Collins Park to Black Canyon Camp Ground

Today was a great birthday ride, it had a bit of everything! I turned 39 on the trail today and boy did it decide to test me.

The ride started out easy enough, 30 miles to to Beaverhead Work Station over a rolling terrain of some gravel, some mud, and some crazy rough rock roads.  Really all types that I've come to know, with a few climbs and downhills, and through forests and wide open plains. I leapfrogged with the Kiwis most of the day too.

Lunch was nice, I ate it at the Beaverhead Work Station with the Kiwis and a very very very insistent mule (I think it was a mule), and a local ranger guy. The mule really wanted my shit, and I spent most of my lunch fending it off, to be honest.

Leaving lunch at 12:30 we only had 25 miles left to go, but the thunderstorms were already brewing. We also changed terrain, switching to Appalachian-style steep and long climbs, over and over again. It was very beautiful. For the first 15 miles I was just surrounded by storms, but the last 10 we got pounded. Luckily we weren't on Murder Mud, but it still got very muddy and hard to ride, and much of it was a long climb. It made for a hard day. I didn't get in until after 4pm, at 55 miles at 5:15 on bike. (Not, earlier this week I did 70 miles in less than 5 on bike, this was a hard day)

Eventually we got to camp in a canyon, but most of the campground was inaccessible due to a high river. We found a good spot though that seemed above the flash flood warning line.  I was getting pretty cold and shivery around this point, but a quick tent pitch and dry clothes inside solved that.  Eventually the rain stopped and we had a nice, damp, evening together.

I never expected to be dealing with intense rain and related cold in Southern New Mexico.  I only have three riding days left, I'm barely 200 miles from the border!  The weather really had been the star of this Divide ride. Storms literally every single afternoon for the last 15 days. 

Tomorrow the Kiwis take a side trip up to some hot springs since they have some extra time, and I continue on my own to Silver City. 

I've really enjoyed the three nights and two days of riding I've spent with them. We do our own thing when it comes to pacing, but we still end up in many of the same places and, for these three days at least, have the same itenary. It's been great getting to know them, and they have great stories.  They also keep giving me things like coffee, soup, and chocolate, which is sweet (but I have nothing to share back!)

The riding tomomorrow will be long and tough, but hopefully dry.  I'm now two days ahead of schedule though, so I may take a rest day in Silver City if I can find a cheap way to stay. When you read this, it'll be uploaded from that town.

For those counting, I believe this is my 15th day on the Divide this year, and if you count RAGBRAI that'll be 22 days of riding so far.  Last year I did 26 days on the Divide (then 7 more on RAGBRAI). This segment of the Divide I'll finish in 18 total days. So, about 8 days less than last year on the Divide, but I still feel like I've been on the road for a long time. My journey started with Country Fair in Oregon around July 7th or so, and I've only been home a day since.  I think, all in all, I may actually be away from home longer this summer than last. 

So I only have three days of riding left and five days to burn until Andrea comes to get me in Tuscon and we road trip together back home. I'm not sure how I feel. The Divide this year has been... comfortable.  Difficult, hard, stressful, and scary - especially New Mexico which is as hard or harder than Montana and Wyoming were - but also comfortable. It was like visiting an old friend. My growing pains with it were all last year. This year I knew what to expect and I had a year to love it before returning.

While riding today, working up up a rough gravel hill in the rain and mud, carrying too much water and not enough food, I was thinking how much I was enjoying myself.  I'm no GDMBR Racer, but when it comes to touring I'm not sure there is anything that's out of my abilities to enjoy anymore. It's a good feeling.  I am homesick and look forward to being home, but I also could spend forever out here. 

Next time though, a tandem and Andrea comes with. The Kiwis have sold me on a pretty great North to South New Zealand dirt tour...