Las Cruces, NM to Deming, NM (60 miles)

Saturday June 7, 2008

I woke up at 5am. I shouldn't have watched whatever mobvie that was on HBO last night. I turned it off before the end but it was already 11pm when I did that. Staying up "late" last night hurt me today, despite the fact 11pm in my pre-ride life was not late at all.

I got started riding at 6:45am after a good breakfast at the hotel. Taking Hwy 28 to Valley Road to US 70, I headed out of Las Cruces to I-10. On Hwy 70, the climb began. A girl on a bike got in front of me right before the climb. She was a ways ahead, but I could see my pace was equal to hers despite the fact she had no weight on her bike. But then I let her go. And go she did. I saw her later while I was on I-10 and she was returning to Las Cruces (presumably) on the airport frontage road to I-10. She yelled "Hey!" in an awakening way, yet supportive. I "Hey"-ed her back.

The ride was good through mile 40. I had ditched the extra 3L of water I had been carrying since Del Rio and the bike seemed more responsive today. After stopping at Aleka Flats and a cheesy gas station selling any trinkets (or "curios" as Holley in Comstock, TX would say) you might possibly imagine, I headed down Hwy 549 for the remaining 20 miles to Deming. But the winds and the temperature picked up. My pace was crippled to 6-9 mph by lack of sleep, and these other factors. The wind was from the west, directly in my face, at 13mph and gusting at 22mph.

Today was exhausting! I managed to get into the edge of Deming and found a car dealer. I parked the bike, walked inside, searched for a soda machine, and sat there in a stupor drinking Orange Fanta as well as bottled water as my body recovered. Bad day!

The 1.7 miles left to get to the Days Inn seemed difficult, but I rode slowly and steadily. My reward: a King size bed and an hour of not moving.

A little late lunch/early dinner followed by a Kmart (yep, can you believe they have one here?) run for drinks, and a blizzard at Dairy Queen and I am OK again. I will, no doubt, hit the sack early tonight. In fact, I'm signing off now.

Updates to other posts including photos are taking place when I have time, though it looks like Phoenix may be the time when some real solid updating takes place. Some new photos have been added and the "will add photos, please check back" has been removed from those posts. Enjoy.

Zzzzzzz