New Mexico

76 miles, 14 mph, wind at our backs, yucca cacti in a landscape that stretches on forever - welcome to New Mexico! Yucca are funny looking cacti with a short fat trunk, a big prickly ball of green spikey leaves, topped by a tall skinny trunk supporting white fragile looking disks. It's a very odd looking plant.

For those of you who know me you will be shocked SHOCKED that tomorrow we cycle across the continental divide (a big climbing day) and I am deeply disappointed that I will be sagging instead of riding. Me - who always did what she could to avoid hills!

Roadkill - saw an owl, and lots of unidentified furry remains. Also seen in the road are lots of glass, a toy car, teething ring beads, shredded tire pieces.

Speaking of glass, I've had 4 flat tires, 2 of them today. The first was caused by a piece of metal from a steel belted radial truck tire, the last from a piece of glass, the other two of undetermined causes. I have still not successfully fixed a flat all by myself but I am making progress. Unbelievably I had just removed my rear tire when a Danish gentleman rode by, on his way cross country, and offered to help! I mean we have not seen any other cyclists and there he was just as I got the tire off! Maybe the gods don't want me changing flats?!

Food - tonight we had margaritas in honor of crossing the state line. Linda Baldwin, the chef, does amazing things out of the back of a truck with a propane stove. The food is healthy, light and delishious. Tonight we had tomali pie, a big green salad, fruit salad with fresh mangoes.