one fine day, part 2

More scenery.  We came down hill and around a bend to be greeted by this cliff face.

We are staying in nicely decorated cabins along a nice stream.  Guests not in our group tried panning for gold in the stream, but since we heard no wild exclamations, I’m guessing they were not successful.

Sunset reflection 

One fine day

We rode 62 miles to the little town of Glenwood, one of the finest, loveliest days on my bike I have ever experienced.  We had about 2400 feet of climbing and 3600 feet of descent, mostly gentle in both directions.  Mountains on both sides, flowers, cottonwoods just leading out, a perfect temperature, blue skies, and staying tonight in comfortable cabins at the edge of a stream.  It’s hard to imagine anything much nicer.  And we are pretty sure tomorrow will be a completely different story.  Stay tuned.

We crossed the continental divide about 4 miles into the ride.

Fortunately there wasn’t much traffic so we could focus on the scenery.

We stopped in a saddle shop and met the proprietor, a third generation saddle maker.  He shares the premises with a taxidermist, and he informed us that most everyone he knows carries a gun.  On that topic, we rode past two boys, maybe 9 and 11, who were carrying rifles.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

Our day off from riding was quite active.  We were up early to drive 44 miles to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.  The drive was up a twisty mountain road through the Gila National Forest with fantastic views along the way, and we stopped a couple times, so it took about 2 hours.  The Cliffs were beautiful and fascinating.  Although they were probably known and utilized for well over a thousand years by traders on an active trade route from Latin America up through northern New Mexico, they were built up and occupied for only about 25 years in the late 13th century by Pueblo builders.  There is only speculation about why they came and why they left, but archeologists are certain of their presence.

Some scenery along the way up.

Approaching the caves

A room with a view

The shape of this window is still used by Hopi people today.  The wood framing the top of the window and the walls date back almost 800 years.

The ladder is more recent.

Silver City

We rode 53 miles to Silver City, 2400 feet of climbing, most of it a steady 2 to 3 percent grade, which is easy, except for our old nemesis, the wind.  The last third of the ride was more up and down and less wind, so the steeper climbs were easier.  Silver City is an aspiring Santa Fe, with lots of nice shops, including a fine ice cream parlor—I had homemade dulce de levels.

In the first shop we visited, Wild West Weaving, the owner asked if we were the bikers she had seen that morning on road from Deming.  She learned to weave from a family in northern New Mexico who have been weaving for 7 generations.  She just finished the tapestry above, for which she also dyed the yarn.

The town is full of murals and other wall decorations.

This bike outside a bike store was not for sale.

Pie day

We rode 61 miles to Deming today, 63 if you count the extra miles to the pie place.  We have been doing a lot of highway riding, but today we were on very quiet roads most of the way, although we did have 10 miles on I-10.  We are back in warmer weather, and we had some wind the last 20 miles, with even an occasional dust devil.  One of the advantages of weighing a bit more than I would like is that I seem to have an easier time in the wind than those with figures I envy.

Coming out of Las Cruces we crossed the Rio Grande, although at this point Rio Pequeno seems more accurate.

A view of adobe construction and a piñon tree.  I haven’t tried piñon coffee yet.

Downtown plaza in Deming

The high point of the day was a visit to the Elisa’s House of Pie.  That’s Elisa next to me.  She says she has a repertoire of 189 different pies, and she makes 6 to 8 varieties a day.  I had the pineapple coconut pecan chess pie, which was way more delicious than it looks.  

Pass with a prize

Today we rode 71 miles to Las Cruces, a little longer than the route, as Las Cruces seems to lack signage, at least along our route.  We almost missed the lunch spot because the road number shown on Google maps wasn’t shown on the road.  Along the way we passed entrances to the White Sands Missle Range, which I learned is the largest military facility in the country.  We saw signs saying no photos, but we couldn’t see anything anyway.

Are we headed straight for these mountains?

No, the road will turn as it heads upward.

A long gentle climb to the pass, about 8 miles at a 5 percent grade.

Now we are nearly as high as those peaks we rode toward all morning.

The prize at the top!  The Californians among us say we were looking at California poppies, I think they are New Mexico poppies.

Looking back at the peaks from the other side.

And some bike humor.  These guys were about two feet tall.

White Sands

Today was a much easier ride than yesterday, including about 15 miles of downhill, as we rode 48 miles into Almagordo, New Mexico.  Once again Nancy rented a van, and most of us went out to White Sands National Memorial, a 275 square mile expanse of gypsum sand, dunes, and interesting vegetation.

The summit, before the long downhill.

One of the more interesting oddities we’ve encountered.

Eating pistachio ice cream in front of the world’s largest pistachio.

First view of the White Sands, probably about 20 miles away.

At the park.  Our motel loans out saucers, and we had a great time sledding.  Going up the hill was tough, but coming down was a blast!

I wish I could have stayed at the park to see the sunset.