Routes Through History - The Santa Fe Trail (27 May)

Today our riders traversed the Glorieta Pass, which in my brochure from the Pecos National Historical Park  says "became a cultural crossroad through which hunters and gatherers, traders, conquerors and explorers, immigrants, soldiers, ranchers, and tourists passed" as well as cyclists. The well preserved and documented ruins at Pecos tell the sad story of the flourishing Pecos Pueblo and its demise. In the ghostly remains of the Pueblo it is still possible to imagine Pecos through the centuries.
Inside a Kiva, an underground ceremonial room which were believed to have connections with the spiritual world.

After visiting the Park I drove to the SAG stop and on Paula's advice rode back along the road towards the approaching riders. The road was good, the traffic practically non-existent ... but the wind! I was so glad after about five miles to encounter Emil, Pete and Marc so that I could turn around and cycle back to the SAG. After some refreshment the three guys were ready to hit the road again when there was an ominous pop and hiss, and Emil's back tire was flat again! Luckily he received a lot of support and all were able to reach Las Vegas unscathed. I had gone ahead to the hotel, unloaded my lovely Sirrus and braved those darned headwinds again to return to the beautiful town Plaza, where we all could enjoy lunch.
This evening at dinner we had to say good-bye to yet another member of the group: Phil. However, we could also welcome to new riders: Bruce and Greg. After their introductory ride today they will be thrown in at the deep end: tomorrow 110 miles!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Talking about important people (11 June) It's time to talk about someone who is very important to the well-being of the Cross Roads riders: Tom. From dawn until after dusk he and the rest of the staff are busy stocking the SAG vehicles, setting up SAG stops, making sure all rooms are ready as soon as possible, transporting duffle bags to said rooms, organizing dinners and completing a myriad of other tasks, all pretty much out of sight of the riders. And he does all this without losing his sense of humor! Today the riders had a long stint of over 100 mi. to ride. Pleasant temperatures  and a moderate headwind made riding quite enjoyable. I did my stint in the fitness room and pool, and then headed toward Springfield, where I intended to meet another very important person: Abraham Lincoln. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum has the most elaborate dioramas and technically advanced shows I have ever seen. One such exhibition is a Holatheater, of which there are onl...
Read more
Image
In the MOOd Singing in the Rain (28 June) The last 90 miles, only 90 miles of 3,404 miles,  just the last little teeny bit and through lovely countryside and three states...and it is pouring rain, relentlessly! Adi and Roz are observing their partners with some worry as we follow them along the narrow, winding roads to the SAGs. How are Navi and Adam (and Emil!) dealing with the weather and the oblivious and even aggressive Massachusetts drivers? We were relieved to see our guys and gal spiting the elements and finally arriving safely at the last of 46 different hotels. Unfortunately, our wonderful Ichi, who had doggedly completed every mile to within the last 10 before Burlington, fell and damaged his knee so badly that he could not  complete the ride. Ichi has become the darling of the group with his infectious smile and his ability to get lost at some point nearly every day, thus actually completing many more than the prescribed miles! Today's route passed by...
Read more
Image
Underway on the I-10(15May) With a certain amount of trepidation, the Cross Roads riders faced the challenges of the I-10 and the weather conditions of the high desert. What about the wind? How hot will it get? What about the conditions riding on the shoulder ... and what about those big trucks?! Well, the wind was kindly blowing from West to East, so everyone enjoyed a lovely tailwind, and the heat was manageable. The shoulder was - with the exception of about three miles - all right. BUT those three miles were really horrible, with great cracks, debris and potholes. Also there was a fair share of flat tires, but nothing to compare with that record 27 flats in one day! The biggest surprise was the great care with which the truck drivers passed the cyclists; often moving into the left lane to give them more room. As usual, the support was exemplary with tasty snacks, fresh fruit and plenty to drink at the SAG stops. An inventive method for keeping cool in the desert heat were ...
Read more