Three Lands: Del Norte to Silver City

July 27, to near Elwood Pass

Distance: 35, Average speed: 5.1, Elevation gain: 4827

A tough day, despite the small mileage. I gout of town about 8:30am and rode the first 11 miles of relatively flat going without any problem. But, where the pavement ends the road rises steeply. With essentially no break the route climbs for about 15 miles on a 10-15% grade. About 1pm it started to rain and the road got incredibly muddy. I was almost at Indiana Pass when the rain arrived. I waited under a tree for awhile then finished the climb and started down. The sticky mud sprayed over everything. After a few miles of downhill riding my chain and derailleur were clogged so badly I couldn't pedal. I had to stop and use some of my precious filtered drinking water to clear the mud. It was very cold.


Summitville is a superfund site and a bleak place it is. It looks like a moonscape in places. The town is abandoned. I did find a stream where I could get some more water to better clean my chain so I can use my granny gear.

It's a quick ride down from Summitville but then the route starts climbing again to Elwood pass. I passed through some very beautiful alpine valleys. We camped just short of Elwood pass, in the rain and the mud, but with a wonderful view of a little valley and distant mountains. The valley has a small cabin the forest service rents out. It's a spectacular setting, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the small valley. I'm a little envious of the current occupants warm cozy cabin and irritated at their quartering their horses almost in our campsite.

July 28, to Elk Creek Cp

Distance: 41, Average speed: 9.6, Elevation gain: 1508

I started out about 9am with a short climb to almost Elwood Pass, then a nice steep descent. Next, an almost 3 mile climb takes me up and over Stunner Pass. From there it was a steep drop to Platoro.

Platoro has a small store and restaurant so after a snack I got back on the road. It's generally downhill 23 miles to Horca, with a few rollers along the way and one good climb as the route leaves the river.

It started to rain about 3pm and turned to steady rain about an hour later until about 6pm. Everything is wet and all my equipment covered with a sticky mud that hardens into concrete. The store in Horca has very little to choose from for food. No fresh meat and/or vegetables. It rained almost all night.

July 29, Chama, New Mexico

Distance: 35, Average speed: 7.6, Elevation gain: 2384

I started about 8:40am today with the big climb up to La Manga Pass, about 6 miles long, it took all morning. While waiting for Bob we got a great view of the old west narrow gauge train coming down the valley from Chama. It was pretty fun to watch it pass by and the tourists riding seemed to be having a good time too.

At the turn off we met some motorbike rider coming back because the route was too muddy to pass. We talked some more to some local construction people who had been up the road yesterday and they thought it was too muddy to pass. So, Bob and I turned back, Guillem went ahead.

The old west style train trundles down the valley a couple times a day during the tourist season.

Donna and Marty decided during breakfast to take the paved alternate so Bob and I set off in pursuit. We pedaled up the easy Cumbre Pass and started the long steep and fast descent into Chama. Just as you enter Chama we found a nice campground but no Donna and Marti. We went to the other campground but it wasn't nearly as nice so returned to the first and waited for Donna and Marti. We ran into them later, it later tuned out that they had taken a motel room.

Chama itself is a nice little tourist town with the narrow gauge RR station and an historic old hotel in the old town center. Some nice shops and a number of good restaurants.

Bill pedals on through Chama looking for Donna and Marty.

July 30, to Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu

Distance: 51, Average speed: 10.1, Elevation gain: 1718

It was an easy morning for the first 10 miles, slightly downhill with a small breeze at my back. The miles glided by in the cool air. The next 20 miles were more difficult with some moderately steep rollers in the hot sun. About 15 miles from Abiquiu I started a long descent through a beautiful canyon with a wide shoulder on the road.

The camp host at Ghost Ranch lets continental divide hikers stay for free, she nicely decide to extend the privilege to cyclists as well. The camp is dusty and shadeless, but the showers are nice and the atmosphere is almost coma inducing.

 

Mary has a much needed lie-down.

July 31, Ghost Ranch

Rest day.

Ghost Ranch is a very nice place for a rest. There is nothing to do except relax, eat, and maybe visit the library and museum. The cafeteria offers good meals with seconds and thirds if you want. There's no shade in the camp but some nice grassy spots and big shade trees near the visitor center. And a pool for the hot afternoon.

August 1, to Abiquiu

Distance: 15, Average speed: 9.0, Elevation gain: 563

Such an easy day, it really seemed like two rest days. Mostly flat, I waited till late in the day so it was a bit hot. The Abiquiu Inn let us stay in their RV campground. We can use the restroom in the restaurant but no showers. Bode's General store is surprisingly well stocked.

August 2, to Polvedera Mesa

Distance: 24, Average speed: 4.4, Elevation gain: 3627

McCoy's book claims some think the climb up onto Polvedera Mesa is the toughest climb on the Great Divide. It might be but the incredible scenery and not so hot conditions made for a good day. I started at the crack of dawn while the others waited for a good breakfast. The route climbs steeply as soon as it leaves highway 84. When the pavement ends the road surface deteriorates considerably. The first 10 miles were on washboard roads in places too steep for me to pedal.

Finally, I got to a nice little valley with flat cycling for a few miles. Then down into a lovely little canyon rimmed with 20 foot sandstone cliffs. Exiting out of the canyon I started a long monotonous steady uphill climb on a very rough road that appeared to be built on the sandstone cap of the mesa. In between the rough rocky sections it has small sand traps that rob energy from my tired legs. Surrounded by trees, it's relatively cool.

About lunch time I discovered that just through the trees to the west is a cliff, about 25 meters, looking over a nice sandstone cliff rimmed canyon. The cliff edge made a great place for a lunch break and nap in the shade.

I found the campsite along the steadily rising road after the canyon on the west of the road had shrunk to a steep sided little valley. The best campsite was on the right not the left, but it was lovely. High, cool, and forested, with plenty of firewood and a nice flat spots for the tents, the only thing missing was water. Still, we had fantastic cook site set in some large boulders. About 2:30pm it started to rain heavily as Guillem and I retreated to our tents and wondered how the others were doing with the mud and thunder. Once I left the highway I encountered only one car.

Ride the rightside line
Ride the center line
Polvedera Mesa bucks

August 3, to Cuba

Distance: 57, Average speed: 7.4, Elevation gain: 3735

A long tiring day, we had to climb more than yesterday and roughly twice the distance. It started by completing the climb begun yesterday, about 5 miles. Most of the rest of the day was filled with ups and downs, some long, others rather short and steep. About mile 30 I was already tired when I started a 10 mile stretch of steep rollers as the route round its way around a big valley. Finally, about mile 40 I started down to highway 126. A short climb up a no-name pass on 126, it was mostly a downhill glide to Cuba.

There were plenty of campsites along the first five miles today so I think it would have been better to have climbed another hour yesterday to make today's long ride a little shorter.

Overall I think today's ride was one of the best on the GD. The route was at times challenging and maybe just a little too long, but the wild and remote country we passed through was spectacular. Too many cows, but I did see a coyote.

We stayed at the Del Prado Motel, $65/ 4 people. Cuba has a friendly demeanor, wish we could stay.

August 4, to Hunter's Camp

Distance: 48, Average speed: 8.8, Elevation gain: 1621

A late start at 9:15am today. The first 11 miles on the road was very fast. I averaged about 14 MPH. Good wide shoulder. Turning onto the gravel road the going got tougher but still pretty fast for the next almost 10 miles. The biggest problem was the soft surface. More like settled dust than sand. On one 1/4 mile flat stretch I had to push. Then I started a long series of rollers for the rest of the day, punctuated by the large Arroyo Chico.

The scenery around here is desolate but beautiful. The very large valley we passed through has some unusual mini-mountains sticking up from the valley floor. They are evidently the remnants of old volcanoes.

Just past Rio Chico is the artesian well, 0.5 miles off route. I got there about 3:15pm and waited with Guillem for the others. I had a nice nap and a shower of sorts under the faucet.

At about 6pm we moved on to the Hunter's Camp but still no sign of our partners. The others finally got to camp about 7:30pm, tired and hungry. About 8pm commenced a fantastic electric light show as a system of thunderstorms moved through off to the south. The rain came to us about 8:30pm and lasted at least a couple hours. Not heavy and by morning everything was dry again.

August 5, to Felipe Tofoya Grant Boundary

Distance: 25, Average speed: 5.9, Elevation gain: 1701

Like others before us, we're camped on a barren stretch of earth that has no other merit than its on the boundary of a 20 mile no camp zone. We went around a small mesa from the road and found a couple of pinion trees for shade. We do have a nice view of a large open valley.

The low average mph tells the story of the day. Lots of small ups and downs. I did cross a 5 mile stretch of flat land with a good solid road but a strong headwind kicked up and slowed me to around 6 mph Crossing the Arroyos can be very difficult. Usually it has a precipitous descent to a little gully cutting across the road at the bottom, often with sand berms on either side of the road. You're tempted to pick up some speed on the descent, but that's bound to lead to a crash in the sand trap at the bottom. Picking yourself up and dusting yourself off you face a nearly impossible ascent up the other side. I think Guillem could ride a couple but not me.

Around noon a big thunderstorm hit the area to my east, near where we camped the night before. By the time Donna and Marty got to camp they had horror stories of flooded arroyos with knee deep water. They could hear the water coming down the arroyo, which would rise from a trickle to a torrent in the time it took to wonder about the noise.

August 6, to Grants

Distance: 50, Elevation gain: ?

Lost my computer stats today. After yesterday I expected a long hard day but it turned out pretty easy. The first 15+ miles were very easy with flat solid roads and no headwind. The climb was long but once finished I got a mostly downhill ride for the last 20 miles into Grants. It's got to be one of the biggest downhills on the GD.

No body found San Mateo spring, it seems to have been converted to a black hose going way down the valley and starting at least 300 meters up the hill. One in our party had to loosen the clamps joining two hoses to get some water.

Martin and Donna were caught in a torrential thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail. They finally got into the Lavaland Campground. The owners of this camp are very nice, sharing their table in the office with any who wish to sit and talk.

August 7, Grants

Rest day.

August 8, Grants

Rest day.

August 9, Homestead Canyon

Distance: 45, Average speed: 8.6, Elevation gain: 1314

A nice easy day. I started about 7am today with a flat. Then I overfilled the tire and blew out the bead of the tire so I had to resort to my backup tire. So, I left a little late and with an extra load of anxiety about taking off into the desert for six days without a backup tire.

The rest of the group decided to take the new route west of El Malpais, but wanted to do the traditional route through the Narrows. It's easier and shorter by 17 miles. So, I'm alone for the only night of the trip. I had planned on only about 30 miles today, to camp at the Narrows but when I got there the place was closed from damage caused by a flood two weeks ago. Evidently they had 5 feet of hail filled water rushing through the picnic area, forced through the narrow confines of the Narrows!

I waited out the hot part of the afternoon reading and dozing in the shade until about 4:30pm. A short thunderstorm a little earlier nicely cooled things down so I took off heading further south. I was hoping to camp about the turn off on County #41 toward Pie Town but found nothing. Unfortunately, virtually the whole route was fenced on both sides of the road. I ended up going all the way to Homestead Canyon.

Toward the late afternoon the wind picked up from the south which slowed me considerably. I found a very nice campsite, hidden in some juniper trees but just west about 50 meters the land drops away for a nice view of the desert. Some coyotes are singing the sun down.

August 10, to Pie Town

Distance: 31,Average speed: 7.7,Elevation gain: 1441

Only 30 miles and not too hot, but with the sandy roads and washboard I'm a little tired at the end of the day. I started about 6:30 am it was cold, I needed by jacket at the start but I thoroughly enjoyed riding with only my shadow to company. Overnight some white flowers bloomed among the sage adding some strange color to the brown land. The first 10 miles were open flat prairie with sage and other small plants. Then the route climbed up into some hilly country covered with juniper and pine No long climbs, just a steady string of rollers. The road has a lot of washboard and sand traps but not steep.

The original Pie-o-neer Cafe is closed now, but the Daily Pie Cafe provides what I have to believe is a great substitutes. The owner, Michael, is really helpful and gregarious. I called ahead from Grants to check on his food stuffs and he helped us out as best he could. Keep in mind, that what he keeps around is for a restaurant, which can mean restaurant quantities. But we were able to scores flour tortillas, pasta, cheese, bread, etc.

By evening Bill cam in with a completely worn out rim. It actually completely failed not a few hundred meters from the cafe, so he finished the ride walking. It seems the rim brakes have worn the metal rim completely through so it's cracked. So, a call to home and a Fed Ex delivery to Pie Town will hold us here until at least late tomorrow morning.

August 11, Pie Town

Rest day.

It's taking longer to get Bill's rim than expected so I enjoyed the delights of Pie Town for a whole day. Let's see, there's the Post Office, a real estate office, Daily Pie Cafe, and our camp ground. Thankfully, it's not hot so I have a chance to do some serious reading, napping, and eating.

Donna prepares food for the hungry gang. The Daily Pie Cafe doesn't server dinner, so we're on our own.

August 12, to Valle Tio Vences Cp.

Distance: 32, Average speed: 7.8, Elevation gain: 1727

A fairly easy day. We finally gave up on Bill getting his parts in time for him to repair his bike and ride today, so Guillem, Marti, and I left about 2:15pm and got to camp about 7:15pm.

Two moderate climbs today, the last one was about 4 miles and brought us to the campground. About mile 13 we came out on a large flat green valley, quite pretty. We found no water on the route, no accessible stock tanks, none at the Mangas work center, and the Valle Tio Vences spring appears to be dry. I suppose tomorrow we'll be forced to beg for water from ranchers. The camp is covered with big Ponderosa pine and when the set below the mountain tops it got rather cold.

Later in the day: It turns out that the spring has a steady drip that we didn't notice but produced quite a bit of water. Just east of the route and north of the left turn to Mangas Lookout you'll find a steel cylinder sunk into the ground with a black hose going into it from up the hill and going out downhill. The downhill hose is disconnected. Lift the lid of the cylinder to find two valves. Out of one valve we found a steady drip of water. It collects in the steel cylinder which probably contains about 10 liters of water. I estimate it drips about 2 liters per hour.

August 13, to mile 44.0

Distance: 31, Average speed: 7.7, Elevation gain: 1441

A great day of cycling on the great divide. I started late so I could ride with Guillem and Marti. About 7 miles of downhill later, just before highway 12 we found Bill and Donna. They had gotten a ride the day before and spent the night not far from us. We got started again and crossed highway 12 into a large open treeless prairie. Essentially flat with a few rollers we left the prairie about mile 26 and started up the long beautiful La Jolla canyon. It has a very easy grade and a good but narrow road, almost a double track. The canyon finally tops out about mile 33 into a large open highland valley. Very flat with lots of camping sites, as the valley gradually rose it filled in with pine trees.

In the canyon, about 2pm, the afternoon thunderstorm hit me and lasted more than 20 minutes. I took a picture taken over a 30 minute span showing a dry road, flooded road, and dry road again. Lots of lightning and thunder. The small reservoir on the left at mile 65.4 was dry, despite the rain earlier.

Can you see Marty? Bill gets ready to record Marty hiding as a thunderstorm approaches.

 

Later, Bill makes careful progress on the slippery muddy road.

Finally, camp.

August 14, to Black Canyon Cp

Distance: 51, Average speed: 6.9, Elevation gain: 2959

Another great cycling day, if a little long for me. The route gradually leaves the Collins Park area with its Ponderosa pines and grass. I then dropped into a large grass and sage valley that continued on until about mile 25. Then the route goes into some hills and up a little canyon. After a few miles I came out again onto an open grassy valley with no trees. I had lunch in the shade of a sandstone cliff. I found this section very pretty as the route round it's way through fields of the most colorful wild flowers.

From about mile 25 I began climbing into the Black Mountains on the Geronimo Trail. Evidently Geronimo used these complex canyons and valleys to hide during his war with the US. I can see how it would be almost impossible to find him, or trap him, but life must have been very hard for his band. The area is very dry and doesn't appear to support much game.

The route has a couple of steep climbs of about 3-4 miles each, with many rolling hills in between. The last three miles were quite steep downhill to the camp. Nice campground with a stream, tables, toilet. I passed many nice wild camp sites along the route with a stream and Wall like as a water source.

 

August 15, to Silver City

Distance: 46, Average speed: 8.1, Elevation gain: 2943

Started with a difficult 2.6 mile climb out of Black Canyon, then a few miles of rollers, and a drop into Rock Canyon. The stream in Rock canyon crosses over and on the road in many places. Mostly it was no problem getting through the water but in some places the puddles were pretty large and muddy on the bottom. The route then climbs back up out of the valley to a high ridge overlooking the Mimbres river valley.

It was about 12 pm when I got there and I could see the rain moving up the valley toward me. I sat and had lunch, watching the rain get closer, put on my rain jacket and started out again just as the rain hit with a fury. By the time I got down to the paved road the water was pouring over the road in places, carrying mud and debris onto road. The water, mud, rocks, and other debris stopped some cars but I was able to keep going and even made good time on the downhill good quality road to Mimbres. The heavy rain gradually soaking me to the underwear. I wish I had those rain pants I sent home a few weeks ago.

I sat outside the Mimbres store for 1 1/2 hours waiting for the rain to stop when Walter asked me if I wanted a ride to Hanover. Walter's a local character with a personality almost as full as his truck. I wasn't too proud or dedicated to accept and just as I was getting my bike on the truck Donna ride up, then Bill. Somehow all our bikes got loaded into the back and ourselves into the cab. It was the second ride of the trip and nice to have. From Hanover it was a fairly easy 10 miles of rolling hills into Silver City with essentially no rain. Still, we were still soaked and wet when we got into town and found the campground.

August 16, Silver City

Rest day, rained all day. Silver city has a couple good bike shops and lots of good southwestern food. The university library has computer access for anybody.

Chihuahua Desert: Silver City to Mexico border

August 17, to High Lonesome Cp:

Distance: 31, Average speed: 8.7, Elevation gain: 1515

Easiest day so far. I got an early start with a British cyclist, Vik, riding from Alaska to Argentina. After a two mile climb out of town we turned onto a gravel road going over mildly rolling hills. Despite the rain, the road was very firm in most places. But you could see how it had rained very heavily, the damp ground, the evidence of water running over the road, and the occasional mud puddle. There are some treacherous sand traps in places, but the worst were the big mud pies. At the bottom of hills we couldn't resist trying to ride through them using the momentum from the downhill slope. But, once the mud sucked my wheels in so fast that I just fell over sideways, my feet still locking into my clipless peddles. I had to wash out my shirt and shorts in a roadside puddle.

I really enjoyed riding with Vik, heavily laden as he was I could keep up and enjoy a leisurely pace in the cool morning. We enjoyed chatting and the spectacular open vistas unfolding before us. About noon we stopped for lunch and Vik whipped out not only a stove to cook up a quick burrito but also to cook up an espresso with a little miniature espresso machine pot. I stopped about 2pm to wait for the others to meet me for the night, Vik pushed on his way toward Argentina.

The rain started about 2pm, only a little reached me and Guillem, but it hit Marty pretty hard. Later in the evening we got a spectacular electric show. Over dinner we watched the thunder storm roll in from the north and west, getting closer and closer, lightning stabbing between the clouds and the ground. It finally hit hard about 9:30pm with heavy rain, lightening just above the tents, and ferocious winds. I watched it until I couldn't stay awake anymore. It was a fitting end for the last night out in the high lonesome land.

August 18, to Hachita

Distance: 49, Average speed: 10.2, Elevation gain: 564

Another easy day, just longer. The average speed tells the story of good roads and rolling hills of yucca, cage, and cactus. The overnight rain left some mud traps, not bad, easily walkable. By far the worst mud traps were on the frontage road next to the I-10 between Separ and Highway 146. It completely covered the road with water and sticky mud. I got my bike and trailer over the fence up the interstate, which I rode to the off ramp for highway 186. I got to Hachita by lunch.

We camped in the parking lot of the Hachita Cafe. Elma, who owns the cafe, has a great friendly persona and plenty of cold drinks. It felt good to relax and eat. Around 3 pm the wind came up with rain on the horizon so I rushed out to put up my tent. The wind blew hard and gusty so it was only with great difficulty that I got the tent up just before the wind calmed and a light rain fell.

Elma has a guest book with notes from people both starting and finishing the Great Divide. Actually, the hiking route also passes through Hachita so you can read comments from both styles. I especially enjoyed reading the comments from the group I started with last year, and was happy to finally add my name and comments to the contributions.

August 18, Antelope Wells:

Distance: 47, Average speed: 11, Elevation gain: 523

Well, we planned to get an early start and hurry along to the border station because we had a long full day coming up. Well, we dawdled along, perhaps procrastinating the long anticipated end to the trip. I was excited and sad, as I am always at the end of a trip. I rode with Marty most of the day and we rode pretty steadily but everything seemed to take more time than expected. In the end, we finally straggled in about four hours later for the cold drinks from a machine and the end of trip pictures. The land is flat and rolling, hot and dry, the road straight and boring.

From Antelope Wells I got a ride with Bill's daughter to El Paso, to rent a truck, and return to pick up Guillem and Donna. We were running pretty late, it was only fast driving that got us to the rental agency barely in time, in fact some 10 minutes late. I got the truck and headed back, getting to Donna and Guillem about 10pm. The ride along the border was scary. The border road has little traffic, almost all of it patrol. I met someone at the truck rental agency that used to work for the border patrol who told me they have fire fights almost every night in the area. Collecting Donna and Guillem, on the return trip we went further north to the interstate. Tired, high on caffeine, we finally got into El Paso and found a motel about 1am. Fortunately, too tired to dwell on the end of the trip and the imminent resumption of my job and normal activities.