Jeff made tea and toasted bagels for breakfast. It was so cold out in the early morning so I waited till about 9 am before heading out.
It promised to be a long ride today with a whole lot of nothing between Socorro and Truth or Consequences, which is a town's actual name!
It wasn't a bad when I got out, but I was also dressed warm enough.
I had a lovely tailwind pushing me onward for a good couple hours.
Rode through a nature preserve. Apparently there are a lot of migratory birds who live around New Mexico.
It was quiet so I took some time to listen to Philip Yancy's book on Vanishing Grace.
Hardly anyone passed me on the road.
I had forgotten about how hard it can get to keep on keeping on when things become monotonous.
I switched to listening to music. There really wasn't anywhere to stop, the roads didn't even have a shoulder so I just kept riding, making sure to eat and drink. I was glad for the banana Jeff had given, a nice diversion to the energy bars.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky and it started feeling warmer so I started taking some layers off so I wouldn't sweat so profusely.
I don't think much about the fact that it's 1450 m above sea level here as opposed to the 100 m back home, but that could be why I breathe harder than I might expect to.
My iPod was on shuffle so all of a sudden I was listening to a sermon about Sabbath keeping from New City Church. I almost skipped it, but somehow it seemed fitting to listen to it. It's strange thinking of days of the week when on tour, they all seem to meld together, each becoming like the next. It was thought provoking to consider how to make this day one of remembering God is God and I am not, of worshipping him in creation and for all he's done. I was cycling through beautiful country, with rolling hills, rocky canyons, the snow capped mountains in the distance, so I took note, trying to soak it in, to really be present where I was.
I got into a rhythm and took the down and ups of terrain in stride.
There was one spot where I had to get on the Interstate, which technically I'm not allowed on, but am allowed using the shoulder!?
I was back to music by then.
I could see Elephant Butte lake in the distance, which meant I was getting close to T or C.
Google maps suggested a few gravels roads, which I wasn't particularly keen on so I found alternative routes.
I was good and tired when I rolled into Monty and Miriam's driveway with 130 Km's logged for the day. 6 1/2 hours on the road.
I'm daunted by Monday's ride. It could well be the most challenging on my whole trip. It's not only longer but has nearly 4 times the elevation to climb! One day at a time...
I unloaded my bike (for the first time since loading it), was shown to my room overlooking the river and had time to get cleared up. Nothing like a shower after a day of riding!
I hand washed a few essential items so I could wait one more day before doing my laundry, hoping they'd dry sufficiently overnight.
Monty had made a whole batch of chili with his homegrown beef in it, and it was smelling mighty good.
He also went out and picked fresh greens to make a salad since he has a covered bed garden similar to Beth's.
We waited till their friend Martha came to join us. She brought a pan of still warm spoon bread (like cornbread), perfect for with the chili.
I didn't realize the chili was so spicy so I struggled to eat the full bowl I had scooped, my lips burning by the end. The ice cream and apple pie helped soothe the burn away though :)
Lovely having a queen size bed to sleep in!
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