El Paso, TX

EFI!


Arrived El Paso about 12:30 on Aug. 16. The last two days were pretty flat as we rode through pecan plantations and chili pepper fields. We did have one last 5 mile climb before dropping into El Paso. The last 20 miles into El Paso were not fun - a busy road with lots of debris on the shoulder. Blaine flatted in the last 10 miles of the ride.

We lucked out with the weather. A cold front was pushing its way south producing lots of rain, hail and lightning storms. The storm hit El Paso about 4:00 pm after everyone had arrived and packed away their bikes to be shipped back home. Overall, it was a great ride!

I'm back in Ithaca now. Sitting in the car felt good at first knowing that I didn't have to get on my bike. But after three long days of driving, I'm ready to get back on my bike and ride.

Truth or Consequence, NM

A very strange name for a town. Wilkipedia says, "Originally called "Hot Springs", this town took the name of a popular radio program in 1950, when Truth or Consequences host Ralph Edwards announced that he would do the program from the first town that renamed itself after the show". Most of the NM towns we have stayed in have not been much more than a little sprawling development along the highway. This one is no exception.

Two more days of riding! The scenery is getting monotonous. You can see for miles and miles, and the miles go by really slow. There is a persistent south wind that starts up about 11 am and gets stronger and stronger throughout the day so we are continually battling a head wind. Our "easy" 75 miles today was pretty exhausting. Fortunately there has been some cloud cover so it hasn't been brutally hot. Also, the roads have gotten much better and I haven't had anymore flats. It's about an 80 mile ride to Las Cruces tomorrow (a real town) and then 60 miles to El Paso. YAHOO! I think everyone is looking forward to the end.

Moriarty, NM

New Mexico is not very bike friendly. A favorite past time of motorists seems to be throwing glass bottles out of car windows. The shoulders of the roads are littered with glass and other debris. I have had four flat tires in the last two days since entering NM- I had only one flat the entire trip before now. Several other riders have had multiple flats in the last couple of days.

I am dedicated to "EFI" - a PAC Tour saying that means "every fuckin' inch" - riding the entire route. I told the sag wagon that even if I'm laying in a ditch on the side of the road half dead not to pick me up because I'm EFI! Several people have had physical injuries, problems with their bikes, or just plain tired of riding so they have taken rides in the van during parts of the tour for either all or part of a day- they are not EFI. So even if I feel like shit, I ride. We have come up with many more acronyms for the PAC Tour all of which have an 'F'' in the middle. A common one is "DFL" - dead f... last - the last rider to arrive at the hotel each day. BFH - another big f... hill, PFN - pretty f.. nice, etc. Of course, the acronyms become endless after long hours of riding under the hot sun but some have become part of our regular vocabulary.

Four more days of riding! I have to say that I am not always enthusiastic to get up and ride my bike each morning, but once you're out there for an hour or two, you get back in to it. EFI!

Chama, NM

Everyone is in a festive mood this evening as the rest of the trip will be relatively easy. Tomorrow we drop down in to the Rio Grande Valley to Espanola - only 83 miles. Breakfast is at 7:30 instead of the usual 6:30. Unfortunately, there is only one restaurant in Chama and one gas station. Entertainment is pretty limited.

Durango, CO

We've climbed over 15000' in 240 miles from Grand Junction to Durango. Three passes today - one over 11,000' and the other two over 10,500'. But, when you go up, you come down - and the down hills have been FUN. It makes it all worth while. The weather has been great and the scenery spectacular.

I'm really impressed by the number of accomplished riders on this trip. There are four past solo winners of the RAAM (ride across America), three of which are women. Another woman rider holds the world record in the hour ride - how far you can ride in one hour on a velodrome track. One guy has done 7 Iron Man competitions. Almost everyone has done a breve where you ride 1200 km in 90 hr. I am truly the neophyte on this ride. But, I'm keeping up with pack without problem.

The internet is very slow tonight so I cannot post any pictures. Tomorrow - New Mexico!

Grand Junction, CO

We're over half way through the trip - 1100 miles down and 840 to go. Today was a our first rainy day and hopefully the last. The rain takes some of the fun out of the fast downhills and hairpin turns. Our usual motto is "no brakes" on the descents, but, in the rain, no brakes are kind of scary - especially when you're racing a semi-truck down the mountain pass.

The landscape changes continuously as we climb from the high desert to mesas and canyons up to pine forests at the high passes and down the other side. The temperatures start out in the 70s in the early morning and rise to the mid 90s in the afternoon if the sun's out. Typically we start our rides at about 6:30-7:00 am.

The riding has become easier every day. My butt and my bike saddle are at peace. My legs don't protest. The next three days will be some of the most challenging climbing of the entire trip as we work our way south through Colorado.

Evanston, WY

Today was an easy day - 93 miles with only one major climb. I don't think I've ever called a 93 mile ride easy before this trip. However, tomorrow is supposed to be one of the most difficult days - 150 miles with lots of climbing as we head to Vernal, Utah. I have been collecting everyone's remedies for saddle soreness. In preparation for tomorrow's ride, I stopped by WalMart and bought everything that I could find that anyone mentioned they used - most of it located in the infant section related to diaper rash. This is the ugly side of long distance cycling. At every food stop along the road, we all grease up. It's quite the bonding experience as we all stand around with our hands in our pants applying our chamois cream. I'm afraid we might all get arrested one day.

Jackson, WY

A long (137 miles) but beautiful day. We crossed the continental divide twice as we rode from West Yellowstone to Jackson, Wyoming. We rode some quiet back roads through the potato and wheat fields of Idaho for most of the day with the Teton Mountains always looming in the distance. Our final climb was a 12 mile ascent over Teton pass at 8600'. The last 3 miles of the climb were at a 10% grade according to the sign, but my GPS told me it was as much as 15%. Reached the top of the pass at mile 124 - the last 12 miles were a steep descent with speeds in excess of 50 mph into Jackson.

Our easy 90 mile ride yesterday turned into one of the most difficult days so far. We climbed from Bozeman to West Yellowstone up the Gallatin River valley for almost 70 miles at a 1-2 % grade with a brutal, swirling, gusty headwind - drafting wasn't possible as the wind kept shifting. Everyone was exhausted by the end the day. Fortunately, today was much more enjoyable.

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