Day 19: Radar Love

Horizon, TX to Van Horn, TX
Date: 01/21/2013
Distance traveled: 109.44 miles (1104.63 miles total)
GPS tracks: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/264585415

To know me is to know that there is hardly an hour that goes by without a song in my head. I generally wake up in the morning with some song on the tip of my tongue. The surprising part is that it is frequently a song that I haven’t head in a very long time. The most interesting part is trying to figure out why my subconscious picks the songs that it brings to the fore. Sometimes it’s clear, often it’s not.

Today it was easy figure out – all day today I had “Radar Love” by Golden Earring stuck in my head. That’s because I’m ready to be home. I’m ready to get done. From here on out, it’s all about getting done and back home to my baby.

That’s one of the reasons I went so far today. I think I’m ready to start racing across Texas, get to Austin, and maybe even catch an earlier flight home. I don’t know if I can really keep up that pace. I’m going to try not to miss out on any of the interesting bits. I am still “enjoying the ride” – don’t get me wrong, I’m having a good time on the bike – it’s just that I know where I’d rather be right now.

Dawn and Dan. Dan was heading out to help lead a ride that morning.

The ride was actually a really nice ride today. I started super early this morning after a great breakfast with Dan and Dawn. Bacon-sausage, biscuits, grits, eggs… oh my! I was out the door by 8am, which let me consider doing a 100+ mile day. Did I say how much I enjoyed staying with Dan and Dawn? I did. Dan has done his own touring and is super active in the El Paso cycling community. He had some great advice & I really enjoyed talking about his various adventures. He’s where I got the tip to stop for burritos in Fort Hancock… it was a little off route, but worth it!

Arzate Grocery #2 – they make your burrito to order. I think his wife cooks them in the back. The brisket was great, as was the rojo and the verde.

The weather has finally warmed up – it was the first day where I’ve biked in a short sleeve shirt since California! The roads were mixed – highway 20 out of El Paso was quiet and smooth, parts of I-10’s shoulder was complete crap, and then there were long-long stretches on unused frontage road that paralleled I-10 that was very safe but not perfectly smooth. It was a good day to be lost in thought on the bike.

Not sure if that wall is not effective at all… or super effective… at keeping folk out.

Tejas… why u no make good road?

Lots of flat with nice views of the mountains.

The empty frontage road along I-10.

I got to Sierra Blanca, TX around 3:30-4pm, which left me with about 30 miles to go to Van Horn. I decided to do it because (1) I didn’t like my camping options in Sierra Blanca, (2) I wanted to get to a bigger town for a day off on Monday and (3) I really really want to get my daily mileage up to get home. So I rolled on.

That meant I finished in the dark, riding the last 10 miles along the interstate shoulder. Late night, midnight on the interstate. It was actually very peaceful despite the fast traffic. I don’t mind interstate riding – the shoulders are generally nice, wide and smooth. I got into Van Horn, found a cheap hotel, and settled in… I’m staying here for a day off… I haven’t had one in about a week. My body needs a break. And I need to do some planning for the rest of the trip.

I had intended to camp here… but being that it’s closed and for sale, and I was too lazy to find another place to camp, I ended up at a cheap hotel.