TRAINING WHEELS NOT INCLUDED: Fabens, TX

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Fabens, TX - Las Cruces, NM...Day 28

First, a little about Day 27. The above photo was taken North of Sierra Blanca on a frontage road along side Interstate 10. It was a cold morning. My fingers and feet were numb long before the sun came up. Despite the cold, it was a great day of bicycling. BIG RED and I finished the day with 99.26 miles pedaled. Del Rio to Van Horn provided very little service stops during the day. For the past week I carried so much extra nourishment that I felt I was hauling a fruit and granola cart. Because Van Horn signaled a return to civilization, I was able to dump (actually, I had fruit and granola for dinner) the extra water and food. Also, in Ft. Davis I sent home 5 pounds of belongings. If I hadn't used an item since departing St. Augustine...I sent it home. On day 27, BIG RED felt lighter and pedaled faster. I sometimes forget...the lightest thing I can carry is a credit card.

Day 28: I entered El Paso by 7am. The city was asleep. For a metropolitan area that boosts over 566, 000 persons I couldn't believe how dead the streets were. Above, this was the closest I came to the Mexican border...Juarez.

Below, I met these friendly bicycle border patrol officers. I wonder if they're hiring?

Share the roads with bicycles...and tumble weeds.

onion field

cotton field

church...San Miguel, New Mexico

Ahhh...shade! This stretch on Hwy 28 near San Miguel was nearly 3 miles long. I think it was the first long stretch of shade that I pedaled in since central Louisiana. I will never take shade for granted again.

At an ice cream shop near San Miguel I met Linda and Wynona. The ladies were out for a Saturday bike ride. Sorry ladies...I had the wind...and I deserved it! :-)

The highlight of the day was crossing the border of New Mexico. The people of Texas were some of the kindest people I've ever met while on tour. I look forward to a return visit. However, the return visit will not be on a bicycle. As of today, pedaling BIG RED across the great state of Texas is the most challenging and frustrating physical accomplishment that I've ever endured. The feat will be placed in the "never do that again" file of my life. I finished the day with 77.42 miles pedaled.