Spent nearly 14 hours on the road, stops and breaks included. I'll resist complaining about the wind, heat, and hills from now on. It's just the reality out here; harder pedaling for fewer miles. Why haven't I scaled back the riding with this new terrain? I have been told of a great annual event in Santa Fe this Friday, and I don't want to miss out.
Tomorrow entails tough climbs, and a 100-mile stretch with no water. I already have a safety net in place with my host, though: she'll come pick me up if I don't make it in time. Camping on the side of the road is... plausible but kind of dangerous.
Anyway, I rolled into Santa Rosa just as some heavy rains came in from the west. It got darker and wetter as I sat and ate dinner, and my hopes of finding another Zeke and Micky MacLeod faded promptly. I cracked and bought a room in a Day's Inn. So nice... So comfy. Damn, I'm really pampering myself here in the southwest!
The room has wifi, so I can finally upload some photos without fear of data charges skyrocketing.
A sunrise back in Oklahoma
Cadillac Ranch, just west of Amarillo
The beginning of a massive feedlot in Texas. I breathed through my mouth exclusively for about 20 minutes, but the air tasted thick. Gross, right?
These cows look happier
A decrepit shack a few miles off 66. I'm pretty sure it's empty, but did hear some sounds. Eh, it's that Lore podcast getting to me... Right?
An old abandoned bus here in NM. Reminds me a little of the one Chris McCandless found in the Alaskan bush.
Open road. I love stretches like these - no music, no podcasts. Just me and my own breathing as it mixes with that of the earth.
"We don't get much choice in how we live and how we die, Eric. Be sure to make use of the choices you have."
- Great Aunt Betty back in Cleveland
The great adventure of Eric Sinton! Still amazed by all this! Keep it up buddy!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!! Great to follow your adventure. Keep up the posts!!!
ReplyDelete"THE WILD? NO WAY!!!"
ReplyDelete