Santa Fe, NM to Las Vegas, NM-72 miles

Beautiful views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains

Too early in the afternoon for having a drink...that and the hills.

Still on "root" 66 or is it "rout" 66.

This picture isn't tilted. They allow the bartenders to drink on duty.

Yes, old boy that is exactly how I feel.




What? another hill.....this can't be, although this is just a baby hill.

Even Google can't find Calumet Jane. readers??????


And a genuine Ford Model A.

Today was actually pretty hard, at least for me. It is frequently hard to cycle after a rest day, and for me the first 30-35 miles my legs just weren't quite with me. The day was really pretty although the wind started picking up after lunch and is gusting up to 48 mph at this time (source: weather.com) I think that in spite of me putting on sunscreen that my face is a little red right now.

The first 20 miles involved a fair bit of climbing. I think all in all we did over 4000 feet. Since my Garmin quit, I never have an exact elevation gain. At this point I wasn't feeling so great and so it seemed time to stop for a chocolate milk. Greg and Harold dropped me like a bad habit earlier. Sympathy would have just compounded the problem. I have never seen sympathy climb a hill. We reached the highest point on the tour today at almost 7600 feet above sea level. The elevation has certainly affected some riders and one person needed a rest day today strictly due to the altitude. By mile 30 I was rejuvenated as I had stopped at the local Oxygen Bar and rode fairly strong from the last SAG stop at mile 44 to the hotel. Beginning from the SAG there seemed to be one rolling hill after another. Remember, what goes down must come up in biking parlance. Las Vegas, NM is still over 6400 feet of elevation, so we encountered some climbing today even though the overall elevation decreased.

We arrived at the hotel and ate lunch. Then off to do laundry, have an afternoon coffee and make the requisite Walgreens stop. At the diner we saw a lot of Ford Model A's which were on there way to or from Albuquerque.

For those history buffs, Las Vegas was once a thriving town populated by the world's worst characters including Doc Holiday and his girlfriend Big nose Kate, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and Handsome Harry the Dancehall rustler. I'm not too familiar with either Harry of how exactly you rustle a dancehall. I will have to ck with Greg, Harold or Craig on that on. Also, wouldn't you think Doc would have shot anyone for calling his girlfriend big nose????

I have nothing else acerbic or witty to report at this time. We are however, staying at a new Best Western, so our digs are comfy.

Tomorrow is a potentially very hard day, so I need my beauty rest, although if beauty rest actually works then wake me up in a month or so.

adios.........

Ty