I had my bike and gear packed and rolled out of the hotel at just after sunrise. It was a bit strange as I haven’t driven a vehicle in 7 weeks – and the speed limit in New Mexico is 75 mph! That”s way faster than I’ve been moving lately! As I drove by Grants about 60 miles down the road, I thought about my cycling friends who had spent the night there last night. I knew they were headed to El Morro,NM today and the forecast was for 20 mph winds. I knew they would have a tough day and I’m sure several of them would be wishing they had made the same decision I made. As I drove along, I got to thinking about something, Dave, the tour leader, had said once. He was concerned about a couple of stretches in California out around Fenner and Amboy where there are minimal services – people might have to carry 2 days worth of food! We had already done some of that and it is not fun to add all that weight to an already loaded bike. When I stopped in Gallup for breakfast, I sent Dave an email and offered to meet the group anywhere in California with food, water, etc to help out. I figured I would just switch roles from rider to Road Angel. We had several Road Angels along the way who showed up with supplies or even fully cooked dinners. It makes life for the cyclists so much better! Dave said he’d think about it in his planning so I may be heading back out to the Mohave in a couple of weeks to help out my friends We’ll see. But tomorrow, I’ll be home and I’m looking forward to some much needed rest.
I bid the gang farewell at breakfast this morning with very mixed feelings. Part of me wanted to continue but I knew in my gut that heading home was the best decision for me. One of my objectives in setting out on this little adventure was to learn about long distance bicycle touring – and that I have! It is something I have wanted to do my whole life and now I have finally done it – and, I hope to do it again, but incorporating all of the many “lessons learned” on this trip. I am writing this all down primarily for myself so I don’t forget over time. Some of those lessons:
1) Individual trip versus an organized group trip? I think if I were to do this again, I would seriously consider just riding by myself or perhaps with one other person. There is a certain level of security in traveling with a group, but – and this is a big ‘but’ – you lose a lot of flexibility on many different levels. First of all, you are on the company’s/ group’s schedule. If the itinerary says you need to ride from Point A to Point B and that distance is 65 miles and the wind is howling – you ride. There were many days that some of us wished we had had more time to look at museums, other sights or just spend more time in quaint little cafes, but we had to be to camp between 4 and 5 so we could have dinner at 6 ( although it didn’t always work that way). As an individual you have a lot more freedom with the schedule.
2). Group gear versus your gear. I was very worried about packing too much stuff but in the end I think I packed just about right. However, what I didn’t factor in was carrying my share of the group gear or carrying extra water/ Gatorade when there are limited services between camping sites. We started out as a group of 16 riders. So, in order to feed all of those people, the group needs to carry the necessary equipment – pots, pans, stoves, utensils, etc. At the start we all divided things up and added that to our individual loads. And then on top of that you add food. In an ideal situation, there would be a grocery store right across the street from the camp site so you would get to camp, unload, walk across the street and bring the groceries back! The reality is that rarely happened and many times we would all meet at a grocery store anywhere from 3 to 20 miles away from the camp site, divide up groceries for 16 people for dinner and the next day’s breakfast and lunch and add that to our respective loads! Needless to say sometimes our bikes got very heavy! Once again, as an individual, you’d have a lot more flexibility as to how you wanted to handle meals.
3) Selection of camp sites/ motels. Because we were a fairly large group, and because we were on a budget, we often ended up in campgrounds outside of cities – sometimes in fairly isolated areas. After riding 50 or 60 miles, most of us didn’t relish the thought of jumping on our bikes and riding 3 to 5 miles into the city so we usually just hung out at camp. Some of them had nice facilities and some of them were more “rustic”! As an individual it would have been much easier to stay closer to towns or even in towns using Apps like Warm Showers ( kind of like Air BnB for bicycle tourists). With a large group that is just not feasible.
4). My limits. I have learned that I think about 50 miles a day is a reasonable thing for me to do. Even with weather and climbing – 50 miles for me is doable. Day after day of 60 to 70 mile days, particularly if it is really windy, is just more than my 65 year old body can take anymore. I hung with my riding buddies the whole way, Cathy, Kiwi John and Krista all in their mid fifties and Kate who is 37. But, the fact is, they are still going and I am not!
The other limit is length of the trip. If I were ever to do another group trip like this, it would be no more than 30 days long. For me, that’s a kind of doable length. Longer than that, it really begins to become a grind. One of our riders, “Sir John” (British) has done several of these types of trips and I was talking to him last night and he said that after the last long bike-camping trip he took, he swore he would never do another trip over thirty days. And then he decided to do this trip and he said he wished he would have listened to his own advice. He has thought about pulling the plug as well as he is suffering a bit now as well.
5) Camping versus motels. I adapted to camping better than I thought I would. That said, many of us discussed how in an ideal world you would stay in a hotel every two or three days minimum. It’s much more restful and, although more expensive, definitely the preferred option – particularly at this point in my life!
So, would I do this again – possibly, but under a new set of ground rules. I have no regrets about undertaking this adventure, nor do I have any regrets about stopping now. I have learned a lot. I have seen a lot of neat things. I have seen parts of the country I have never seen before. And I have met some great people.
As I look back, I enjoyed the ride through Illinois and, in spite of my apprehension, I really enjoyed the ride through Missouri, even with all of the hills, heat and humidity, and being chased by many dogs. Even the rides through Kansas and Eastern Oklahoma were fun. For my money, it was just a tremendous waste of energy riding through the mind-numbing, windy, plains of Western Oklahoma and Northern Texas. New Mexico has been interesting and, in fact, I think one of the best days of riding of the whole trip was the day we did the long climb from Santa Fe to Cedar Crest.
So, tomorrow morning, with no regrets, I will hit the road on Highway 40 and Zippy, my bike, my gear and I will be back home in two or three days. It’s been a good trip but it’s time to go home!
The end for me has come! I have been struggling the last few days and finally decided today to pull the plug. I am very tired, both physically and mentally. And for the last week or so I’ve developed some strange pain in my kidneys/ lower back. There is just not enough gas in the tank to continue to ride long, hard days – especially into the wind. I informed my riding buddies first while we were stopped for some Gatorade. I figured I owed them that. We’ve been through a lot together and I’m sure I wouldn’t have made it this far without them. They asked if I would meet them at the final stop in San Dimas and ride in with them which I will probably do. But right now, at this time, given the way I feel, this is the right decision for me. I have ridden 1,600 miles and have seen some neat things and met some great people. But now it’s time to come home. I have a vehicle reserved which I will pick up tomorrow and will be back in LA no late than Thursday. Thanks to all who supported me. I’ll continue to post for a while. The bike riding may be over but the journey is not yet complete.
Today was a tough but a good day. It started off with a several mile gradual descent. We enjoyed it because we knew what was coming! After about 15 miles we stopped at some little place primarily to use the restrooms but it was so cool we decided it was a good place for “second breakfast”. San Marcos Cafe – great little spot.
San Marcos Cafe
After that we headed for the hills – literally! At about 22 miles we started climbing and we climbed steadily for the next 7 miles! We hit grades of up to 9 percent once in a while but it was mostly a steady 5 or 6 percent. The sun was out and the wind was mild and the scenery was great
Looking back down to where we started
– but it was still a long climb on a loaded touring bike at just under 7,000 foot elevation! Along the way, we went through a little funky place called Madrid, NM and it reminded me of being up in Topanga Canyon. We got to the summit, took in the scenery and then enjoyed the descent! We stopped at a place about 5 miles short of our camp site for lunch and had a really enjoyable meal followed by complimentary sopapillas. Everyone agreed it was the hardest day of climbing so far but we all agreed it was a good day. Tomorrow it’s downhill most of the way to Albuquerque so that will be a nice way to start the day!
It was another very laid back day. Most everyone is in R&R mode before we hit the road again tomorrow! Some of us decided to take the bus into town around 11am but the bus never showed up!! Not quite sure what happened – we were at the right stop at the right time but the scheduled bus never arrived.
Kiwi John, Leendert (Dutch), Kate, Cathy and Ben waiting for the bus – that never came!
They only run once an hour so the others decided to walk in to town – about 3.5 to 4 miles one way! Since I had ridden my bike in yesterday I decided to pass. I just hung out, re packed all of my gear,checked my bike and just took it easy. Tomorrow we are heading for Cedar Crest, NM – about 50 miles and 3,100 feet of climbing away. The weather is supposed to be nice but it is pretty cool in the morning – high 30s, low 40s! And now we are starting to fight the day light as well because the days are getting shorter! We think we have acclimated to the 7,000 foot elevation but I guess we’ll see tomorrow when we start climbing! Three weeks from right now I should be back home and I’m ready! It feels like I’ve been gone forever.
What a little rest will do!! Started to feel like a human being again today after a good nights sleep in a real bed! No doubt in my mind that taking the van to Santa Fe was the correct decision for me.
A little music at the plaza
Sometimes you just have to listen to your body! Walked over to a nearby Starbucks this morning after I threw my laundry in the washer. I puttered around most of the morning cleaning my bike and doing other maintenance chores. Then I decided to ride to downtown Santa Fe about three miles away.
Really interesting architecture in Santa Fe
It was a really pleasant day and an easy ride. I walked around the plaza area for a while, grabbed some Mexican food off of a street vendor and sat in the park just enjoying the time off. I then headed to REI to do a couple of quick checks on my bike. It was less than five minutes away by bike. Right when I was about to leave I got some text messages that one of our party had crashed on some railroad tracks in town. I rode over and found them. Ben, the guy who had gone down, was up and ambulatory – but sore. His bike was OK and so he and the guy he was with were going to walk back to the hotel. Railroad tracks can be deadly for cyclists if you’re not really careful!! Tomorrow is our official layover day here but I think we’ll all take the bus downtown instead of riding!! I really like Santa Fe – nice place!!
Yesterday we were supposed to ride to Romerville, NM – another 60+ mile ride with over 3,000 feet of climbing – and more wind! After the beating we had all taken the day before – including 3 who had to be rescued by car and a couple of others who got in after dark – most of us were physically and mentally shot. I felt like hell in the morning and knew I just had no desire to go do it again. The tour leader had looked at all kinds of options but found another tour leader in Santa Fe with an ACA (Adventure Cycling Association) van
The rescue van!
who would drive down and meet the group 17 miles outside of Santa Rosa. People would then have the option of offloading gear, riding in the van to the campground in Romerville, or coming all the way back to Santa Fe. I and 5 other riders decided to take the van all the way to Santa Fe. The group will have a rest day in Santa Fe tomorrow and by getting here a day earlier it would give me an extra rest day which I really need. My poor old body just doesn’t recover as fast as it once did. The five of us had a nice dinner last night near the hotel and then went back to the rooms and collapsed. I intend to spend the next couple of days recharging my batteries for the final push home. I’ve ridden about 1,500 miles in the last 5 weeks and want to make sure there’s enough left in the tank to make it the last 1,000 miles home.
This might rank as the worst day I have ever had on a bicycle!! We knew today was going to be long – 65 miles with 2,500 feet of climbing. But the wind just beat us up all day long. We were fighting a headwind virtually all day – sometimes 15 to 20 mph. I spent almost all day on my smallest chainring which I have never done.
Cool mural in Tucumcari on the way out of town
We were told to pack supplies ( water and food) for the whole 65 mile trip because there were no services. Turns out there was a little shack selling gas, food and drink at a little wide spot in the road, Newkirk, about halfway through.
Now imagine a 15 mph wind blowing at you all day
We refueled and rehydrated as best we could and then started out again. We had passed several members of our group in the morning and only one had shown up at Newkirk as we were about to leave. Everyone was struggling mightily. Some of the riders were only able to average 4 mph!! We were struggling to go 8! At a little place called Cuervo the bicycle route turned away from the frontage road next to the freeway. Dave, the tour leader, had texted everyone that a Plan B would be to jump on the Interstate, I40, and that would save five miles. The four of us had a little discussion and John and Cathy decided to take the official bike route while Kate and I opted for the interstate. We weren’t sure which way Krista had gone. It turns out it only saved a couple of miles but after 3 or 4 miles the shoulder broadened out and it was nice riding ( other than the wind!) In any case, Kate and I made it to Santa Rosa first and stopped immediately at a service station/ quick mart to get some carbos and Gatorade. As we were sitting on the curb, Krista rode by. By 6 pm only the five of us in our group had checked in to the motel! We know some riders are being picked up by car and a couple of other stragglers have made it in so far. We are supposed to be in Santa Fe Thursday evening and then have Friday as a rest day Right now we are all exhausted so Santa Fe looks a long way off! Santa Rosa is at about 4,750 feet and tomorrow we are supposed to go to Romerville at 6,400 feet! We’ll see
Today was a day of change! And a very long day! We started off in Adrian, the official midpoint of Rte 66.
Official halfway point
It was very windy last night and this morning when we started out – and cold again! After about 4 miles, we jumped on the interstate and stayed on it for the next 21 miles. We fought the wind most of the way and finally reached the New Mexico border about 3 miles before we exited the freeway.
New Mexico at last!
The landscape is beginning to change and it is not so flat!!! And the plants and animals are beginning to change as well.
Nice tarantula!
Our campground in Tucumcari was about 4 miles short of the grocery store so when our little pack arrived at camp first after a fun filled 61 mile ride, we had volunteered to do the shopping. So, Krista, Kiwi John and myself quickly pitched our tents, unloaded our bags and headed for the grocery store. The shopping had to be done to get breakfast and lunch stuff for tomorrow because once we leave Tucumcari for our 65 mile ride to Santa Rosa, there are no services! That means everyone will have to carry enough lunch, snacks, water, Gatorade, etc for the whole ride. We will be traveling extra heavy tomorrow in spite of having 2,500 feet of climbing to boot. The good news is- we are staying in a motel tomorrow night! Should be an interesting day. But, we are more than halfway and in a new state!! Inching closer to home!!
Adrian Texas is the official midpoint of the Route 66 Highway – we are even staying at the Midpoint Campground. That said, it was a very challenging day getting here.
Camp site at Adrian, TX
It was overcast and quite windy and just miles of nothingness. We would see a freeway overpass or a grain elevator in the distance and it would be another 4 to 6 miles before you got there. We had planned to do ” drive by shopping” for dinner tonight at a town about 14 miles before Adrian! When we arrived we found that the only grocery store in town was closed on Sunday!!! There was a convenience store/ gas station ear the freeway so we got creative!! Spaghetti with smoked sausage and a salad!! We did manage to stop at the Cadillac Ranch.
Cadillac Ranch
It was interesting but I don’t need to see it again. The next four days are going to be very grueling as we make our way to Santa Fe. In any case, we are halfway there.
