Category: Pedal Wheels

Lordsburg, NM to Silver City, NM
Date: 01/16/2013
Distance traveled: 45.38 miles (788.28 miles total)
GPS tracks: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/262923479

Today I crossed the continental divide. I also spend the day feeling torn – divided, as it were – between my plan as it stands and all of the things I could have done on this trip.

I feel a bit like I’m missing out. Not just on things at home, but on things along the path of this trip that I’m blowing right by. For example, I’m spending the night in Silver City which is a very awesome little town. If I had an extra day here I could explore the childhood home of Billy the Kid. Or the Gila Cliff Dwellings are only 50 miles from here – an extra couple days would have allowed me to rent a car and drive (or bike) north, and spend time hiking in a pretty awesome place.

In short, Silver City is a great little town that I would have loved to stay a few days in.

But instead, as usual, I get into town late… find my lodging, get food, and retreat to my room to get some much needed rest, and bolt out the door in the morning. Not to say that it’s bad… it’s what I planned to do… but part of me feels like I’m missing out on a lot of awesomeness that is here in these towns that I’m sleeping in. And I’m not sure I have enough time in my schedule to alter those plans if I’m still going to make Austin in time.

I think that’s why I jumped at the chance to go to a reasonably fancy dinner. Maybe because it’s the sort of thing M and I would have done together. Maybe it just sounded good. I’m glad I went to dine at the Curious Kumquat.

I’m not a foodie, so the descriptions below of my tasting menu are probably butchered… but here we go anyway:

• Soup: Fermented walnut leaf broth, chopped mushrooms
  
• “Forrest Floor”: Mushroom dust, watercress puree, dark bread, pine surup
  
• Mango boba, sweet pea puree, roasted brussels sprout with house cured ham, topped with a quail egg
  
• Lamb chop, mashed potatoes, green salad
  
• Goat-cheese cheesecake for dessert
  

 

All together it was quite good. Requisite food porn is below.

 

Oh… and I biked today. It was long, slow, and uphill. 3,800 ft was a lot to cover in 45 miles. Cold, too… but I’m getting used to that. The wind was at my back and the roads were nice. People are friendly. I’m liking biking in New Mexico.

 

The view looking back over the hills I’ve climbed.

 

The lovely Palace Hotel. Nice, clean & cheap… right in the historic downtown.

 

The menu at the Curious Kumquat.

 

Second course.

 

Third course.

 

Main. Yummy lamb chop.

 

Dessert.

 

Painting in the lobby of the Palace Hotel.

 

Oh… speaking of people being nice. In the morning before I left the Palace Hotel, the nice couple who suggested I eat at the Curious Kumquat gave me some very lovely bon bons from the Curious Kumquat (they make their own chocolate, too). It was really sweet. They wished me luck on the ride. :)

Safford, AZ to Lordsburg, NM
Date: 01/15/2013
Distance traveled: 73.45 miles (742.9 miles total)
GPS tracks: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/262724619

I started the day yesterday with a great breakfast prepared by Gene Robert & Joy – very good waffles and bacon, and plenty of it! I simply could not believe how big and awesome their family is. Did I mention that Gene Robert and Joyce have 6 kids, 26 grandchildren, and 54 great-grandchildren!! Talk about a legacy! Wow.

Me, Gene Robert & Joyce

Pro Tip: If you’re a coffee drinker and going to be staying with families in this area of the country you should bring your own coffee. Members of the Mormon church are not likely to be slaves to the bean. I’ve discovered that the Folgers Black Silk (a knockoff of Starbucks Via) is very good and strong coffee at half the cost of the Via.

Ashley, myself, and Chase.

Chase, Ashley and I said goodbye and got on the road around 10am. As we expected, we all travel at different speeds so I chose to part ways with them early in the day. Chase road along with me for the first 35 miles of the day, and then stopped to spend the night in the adorable little town of Duncan, AZ. I stopped at the 3 Sisters Bakery for a cinnamon roll, had lunch with Chase, and then we parted ways. If you get a chance to stay at the Simpson Hotel Bed and Breakfast, you absolutely should. I was jealous of their accommodations for the night… but I had to keep on my schedule, (un)fortunately.

Chase climbing up one of our long, gradual hills of the day.

The best parts of today’s ride were that (1) I got into a new state and (2) we were honked at and waved at by many (over 10 for me) encouraging drivers. Lots of thumbs ups, “guy head nods”, waves, etc. It’s so so so nice to have that positive energy coming your way in comparison to how some days have gone. I think I may like New Mexico.

Enchanted.

Lots of wide open spaces today.

I am really not sure what is so “scenic” about these historical markers.

Globe, AZ to Safford, AZ
Date: 01/13/2013 – 01/14/2013
Distance traveled: 80.55 miles (669.45 miles total)
GPS tracks: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/262117401

Bundled up against the cold.

The twelfth day of the trip was the second longest day of biking I’ve done yet. It took me right at 8 hours to go 80 miles. It was also the coldest – starting around 30° F and not getting much above 45° F. I had long johns, bike shorts, and my rain pants on my legs. Up top I had two long sleeve shirts and two wind breakers. On my head I had two hats. And I was still cold in the wind!

Mount Graham from very far away. I forgot to get a better picture up close.

Most of the trip was through the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. The two most impressive things about the ride were (1) the views of Mount Turnbull and Mount Graham and (2) the sheer volume of broken liquor bottles along Highway 70.

There were just miles and miles of broken glass along the home…

I had been told that the reservation is not a place you want to be at night due to the drunk driving. If the amount of broken bottles of booze, the number of crosses dedicated to those who’ve died along the highway, and the Arizona ‘adopt a highway’ sections which were ‘in loving memory of X’ were any indication then I’d say that’s a warning worth heeding.

The ride was pleasant except for Bylas, AZ. Apparently it’s a well-known-fact that you will be chased out of town by a large and vicious sounding rottweiler. Glad I was faster than him.

A Day of Rest

Mons in front of his culinary creation… he knows how to direct great work. Roasted vegetables, frittata, risotto, amazing Bryce-tatic chicken on the grill and brownies! Best meal of the trip!

I ended my ride at the home of Mons, Gene Robert, & Joy. I already intended to take Monday off and I enjoyed my time with them so much that I stayed two nights.

As usual my hosts were awesome. I particularly enjoyed my time chatting with Gene Robert who is the president of the board on the local energy coop. It was fascinating to get his take on clean energy, clean coal, and the EPA. He’s passionate and caring and frustrated all at the same time in terms of the pressures to become more green while not letting the costs overwhelm his customers. I would have loved to see him and Kerry McHugh have that same discussion.

I spent my day hanging out with Gene Robert & Joy – talking, running errands, going out to lunch for Gene Robert’s 83^rd birthday. I even got a nap in there. I also got to spend a couple hours with Mons when I first got in which were really nice. It’s awesome to meet such caring and giving people out here on the road.

Mons, Ashley, Chase, Bryce & me.

I also had the added bonus of spending time with Ashley and Chase who are two cyclists heading the same direction as me who also stayed with the Larson family on the second night. We all made dinner together with Mons and his son Bryce. It was really nice to swap stories and hang out for a few hours.

Tomorrow I get back on the road and head towards Lordsburg, NM. A new state already!

Bonus picture:

Somehow this just looked like a crisis in faith.