I'm sitting under an overhang of an outhouse hiding from a storm. I just cooked and ate dinner here, and my tent, Stormbender, is across a gravel road. I was going to name him Stormbreaker, but that seemed disrespectful to the storms. We never broke any storms. We weathered them (apt term), literally bent with them, and bent them around us, and that's how we've survived them all. I say "we" because sometimes Stormbender needs a little help from the inside.
Also, it's an Avatar reference. The last Airbender, not the overated movie with blue people.
Today was an easier day. I had a choice of doing a short day today and a longer day into Abique tomorrow, or the opposite. It was a hard choice since a short day into a bigger town would allow me to hang out at a good restertaunt and what not, but the overnight tonight if I did that was sketchy. It was at a town that may or may not exist and may or may not have a place to stay.
Also, I'm super beat, and the second half of tomorrow should be an easier ride with some downhill pavement, so this made the most sense. Although.. it's raining now... and maybe I could have done the next section in the dry if I'd pushed.... Or since it was already wet, I'd be stuck anyway... waffle waffle waffle.
Anyway, this campground leaves a bit to be desired. The riding into it was short, only 36 miles, 31 of it up and down (never flat) over the same super rough roads as yesterday, and the last 5 straight up on pavement. I also I experienced a lot more Murder Mud (Or Danger Mud, I haven't made up my mind yet) that really can screw up the bike. You sink into it and then it takes over the tires, shredding derailers. I have a stick ziptied to my rear chainstay in an attempt to scrape if off before my front derailer does it instead.
Oh yes, this campground. It's supposed to have piped water, but that's all turned off. It's on a lake, but the lake water tastes gross even after filtering. I rode another mile to the stream feeding the lake, and it looked even grosser, so I had to settle with lake water. All in all this involved climbing up and down several steep hills, several miles, and almost an hour to secure gross-tasting water. And what do I pay for this, as well as a gravel square of land to put a tent? $16 friggin' dollars. In Platoro $15 bought me a tent space, a shower, a towel, and free coffee in the morning. Last night was free. Primitive camping like this should cost $5, max.
Stats today are 36 miles, 3:40 on bike (that's a TON for only 36 miles, it was hard riding), going from 8am to about 1:45 pm. I'm going to bed early tonight! Like, it'll be light out early!
Anyway, it's raining now and I am glad to have an outhouse shelter. I may have to take a pavement detour to Abique tomorrow if it doesn't let up, as there is a lot of potential Murder Mud between me and there on the official route. I guess we'll see.
Pavement has it's benefits. It's MUCH easier, I can look around, and ... well that's it.
It's drawbacks are I don't know what to expect when it comes to passes,water sources, distances, or towns, CARS, and I miss out on the Divide experience - although bending to the will of the weather and taking pavement detours IS officially part of the Divide. Everyone has to from time to time.
I'm pretty sure Steve did. He's one day ahead of me, and I found his coat up on top of the section that I had to walk a 1/2 mile of. If he wasnt' frustrated when he lost it, he sure must have been when he realized it was lost. I carried it as far as camp that night, but I don't think I'll see him again so I hung it up there.
I found his tracks the next morning. He had done the same ride as me today a day before, and from the depth of his tracks it was MUCH muddier. 15 or 20 miles in was a turn to head to a pavement detour, and that's the last I saw of his deep tracks. Apparently he had a rough day yesterday. I'm not sure where he is now, on pavement somewhere I suppose. Luck of the draw.
Another guy camping here said there was a group of 3 a few days in front of me who also had to pavement detour out of here. And, it's raining as I type this. The odds do not seem in my favor.
Oh well, it's still extremely pretty even on the pavement, and there isn't much traffic. I think the choice will be obvious in the morning (I hope at least, the real torture is not knowing and waffling), and I'll be find the good in whatever the Divide serves up to me.
A hard day of pretty riding, or an easier day of pretty (but different) riding. Can't complain!
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