Got into Silver City yesterday on the back of a rain storm. Kind of ironic I think as you'd expect it to be hot and dry here around now. So the bikes got a bit of a wash down enroute (but had to be careful with them in the motel:), and then it fined up for the arvo.
SC is quite nice and we're having a day off (after five days on the go from Grants) to sort things out for the next two day to the border.
Have had some really diverse riding/scenery thru the Gila National forest region which has been a surprise and very cool.
Wide open vista's, canyons, Ponderosa forests, technical descents (esp at speed) and at times we'd have sworn we were in africa and expecting zebra's & giraffes.
The riding wasn't as hard as expected (although some of the canyons were a grind to get out of) and we'd balanced the mileage out pretty well at about 80km per day.
So just two days to go now, mostly flat and mostly on road :)
Approx 80km to get past Separ and then 120km all on road to the border.
A shuttle back to Silver city and maybe a margarita or two.
Would be rude not too.
Cuba - Grants (2 days)Awesome.
Possibly two of the best days of the ride.
err, have I said the before?
First day out I headed off earlier so rode the day out front alone. Really nice. Cool and crisp in the morning then heated up later.
All desert riding, so sandy spots on the track that you had to push across at times, huge wide views of rock stacks, a bit more technical riding, dropping into and up out of aroya's (dry, river beds) and just open desert views. A few smallish climbs but basically seemed mostly flattish and fast (esp in the morning). Sweet.
Managed to twist my chain (out with the pliers and spanner again) and also took a dive in some sand (bar end now a bit wobbly).
More of the same the next morning then a bit more climbing later on before (eventually) descending to Grants. Came across a nice big snake across the road which Hywell almost fell onto :) as a bit too focussed on his ipod!
Not sure that we really needed it but then had another rest day as were doing the next six day section in five days (less food & water to carry).
Abiquiu - Polvedera MessaFound that my rear tired was flat so fixed it while the others had brekky after a trip to Bodes in Geoff's truck (while the others rode:)
A shortish ride up Polvedera Messa which I found a bit tiring for some reason. May be that it was hotter, or maybe the extra 5 litres of water (10litres all up) we'd had to carry in leiu of there being nothing on the tops, or that fact that it was mostly uphill. Even had a wee dive off the bike in a sandy spot while weaving down a rocky patch. Either way, I was a bit shagged at the end but perked up with some soup, it seems to be the magic potion. Still, a nice campsite amongst the pines. Had a great lightening show later that night as well, but hardly any rain, which is a great combo.
Thought I'd go "Fly-less", until a few spot of rain around dinner time
Saturday 27 Aug, Polvedera Messa - CubaA dry tent as no rain after dinner despite the thunder & lightnening rolling around last night. Straight into more climbing as we weren't topped out at the cmampsite. Some nice rocky bits as well which although harder are more fun. Then more undulating riding prior to a great bit of technical descending which lasted a good while. BoB just seesm to take this stuff in his stride although he got a puncture at about the halfway mark while going uphill. Fixed, and onwards and eventually some good fast downhill sections to the highway.
A wicked road descent down Horseshoe canyon, with a new top speed of 74kmph, and eventually getting to Cuba (pronounced Koo-bar).
No campgrounds in Cuba so motelled it.
A long'ish day at 95km with a good mix of everything.
