.

We had intended to make it to Apache Junction,  but by 4:30, traffic starting picking up, and so we've chosen to stay at Golden Canyon, five miles east of Apache Junction.

We've showered and done laundry,  eaten supper in the hotel lounge, and are relaxing in our room.

Tomorrow we'll work our way across Phoenix, planning a stop at Rosita's in Tempe for lunch. Then we'll make our way to Sun City where we've arranged for a warmshowers stay.

Safe and well.

We left Safford after eating breakfast at the hotel.  Temperatures were in the upper 50's and we had a very pleasant tailwind.  Besides,  the road from Safford to Bylas was the flattest section we've seen for a while.  It was a blessing.  We wanted to cover 70 rather serviceless miles today.

Riding was good, and we breezed into Fort Thomas, the first 22 miles in about an hour and a half.  We stopped briefly at the store there and chatted with the young clerk who said he'd see  several riders over the past week.  We inquired about Jake, the young rider we last saw a few weeks back, and learned that he's about 2 days ahead of us.  It's unlikely that we'll catch up to him, but good to know he's doing well.

The 11 mile stretch into Bylas was equally pleasant, and while the map didn't indicate any services besides a post office,  there was a nice looking convenience store and a equally attractive rest area where we stopped to eat some snacks.

Then, although the Adventure Cycling map didn't indicate it, things got much tougher.  The 25 miles between Bylas and Peridot involved crossing several dry river beds, meaning significant descents and climbs that had us in and out of our granny gears most of the afternoon.  That was exacerbated by large clumps of stickery mesquite bushes that often encroached on the entire shoulder, forcing us onto the road proper with drivers who were none too willing to slow down or mover over.

We did have one significant find this afternoon that Barb has been anxiously anticipating since we entered Arizona.  We spotted our first Saguaro cactus.  Actually there were many of them dotted on several hillsides that we had ample opportunity to observed from a distance as we twiddled away in our granny gears.  I'm told that even if it means a considerable hike through rattlesnake infested ground, she expects to return home with a photo of herself standing next to a nice Saguaro specimen.  Good thing she has that horseshoe.

At Peridot we stopped for a quick lunch of a sandwich, soda, and (thanks to my wonderful sister) a pack of Lorna Doone cookies.  While space seemed adequate, there were no chairs in the convenience store, so we sat on the floor near the back of the store and chatted with a teller when she wasn't busy cashing checks for folks.

Adventure Cycling did indicate the next big climb, an 8 mile 800 foot rise that wasn't so steep, but tantalized us several times into believing that we might have reached the top, to level off for a few hundred feet and then continue upward.

When we did reach the top, both of us were relieved that it wasn't another series of dry ravines to cross, but proceeded pretty gently downhill toward the Apache Gold Casino, where we're spending the night.   The last mile however degenerated as the shoulder became a series of grass-filled cracks that had had enough undisturbed time to rival most speed bumps.

We're now relaxing in our room, having cleaned up and eaten supper.  We have a few big climbs early tomorrow, and then a descent that includes the Queen Creek tunnel.  Every cyclist describes it as an experience they'd rather not repeat, but all seem to have made it through unscathed.  A few prayers for our safety would be appreciated.

We'll probably be in Apache Junction tomorrow.  And then heading for Tempe on Saturday.

Tired, but well.

Today was a pleasant rest day spent at Jim and Ruth Graham's home near Cochise AZ.

After a wonderful evening meal of grilled pork and chicken, accompanied by sampling several of Jim and Ruth's Golden Rule wines, there was no particular need to rise early in the morning.  But habits learned on the road are not easy to break, so I was awake at 5 am, and as the pre-dawn light began to filter into my bedroom, I chose to get up and see the sunrise firsthand.

 Barb was up shortly after and we enjoyed a fine breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, yogurt, and coffee.  Afterwards, we got an up close look at the solar heat collection system installed in their home. Then Jim took us out to tour the vineyard and pistachio orchards.

We got quite an education about growing grapes and harvesting pistachios that included several videos in the farm office that showed the pistachio harvest in detail.

After Ruth showed us the interior of their lovely home, we headed into Wilcox for lunch at Big Tex BBQ, a restaurant partially housed in a retired rail dining car.

Then we headed for the Arizona countryside, as we drove the basin surrounded by mountains before arriving at the Chiricahua National Monument.  The monument is an isolated mountain range formed by volcanic ash that fused under pressure and was subsequently fractured and eroded to form a myriad of rock columns.

Afterward we returned to the basin and completed a circuit that lead us past grasslands, vineyards, and nut orchards,  until we returned to Jim and Ruth's home.

It was soon time for Barb and I to return to Safford to pick up our bikes.  So we thanked the Graham's for their gracious hospitality, grabbed a few more photos and were soon on our way.  It was a day we will long remember.

Barb and I have retrieved our bikes, returned the rental car, and are now in a hotel in Safford preparing for tomorrow's ride.

We were up again at 6 am Mountain St time, since Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings time.  That meant the sun was already peaking over the mountains, but we'd been warned that a shift change at the copper mine near Threeway would mean heavy traffic on the roads between 6 and 7.  So there was no need for a pre-dawn alarm.

We finished packing and about 7, said goodbye to Julian, the eastbound rider who camped with us last night.  Then headed down to the store to find breakfast.  We actually lingered as we stood and ate a microwaved burrito, juice, and a cup of coffee.  Mostly we were hesitant because the road we were to take snaked up the mountainside across from our camps it in much too plain a view.  It had certainly been on my mind as we fell asleep, and Julian reported that a sign in the downhill direction had advertised a 7% grade.  We weren't in much of a hurry to start.

But when the coffee was finished, and another run to the porta-john had been made there was no delaying.  The hill was everything advertised, and I imagine there were folks at the store who watched us start out ascent wondering how we would fair.  Well, we didn't ride up without stopping a few times, but we never had to push our bikes,  either.  The first four miles were the most difficult, then the grade eased slightly.  Barb said she noticed because her speed increased from 4.4 mph to 4.6. For me the lessened grade moved me from working above my aerobic threshhold to working just at it.  In any case, about an hour and a half after starting we reached the top of the pass.

The ride down the other side was a long gentle descent, only interrupted by stops to take photos of the amazing scenery, rock formations,  and wildflowers.   Unlike our descent yesterday,  the wrather was spectacular.

The descent was a total of 13 miles, during which we rarely had to either pedal or brake hard.   What a joy!

When we got to the bottom of the descent, the road turged to join US 70, and we rode the next 10 miles in the Gila River valley, with a nice tailwind.   We were living right.

We got into Safford about 11:30, and stopped at the tourist information Center to pick up maps, get directions to the bike shop, inquire about car rentals, and recommendations for lunch.

By noon we were at a local Mexican restaurant eating quesadillas and tacos, then we headed to the bike shop.  While I had a minor repair made and checked availability of a few replacement parts, Barb called and arranged for a rental car.

 By 3pm, we had left our bikes at the shop, and loaded our gear in the car and were driving towards Cochise AZ,  where Barb's friends Jim and Ruth Graham own a pistachio grove, vineuards, and winery.

We've enjoyed a delicious supper accompanied by a several selections of Golden Rule wines and fine conversation that lasted well past our normal bedtime of 8 pm.

We're spending a day off the bikes today at the winery, but will return to Safford later this afternoon and will be back on the route tomorrow.

Doing well and enjoying our adventure.

It was a more relaxed morning today, since the Last Chance Liquor and Pizza in Buckhorn, our only real option for breakfast didn't open until 8 am.  So the morning alarm was set for a genteel 6:30 instead of the normal 6 am.

We were packed and at the Last Chance at 8, after saying best wishes to Panama Bill.  The Last Chance appears to be a favorite of the local ranchers as a group of 6 of them gathered around the adjacent table for coffee and bacon&egg biscuits as we ate and had sub sandwiches made to take with us on our 43 mile serviceless ride.  Turns out that a few of the ranchers had Iowa conections, and so we had common ground for conversation.

We left the ranchers still working on issues of the day and were wished safe travel as we headed out the door and onto our bikes.

It was a morning of steady gradual climbing on US 180 for the first 9 miles, then we turned onto NM 78 for some more vigorous climbing over a series of ever higher ridges before desending into Mule Creek.  We stopped briefly there so Barb could mail a package to her grandsons, and then began climb to the pass at 6295 ft.

About halfway up, we crossed into AZ and stopped to our standard Stateline photos.

A few miles further,  we stopped briefly for lunch while the menacing clouds in the above photos seemed to move on or dissapate.

We continue a half hour later in brilliant sunshine, but as we approached the pass, clouds threatened, and we even had a brief rain shower less than a mile from the top.

When we finally reached the top the views were spectacular and we had just started to take photos, when a loud clap of nearby thunder stopped us an in our tracks.  There's almost nothing that has my respect as much as thunder and lightning high in the mountains, so after all that climbing we litreally had our eyes on the road, while rain and small hail fell, and we hastened down the mountainside without further stops for sightseeing.

By the time we were halfwaydowe the storms had begun to move off but the landscape had changed from dramatic stone cliffs, to just more high plains scrub, so we continued our ride to the days stopping point at Threeway,  AZ.

We're camped at a very pleasant area the USFS has set aside near there headquarters here.   We hurried to set up as thunderstorms again threatened, but passed north of us.

There are no restaurants in Threeway,  so we shopped at the local store, and came back to the campsite for a meal of chicken, cheese, and instant mashed potatoes.  May not sound like much, but to hungry cyclists,  it was great.

As we were finishing,  another east-bound cyclist rode into camp.  Julian started near Seattle,  and headed down the west coast to San Diego and is now heading for Florida.

Tomorrow we'll have a fairly short ride into Safford,  and will then take a day to visit Barb's friends, Jim and Ruth Graham in Wilcox AZ.

We had talked about the possibility of this visit in abstract terms for a quite a few months.  It's had to believe that we're actually on the verge of it happening.  We've ridden some 2400 miles, and have about 600 miles of the Adventure Cycling route left before we arrive in San Diego.

We're fine, hapay to be safely off the mountain, and ready to continue our adventure.

We woke again this morning to the 6 AM alarm.  Hallelujah! No flat tires this morning.  We got our bikes packed and went across the street to a local breakfast place recommended by a guy in the room adjacent to ours.  Breakfast was pretty standard fare.  We finished and started walking back to the room to get the bikes.

That's when the thunder first rolled.   Storms were a definite possibility in the afternoon, but hadn't been predicted in the morning.  So we turned on the weather channel.  Sure enough, A line of storms was moving through the area.  So we laid back down and rested for another hour until radar showed them clearly moving out.  So shortly after 9, we were finally on the road.

There's a fairly steep climb out of Silver City on Hwy 180, that takes you directly to the continental divide at 6230 ft.   We took photos on Barb's cell phone,  but we're in phone access twilight zone tonight and we can't get them on the blog.

After clearing the divide, we had a nice downhill ride for 10 miles, and then another 3 miles of relatively flat riding along a canyon, then began a slow ascent into Buckhorn.

We pulled into the Buckhorn RV park about 1:45, and immediately beGan setting up tents under a car port style canopy.  We got things pretty well unpacked and were relaxing on our sleeping pads, when the thunder rolled a few times and we got a pretty heavy downpour mixed with small hail for five minutes.   We were both relieved we'd made it in and were caught on the open road.

Supper tonight was at the Last Chance Liquor and Pizza, where despite the name, it was a package store with no alcohol served or consumed on the premises.  Still the pizza was good,  and we have a few pieces leftover for a snack later.

Just as I've been finishing up my blog another east-bound cyclist pulled in.  Bill is a retI red employeye of the Panama Canal,  still living in Panama.  We've spent some time discussing tours and directions trying to both give and receive information about what lis ahead.

Tomorrow will be a challenging climb from where we are now over a pass at 6295 ft.  But we have most of the day to complete it.

On a positive note, my Craftsman wrench may be a lucky charm after all.  No flat tires riding either yesterday or today.  Probably just needed a period of adjustment to know its proper role.

Feeling fine and lookino forward to tomorrow.

This morning started off normally enough.  The alarm went off at 6, and Barb got up to head to the restroom, while I laid in bed for a few moments seeking motivation.  Barb came out fully changed into her biking clothes, and turned on a light.  Ok, ok.  I grabbed my shorts and jersey and headed in to change.  On my way out, I stopped by my bike to see how my patched tubes were holding up.  BOTH TIRES WERE AS FLAT AS PANCAKES!!  Jerome 11, Barb 0.  Well at least we were somewhere convenient.  So I flipped the bike and did two inner tube patches before breakfast.  One was causesd by a very small thorn, the other by a tire wire.  My previous patches had at least held.

Then we headed down to breakfast.  True to form, breakfast at the Grand Inn was a delight.   Food was delicious and the staff was anxious to please.  Both Barb and I have noticed that it wasn't the physical building that made the Grand Inn so nice, it was the people who were always looking for ways to make our stay special.  No real cost involved, just great service.

At breakfast a pair of deputy sheriffs noted that we had about 40 miles to cover with services, save for a rest stop about half way, so on the way out of town we stopped at a Walmart to pick up sandwiches and gatorade to pack along.

The morning's ride was a long gradual uphill with a slight tailwind. The road surface was great, where we were riding on the shoulder whenever traffic warranted less so. But all in all pleasant riding.

We happened across another freshly dead rattlesnake along the road and Barb stopped to take a photo.  She has her horseshoe affixed to her rear rack in plain view and seems  in no danger of encountering a live one.

We finally crossed a river in NM with water flowing, quite a beautiful sight with the blue sky refleeting in the water.

At mile twenty, we came upon a charming rest stop that someone local has taken a great tongue-in-cheek interest in.  There was a blue 'lake' painted on a collection of rocks, complete with a NO FISHING  and NO SWIMMING signs.  Picnice tables were sheltered from both wind and sun.  Apparently the NM legislature is constantly tring to close the place, so there was a prominently displayed visitors book to sign in an effort to keep the place off the chopping block.  We sat and enjoyed our sandwiches along with quite a number of visitors.

The next twenty miles into Hurley were basically more of the same gradual climb. Fortunately the wind was in a favorable direction as it picked up.  We stopped at the Gateway Grill in Hurley for a piece of pecan pie, this time of the Mrs. Smith's variety that was hardly anything a Las Cruses pecan grower would claim.  Still it was sugar and calories and a place to sit for a spell.

The last fifteen miles were more of what we've come to expect of the mountains,  a series of fairly steep descents and climbs that had us in and out of our granny gears.

We arrived in Silver City about 3:30 and sat at a table at a convenience store to find housing.  Our prospective warmshowers hosts were unable to host us, and we couldn't find a contact  for a cyclists-only house.  So we used the tablet to find a reasonable, but nice hotel.  We've ended up at the Copper Manor hotel.   Adequate for our needs and clean.  The restaurant next door, The Red Barn, was convenient for supper and turned out to serve fine food, a good draft ale, and a generously  filled glass of house red.

So we're showered, full, and settling down for the evening with a load of tub laundry hanging in the room with hopes that it will be dry in the morning.

Please note there have been no further flats to report, something that pleases me immensely.  

Well, safe, and happy.

We left John and Donetta Demirjian's home early this morning following John's excellent directions out of town and onto I-10.


At John's suggestion, we stopped at Pancake Alley for breakfast.  Great service, and delicious, filling breakfasts.  Powered us for the next 40 miles of cycling.

The climb out of Las Cruces warmed us up without being exhausting, and then we spent the morning gradually climbing and descending long very gentle grades into a slight headwind.

It was a very pleasant morning of cool temps, surrounded by mountains, watching wildlife, wildflowers, and many passing trains.

Initially the surface of the road shoulders was fantastic, but as we progressed, they degraded, making stops to rest hands, butts, and feet necessary.   At one stop Barb took a photo of these wildflowers growing in a crack in the shoulder.  Not sure if she meant to emphasize the flowers or the crack.  Me, I'm trying to stay on the good side of New Mexico.

Speaking of staying on the good side of New Mexico, I thought I'd been handed a good luck charm of my own, when I found  Craftsman 3/4" wrench along the side of the road, and packed it into a pannier.  But I had another flat late in the day from another wire from a shredded tire. Jerome 9, Barb 0. But at least it was the front tire this time.  Guess I need to keep looking.

We stopped at Akela Flats for lunch. Good home cooking,  at a very reasonable price.  While we lingered over lunch, the headwinds began to pickup,  and we rode much of the last twenty miles into a stiff breeze.

But we persevered, and made it to the Grand Hotel in Deming about 4:30.  Can't say enough nice things about this hotel.  Very reasonably-priced, large clean rooms, and a staff that seems bent on making sure your stay is everything you hoped for.

We're leaving in the morning and heading for Silver City, a 53 mile ride with a gradual elevation gain of 1500 ft.  Hopefully with favorable winds.

Today we made good our depasture from Texas and are staying in Las Cruses NM at the warmshowers home of John and Donetta Demirjian.

We ate breakfast at the hotel in Anthony TX.   We both laughed when we saw the waffle iron in the shape of the state of Texas and took a photo so you too could appreciate it.  The raisin marked our position this morning.

We left the hotel and were shortly across the Rio Grande river, such as it is in this part of the state, and finally entering NM in earnest.  So we stopped to take photos at the border once again.

The trees you see in the background are pecans, and , much of today's ride was along and between pecan groves, sometimes large enough to form a canopy over the road.  Many of the fields were being flooded with irrigated water as the pecans are still ripening.  Neither of us realized the extent of the pecan crop here, but locals were constantly referring to the area as the pecan capital of the world.

About halfway through today's ride, cycling suddenly seemed difficult,  and I looked down to find my rear tire going flat.  I tried to simply pump some more air into it, and ride the 2 miles to the next small town, but it was not to be.  Score Jerome 7, Barb 0 since she picked up her lucky horseshoe.

After repairs, the riding was much easier and we got to Las Cruces near the campus of New Mexico State University about 11:30.  So we ducked into DG's Deli just before a crush of students and staff arrived.  Sandwiches and fruit cups were great and it was easy to understand the noontime crowd.

When we finished we rode the remaining half mile to John and Donetta's home.  John is a former touring cyclist who rode many times from southern California to his parents' home in Ohio, and back.   Though retired from riding he still takes a strong interest in touring cyclists and has hosted several groups of folks on the Southern Tiers route recently.

We unpacked our bikes and rode them down to the local bike shop. Barb replaced the rear tire on her bike, and I picked up a few new inner tubes.

Then we continued toward downtown Las Cruces were we found a bistro serving pecan pie.  Who could resist? On the way back to our warmshowers host, I suddenly felt that weird softness in my bike, and looked down to find my rear wheel flat again.  So one of the new inner tubes was immediately put to use.  Jerome 8, Barb 0.  I need to find a horseshoe.

As long as we're reporting scores, the final tally on Texas roads was Texans 11, Snakes 1.

We ate tonight at a Golden Corral, not somewhere I've been for a while, but tonight it really hit the spot.

We'll be up tomorrow morning, heading for Deming on I -10.   We have directions from John for getting out of Las Cruces,  complete with his recommendation for breakfast.

Happy and doing well, except for my preponderance of flats.

To paraphrase a dear Texas girl, "The sun is ris', the sun is set, yet here we is in Texas yet."

We really thought we'd be in New Mexico tonight and finally through the state of Texas.  But every time we thought we were about to leave the state, we found our way blocked by construction detours, as if Texas was reluctant to let us go.

At one point, we even dipped our toes into New Mexico when Barb spotted the NM Welcome sign.  So we pulled 50 yards into NM, stopped and took a few photos, then needed to return to Texas to follow our route north to Las Cruces.

Our relatively easy 50 mile day turned into a detour filled 61 miles.  Oh, and then there was the long climb out of downtown El Paso, that somehow got missed in the Adventure Cycling route profiles.

Still all things considered,  we're fine.

We'd gotten up this morning and packed, then headed over to La Estrella at 7 to have an early breakfast to find the place still dark.  So we headed across the street to the truckstop to grab breakfast tacos, coffee, and juice and brought it back to our room to eat.

Still we were on the road and riding at 7:45 in temperatures cool enough that both Barb and I had jackets on to start the day.  The approach into El Paso from the east is fairly flat, and we made good time covering the first 20 miles, when we had to make a decision about heading through downtown El Paso or taking  a longer bypass.  But one look at the amount of traffic on the bypass convinced us that downtown El Paso couldn't be that bad.

We were riding through the main road into downtown  in mid-morning,  and frankly had a pretty easy time of it.  We were in the heart of downtown by 11 and stopped at the PIke Place deli for sandwiches and a delicious spinach soup as we switched maps and looked at routes.

From downtown we climbed along Oregon street, and then Mesa Street for a 5 miles before descending again to the Rio Grande valley.  That's where we ran into our first road closure, with no indication of a detour.  Fortunately,  a local cyclist gave us approximate directions that only lead us up one dead end street, before we were able to walk our bikes on the shoulder into oncoming traffic for a few blocks to clear the construction zone.

Then our maps directed us onto an unnamed dirt road for a third of a mile to a local bike path.  Again local cyclists said we should follow Westside Drive, and that they were unfamiliar with any paved bike path in the area.  So we followed their suggestion until we again ran into a road closure 2 miles up the road.  Ugh!

Long story, short,  we picked our way among back roads with the help of local drivers and have found ourselves at a hotel in Anthony TX.   But we can see New Mexico from here and feel certain to make good our Texas departure tomorrow.

Feeling fine and ready for a good night's sleep.

Today was another beautiful day for riding.  According to Central Daylight time, we slept in an extra half hour this morning, which means we woke at 6 am Mountain Daylight time.  That gave us an hour to pack and be at last night's cafe when they opened at 7am.  Food was really tasty last night and they had many breakfast options listed.

So we were early arriving by 10 minutes or so and surprised to find the place dark.  We waited for 10 minutes and someone showed up to unlock the door, but he assured us we didn't want him cooking breakfast.   He had no idea when the cook would actually arrive,  so we reluctantly left and went back to the restaurant we'd eaten lunch at yesterday.   We both ended up with Mexican breakfasts, but pretty standard fare and not the same enticing variety we'd been looking forward to.

We were on I -10 for the first 20 miles of the day, with wonderful smooth, wide shoulders but lots of traffic.  Winds  were light and generally behind us, so at least we weren't being buffeted by the passing semi-trailers.  The day started with a gradual 7 mile climb, and the followed as quickly with a 13 mile descent that had us on our brakes much of the way to keep our speed below 20 mph.

Then we got off the interstate and began winding along back roads through farm and ranch country a stone's throw from the Mexican border.  That's where we began today series of encounters with eastbound touring cyclists.

First we met Bernard and another Frenchman on fully loaded bikes heading east from San Diego and heading toward Jacksonville FL.  Bernard spoke very little English and his friend apparently none, and my high school French has mostly receded to areas of my brain where recall is nonexistent.   So our conversation was mostly one or two word phrases trying to convey how many daily miles we were putting in, and what the terrain was like from where we'd ridden. They were happy and having fun, as are we. So we departed with best wishes for continued safe travel and were back on our bikes.

Ten miles later, I felt my bike getting suddenly sluggish and looked down to see my rear tire partially deflated.  So we got off our bikes and started the now familiar process of fixing a flat.  That's when Fiona and Simon showed up.  They are a younger couple from Manchester UK, who are also touring from San Diego to St. Augustine. We had a very pleasant chat about our respective tours and tips on where to stay and what routes had in store.  They are a delightful couple and we exchanged photos before saying good byes and heading on down the road.

After getting back on the road, we'd only gone a few miles when we ran into a couple of young guys from Maryland on unloaded road bikes.  Yes, they assured us, they were doing the Southern Tiers route, but with a support vehicle to carry their gear.  Family members were taking turns driving their van for 2 weeks, then flying back home, while another family member flew out to assume driving responsibilities.  Just another way of doing the tour.

We stopped in Fort Hancock for lunch at a local pizzeria.  It's been a good sign when Border Patrol agents are eating where we stop, and this was no different.  Pizza was a good break from the  many helpings of beans and rice that I've recently consumed,  trust me.

Cycling the last 24 miles of the day passed quicky enough as we rode on flat terrain bordered by the mountains in Mexico.   We were surprised to pass through many irrigated pecan groves, all with bilingual signs warning of the consequences of picking pecans from the roadside.

We arrived in Fabens TX about 3 pm, to find that the lone hotel was another 2 mile climb towards the interstate.  So we twiddled up the hill in low gears, and checked into the Fabens Inn motel.  Then we both found the beds irresistable as we settled in for a short nap before showers and laundry.

Options for supper were limited so we've again eaten at a Mexican restaurant, La Estrella.  Yes, more beans and rice.
They open at 7am, and Barb has already pointed out a good possibility for breakfast -- an egg, ham, hash browns, and toast for $2.99.  I think she's had enough of my recent diet, too.

We hope to be through El Paso and out of Texas tomorrow at last.

Still having fun, and in good spirits and health.

What a difference 12 hours can make!  When we went to bed last night in our tents pitched behind the truckstop, the wind was still howling pretty strongly from the southwest.  Then sometime during the wee hours of the morning a front pushed through and we awakened this morning to moderate winds out of the northeast.  JACKPOT! Tailwinds!

We packed up in the blazing lights from the truckstop before dawn, and went into the restaurant to have breakfast.  Nothing to write home about.  The biscuit bakers that Hardee's brags so much about haven't hired on at the Plateau truckstop.  'Nuff said.

The front pushed in enough cold air,  that for the first time on our ride,  I pulled on my windbreaker.  As soon as we began pedaling,  we could tell that today would be so much better than the slog into the headwinds we finished with yesterday. Instead of 3 hours to ride the 17 miles from Kent to the truckstop,  today we did the remaining 20 miles into Van Horn in less than 90 minutes, and were so much happier doing it.

We stopped at Rodney's Coffee Café for a second cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll.  There were a pair of retired regulars who were there when we walked in.  They'd obviously seen cyclists many times before.   In the half hour that we sat and relaxed, we got tips on roads we were taking, advice on restaurants of note in the area, and warm well wishes for a safe trip as we left.

Then we headed up the street for a stop at the post office, and one final stop at a Dollar General to pick up a new pair of reading glasses.  Those of you who know me will be surprised that the pair I started with in St Augustine have made it this far,  and truth be told, they may still be tucked into a pannier where they fell off this morning, but I'll be darned if I can find them.  So I sporting a new $6 pair and hoping I won't need another.  OK, confession time.  The pair of sunglasses that Cheryl insisted I take along are sitting outside the coffee and sandwich shop in Chattahoochee FL, where we sat waiting out a thunderstorm.   She'll find out anyway,  just as well come clean.

We left Van Horn on the wide smooth shoulders of I-10, and began the only real climb of the day, 7 miles with a gradual elevation gain of about 800 feet.  But on days like today, with cool temperatures,  a nice tailwind, and smooth roads,  even going uphill feels fine.  It's been the first day in quite awhile where we didn't have to shift onto our granny chainring.

Then we pedaled other 25 miles on a frontage  road across a high plateau, enjoying the views of the surrounding mountains.  We arrived in Sierra Blanca about 1 pm mountain time,  and sat down for lunch at a local Mexican / American restaurant. We've since found a room at the Americanna Inn, showered, and done another load of tub laundry.

We're trying another Mexican restaurant tonight for supper, one that's within walking distance of the hotel.

Tomorrow we hope to be in Fabens TX, just outside El Paso.

It's been a glorious day.

From day to day this adventure takes or leaves us in places we could never imagine.

We left Alpine yesterday morning about 8 am, and began the very scenic ride into Fort Davis along TX 118.  Initially the ride was fairly flat and took us along ranch land with more cattle than we've seen in a while.  About 8 miles into the ride, however,  the scenery changed and we ascended through a canyon of extraordinary beauty.  Wildflowers were blossoming everywhere along the canyon walls, and we spotted a herd of aoudad sheep, and a lone elk grazing.

Then as quickly as we entered the canyon we climbed out the other side and were on a high desert plain and pedaling into the scenic town of Fort Davis.

Tourism seems alive and well in Fort Davis, with the canyons, high desert and mountains attracting a diverse crowd of visitors.  There are people who are there actively seeking an outdoor experience of hiking, horseback riding, or mountain biking, and others who will simply drive cars or motorcycles along the scenic roads and enjoy the views.  We found a deli attached to the Limpia Hotel and sat down to a lunch of soup and sandwiches.

We contacted John Kuehne, our warmshowers host at the McDonald Observatory to assure him we were 16 miles away and would be arriving sometime before 4. He suggested we bring something for supper that we could cook at his home, and something for breakfast and beyond the next day, as services at the Observatory and 54  miles beyond were very limited.

So we stopped at the local grocery store on the way out of town and stocked up, the started the 16 mile trek up the mountain.

Initially the slopes were fairly gradual and we actually had several views of the observatory domes that made them seem closer than our map mileage indicated.  But the road twisted through the landscape almost always climbing and you sensed
this would be no easy climb.

Our concerns were realized as we got within 8 miles of the summit as the grades alternated between merely difficult and impossible for us to ride.  We were again relegated to pushing our loaded bikes up the steepest sections.  But we were making slow progress and finally about 4, we arrived at TX Spur 78 which led past the visitors center and to housing for McDonald Observatory employees and John and Deb Keuhne's home.

John was at work at the summit, so Deb showed us around the house and we set up tents on their deck outside while Deb called John to let him know we had arrived.

John is as Deb calls him, my Renaissance man.  He has multiple degrees in geology, optics, and engineering, plays violin and viola at a professional level, and seems to have a consuming interest in everything, including his three pet dogs, and at least two cats.  John oversees the programs that control the movement on the of the 2.1 m Otto Struve telescope.

John arrived home about 5:30 and suggested eating first and then going up to see the telescopes about 6:30 so we could enjoy the setting sun.  But conversation with John on a wide range of topics dominated the next hour,  so we postponed eating until we returned.

We first went to look at the 2.7 m Harlan Smith telescope.  Seeing such a large piece of equipment that moves such a precision is nothing less than amazing.   John described the mechanism for moving both the scope and the dome of the observatory in great detail and it was a pleasure to listen to his enthusiastic description, understanding the gist, but certainly not all the details.

Next we stepped out onto the exterior catwalk of the dome which afforded us a superb view of the surrounding geological formations.  Again we were treated to a a detailed description of how the Permian Basin formed, and how later volcanic activity and erosion combined to created what we were observing.

Then the subject shifted back to optics,  and how the the earth's atmosphere intracts with plane waves of starlight to cause twinkling and color shifts.  Barb quietly stepped away to continue taking photos of the spectacular views.  Barb says she felt like Penny from 'The Big Bang Theory'.

Then we stepped back inside and got to watch as a pair of astronomers moved the telescope into position to begin a night of data collection.  I was absorbed.

Then we proceeded to the 2.1 m scope and got a similar up close and personal description of its movements and contol.

When we finally left the summit, it was past 8:30 and we still hadn't eaten.  So we prepared the instant rice and chicken that we'd brought and continued to chat with John.

About 10 we finally retired to our tents. I was simply tired and had no energy to work on the blog.

This morning arrived with the 6:30 alarm.  We were packed by 7, and then made breakfast of instant oatmeal.  John was up about 7:30 and supplemented breakfast with espresso, and a description of our morning ride.  No, we would not just be heading downhill from the summit,  instead there were a series of canyons to descend into and climb out of, but after the first 13 miles we'd be rewarded with a nice downhill into Kent.

As promised the canyons were there,  but after yesterday's climb, the ascents seemed even more formidable,  and several times we were again pushing our bikes up steep slopes. But at mile 13, we passed a particularly interesting geological cut and as promised began a long gradual descent that was almost uninterrupted for the next 14 miles.

When we reached I-10 at Kent we changed directions from our northerly leg along TX 118 and headed west.  Now, before I tell you that we turned into headwinds, let me say that we have been blessed with superb weather and favorable winds.  We knew our string of such winds had to end, but from forecast had expected to face 13-16 mph headwinds.  Instead as we headed west on I-10 we faced winds of 20-30 mph with gusts that must have been above 35.  Instead of making the 37 miles into Van Horn, we only did 17 miles into the truck stop at Plateau, and it took us three hours.  We've been treated kindly again and are camping behind the truck stop.  We've eaten at the attached restaurant, done laundry, and showered.  We expect a little noise from parked and passing trucks tonight, but don't think it will disturb our slumber.

By tomorrow morning, the winds are expected to shift from the southwest to the northeast, and we'll again be on our way.

This morning was crisp and cool in Marathon.  The 6:30 alarm went off and by 7:15 we were packed and ready to leave.  It was still quite dark, so we mounted head and tail lights on both bikes and carefully rode the half mile into town to the Marathon Coffee shop where we were advised to have breakfast.  There was already a dozen or so locals there when we arrived, so we found a booth and were promptly attended by one of the three seventy-something women who run the place.  That includes serving, cooking, clearing tables, and seeing to the general welfare of all who gathered for breakfast there.  Barb and I both had green chile and cheese omelets,  with sides of hash browns and toast/biscuits.  Food was delicious and while we ate it was fun to overhear the conversations of work, kids, family, and play.

By 8 am we were ready to leave and begin the 30 mile ride into Alpine.  The first 15 miles were generally uphill as we gradually ascended the valley floor between peaks on both sides.  We had plenty of stops for photos, that cell phone cameras done really do justice.  You'll have to wait until on we put toget her our photo album to appreciate the beauty.

There were more horses and cattle in the pastures today than we've seen in the past few day, so the cattle call game was in full swing.  At one point there was a string of 30 or so cattle walking a well-beaten path along the same fence row we were riding.  Each one in turn stopped to look towards the road and watch us as we slowly overtook them up the hill.  I don't quite know how to score that one, but it was certainly memorable.

On another score, it's now Texan 8 Snakes 1, the lone surviving snake one that slithered across the road a few hundred yards in front of us midafternoon as we headed into Brackettville.

One surprise of the morning occurred fairly early in the ride when a pair of javelinas snorted and then ran across the road behind us, startling Barb.  They were reminiscent of the dogs in Lousiana, but far less interested in us, and probably were just crossing the road.

The second 15 miles were an easier ride as we crested the high elevation of the day at 4800 ft and had a basically level ride from there into Alpine.

We did meet some riders of of the organized Adventure Cycling self-contained tour as we approached Alpine.  They had left San Diego on September 13.  It was less organized than either of us had imagined.  We had expected to meet groups of two or three riders, but in each case we happened across single riders separated by a few miles.  The few we met were diverse personalities,  from an alpha male leading the way 4 miles in advance, a rather large genial guy from Idaho who made us think that maybe we will be able to do the mountain passes to come, and a bit of an introvert who didn't have much to say at all.

Meeting them did make us glad we have each others company, and that our schedule is totally flexible to the conditions on the road and how we're feeling.

At the suggestion of a convenience store clerk, we stopped for lunch at Magoos, a local Alpine restaurant.   The place was packed when we arrived at 12:45, though we were told they closed at one.  We each had a Mexican entrée with lots of water and tea, and as we ate, the place gradually emptied. We assume from the well known, but never displayed closing time.

From the restaurant,  we visited the local bike shop so I could pick up a new tube of Chamois Butt'r, an anti-chaffing cream well known in the bicycling community.  Cheryl and I had been using the same tube for years, but as the miles have piled up, my supply of cream has dwindled.  I had two choices, the standard tube at $15 or the European style tube at $23.  When assured that the more expensive tube would not likely improve my speed uphill, I went with the economical choice.

We then proceeded to our warmshowers accommodations for the night.  We're staying at the casita (little house) owned by Liz Rogers, who's the sister of Alice the woman we stayed with at Montell.  Yes, this is the same woman whose casita we stayed at in Sanderson two days ago.  She and her sister are out visiting a ranch for the weekend, so the casita was left unlocked for us.

It's a great little one bedroom house, perfect for guests or touring cyclists. We napped for an hour after arriving, then did bicycle cleaning and maintenance,  and I patched my 'Don't mess with Texas' flat innertubes.

After cleaning up, we rode our bikes back into town for salad and pizza at an Italian restaurant.   We're now back and ready to crash prior to tomorrow's big climb.  We'll be at the McDonald Observatory tomorrow evening camping with another Warmshowers host and watching the stars.

We're fine and feeling good tonight.

Ok, we have some catching up to do.   We've been without both Verizon 4G service and a WiFi connection since we left Langtry yesterday morning.

Shortly after finishing my blog post from Langtry, three east-bound riders showed up.  Tim and Tom, twin brothers from Kansas, and Jim, from the San Francisco area, had ridden all day into the same winds that were so favorable for us.  One rider had bonked,  or run out of the sugar we cyclists rely on to continue spinning the pedals.  The other two were just tired from a long day.   They ate the same supper we did from the 3 item menu, two bean and cheese burritos for $5.  Actually not bad at all when you're hungry and washed down with a Dos Equis or two.

Chatted with Tim for quite a while since this was his second time doing the Southern Tiers route.   He was a great source of information,  and we tried to pass on what we could of places to stay and eat from the miles behind us.

Every cyclist was in bed sleeping by 8:30.  But Barb and I were back up at 5:15 to watch the total eclipse under cloudless skies.  Very impressive,  then we retired back to bed to catch more sleep before our 6:30 alarm.

Breakfast at the Langtry cafe was from a limited menu, but the special of two eggs, sausage, toast, potatoes and coffee worked well and we were off on the road by 8, with 40 miles to limited service at Dryden, followed by 20 more miles into Sanderson.

As the temperature dropped in the morning, clouds began to roll in and we rode down into canyons and then back up again, always seeming to gain elevation throughout the day.  We took a longer break at picnic area 10 miles east of Dryden,  and then rolled into Dryden about 12:30.

As we'd been forewarned, the services in Dryden were very limited.  We were told we could fill our water bottles from the garden hose, but that it was well water and not at all palatable.   So we each bought a pint of bottled water for $1.50 eacb, a pint of Gatorade for $1.61, a can of refried beans and 4 pieces of string cheese,  and retired to the shade of an abandoned building to have a second meal of bean and cheese burritos in less than a day.

By the time we left, the sun had burned off the morning clouds, and we continued up and down canyons until we arrived at Sanderson about 3:30.  The Ranch House cafe was not only the first restaurant we saw, but offered our first glimpse of the horse and mule who's roadside droppings we'd been following for two days.  Bryan Brant has been crossing the US for two and a half years after leaving Quebec.   He was in great humor and his animals looked well-cared for, so he clearly knows what he's doing.  We understand he's headed for Montana, but didn't ask for a schedule.  He has a website if you're interested in following him.

After eating, we headed to the casita owned by Liz, the sister of Alice Rogers,  whom we stayed with in Montell.   Liz wasn't at her Sanderson home, but the door of the small apartment-sized cottage next to her home was open as promised.  After showering and getting some snacks, we spent an hour sitting on the deck, watching the setting sun paint the sky while 40 or 50 vultures soared on thermals rising from the canyon floor.

Sleeping was easy and neither of us stirred much until the 6:30 alarm had us up and packing.   It was a pretty standard morning until I brushed against a few bushes along the sidewalk from a trip to take our trash to a nearby dumpster.  The bush turned out to be a large cactus with rather impressive barbed spines.  Ouch.  Barb came out to her bike to find me stripped out of my biking jersey and pulling twenty or thirty barbs from my chest, abdomen, arm and shoulder.  Then we went back into the better light of the casita and pulled a similar number that were still imbedded in my jersey.  Don't mess with Texas, especially Sanderson the self-proclaimed cactus capital of Texas.

We left shortly thereafter and had breakfast at a nearby convenience store.  The first 34 miles of our ride were basically a long climb out of Sanderson canyon.  The grades were hardly ever very steep, but like a headwind, they were pretty unrelenting.

The morning ride would have been easier, but i had another Don't mess with Texas moment.  We've been enjoying the proliferation of wildflowers in the canyons, so when we passed a two foot wide section of roadside grass that had been spray-painted bright yellow, I turned to Barb and pointed out the new variety of 'wildflower'.  Photo opp!  So I turned to have my fun with the Texas DOT.  Fool!  Don't mess with Texas.   No sooner had I returned to put my feet on the pedals, and it was obvious that my rear tire was now flat.  Texas had retaliated again.

After fixing the flat the ride went pretty well.  We stopped for lunch at another picnic area and rested for the better part of an hr.   We were in the shade and had a cooling breeze and the second part of the ride actually had some downhill segments.   Still after 54 service-less miles we were tired and a little dehydrated.   We coasted a nice downhill into town and stopped for a gatorade at the first convenience store we came to.  Then we continued into town to find Ingrid, our warmshowers host.  She was still working at the French Grocery, a nice store that has a little of everything.  So Barb and I took her suggestion and stopped at the Burro Café and Bar for supper until she could show us our accommodations.

By 5:30 we'd eaten burgers and continued hydration at the insistence of our waitress, a nurse by training.   About the time she was satisfied that we had drunk sufficient water, Ingrid showed up and we pedaled up to La Loma Del Chivo or Goat hill.

It's a bit hard to describe the place.  Perhaps a collection of buildings constructed from recycled everything by folks who had studied the architecture of 70's hippy communes.   It's both strange and wonderful.   But everything works.  We've had hot showers with fresh towels provided, done our laundry,  and are ready to get some sleep.

Tomorrow we have a shorter day planned into Alpine, where we'llbe staying with Liz at her Alpine home.

We're a little tired,  but well and enjoying our adventure.

Don't mess with Texas. 

We left Comstock this morning after a breakfast of instant oatmeal, a small can of pineapple slices, and coffee.  Temperature was about 70, and the skies were overcast, and flags were flying favorably, and the first hill of the day was a downhill.  Things are fine.

Not long after leaving Comstock,  we met a pair of east-bound riders, Dave and Frank from eastern Kentucky.   They had left San Diego in mid-September and were heading for St. Augustine. They were lamenting the headwinds they'd been facing, and we sympathesized, but hoped our good fortune would continue.

We crossed the Pecos River today on the highest bridge in Texas, and because we had a short day before us, rode the half mile up to the picnic overlook to take pictures and appreciate the view.

We're in a Verizon Wireless twilight zone again today and sharing pictures will have to wait.

The rest of the morning, we rode over relatively easy grades as we crossed several ridges and canyons.  About the only hindrance to riding were long stretches of the same rough surface coat that I've mentioned previously.  But recent rains in the area have encouraged many wildflowers to blossom.  So relieving minor numbness of the hands and butt is as simple as focusing on the flowering ditches.

We arrived in Langtry shortly after  11 and spent the next hour looking around the Judge Roy Bean visitor center and southwest gardens.  Beautiful center but hasn't spurred tourist development as I'm sure they hoped it would.  We're staying at the lone hotel in town, a 3 or 4 unit operation, and eating at the lone restaurant which has 3 entrees on the white board menu and closes at 5:00, last order at 4:30 please.

But the hotel is clean and comfortable, if simple, and the food for lunch was good.  So we're fine.

Nice folks running the place make good conversation, and have been amicably answering questions all afternoon from visitors as well as locals.  They even had a German family in a rented RV that stopped a bit ago for gas, directions and refreshments.

We'll be up and out tomorrow, expecting cooler temperatures and hoping for favorable flags to aid our 60 miles into Sanderson.   I would sat that it's probably largely downhill, but have already seen the elevation profile and know better, so will close without mentionin it further.


We're well and safe and enjoying the adventure.