GDT Day 44 - Lonesome Juniper to Grants

Fri Sept. 16, 2016
 Lonesome Juniper campsite near Felipe Tafoya Land Grant boundary to Grants

Start - ~6750'
High pt  ~9100'
Lo pt. ~6425'
End Elv ~6425'
Climbing ~3000'??

Miles ~48
Total time ~6:45
Ride time 5:20
Day with BOB 42

A chill and fine morning, looking at day 8 in a row, a bit tired and looking at 2500 to 3000 feet of climbing over 40 miles today. Anticiating a rest day in Grants, and want to get going a little earlier for a longer day.
However I am enjoying the warmth of the sun as I break fast under Lonesome Juniper, and watch the painting shift on this landscape as old Sol rises once more.

As I continue to ride through this mesa canyon country, I look to the north west, toward Chaco canyon maybe 50 miles distance. Certainly the Chacoans had been in this country before me. Are there dwellings and ruins? Forgotten fields in the bottoms lands? Evidence of ancient irrigation? To time or right to explore this private holdings, but I would not be surprised.

The roads improve periodically as I start to wrap around the northen mesa flank of Mount Taylor.

I crest a climb, pause to recover and absorb, when I feel a strange sensation. A chill runs down my spine. What is this, a tail wind? At last. The rarest of winds changes the nature of the strange sensation, and  I have a companion to help me climb.

I start my climb up back into pinon and then ponderosa forests. I crest the flank at San Mateo Springs, though they are dry at this late date. Then down down down to Grants.

GDT Day 43 - Hunters Camp to Lonesome Juniper Campsite

Thurs Sept. 15, 2016
  Hunters camp to Lonesome Juniper campsite near Felipe Tafoya Land Grant boundary

Start - ~63500'
High pt  ~6XX0'
Lo pt. ~6XX0'
End Elv ~6750'
Climbing ~700'??

Miles ~25.4
Total time ~5:45
Ride time 3:41
Day with BOB 41

Beautiful blue sky and warm morning today.
It is a short day, of 25 miles, as private lands prevent camping for the following 20 -25+ miles, with 2400' climb at the end of that. Better to do that climb in the first half of the day on the morrow.
Therefore, I will need water for today, tonight, and tomorrow. I top off at Ojo Frio spring in this dry country - this is the most water I have portaged on the trip, over 2.5 gallons, and I can feel it. The extra weight makes me feel lethargic, and I am riding slow,  despite there not being much climbing. The road is decent at first but deteriorates with some sandy sections and softer soil.

The mesa, canon, and arroyo country intensifies today. I peddle past a number of named volcanic outcropping, sentinels forever at attention while I transiently pass by. Cerro Cuate, Cerro Parido, Mesa la Azabache, Mesa Cortada, Cerro Colorado, and  finally Cerro Chavez standing guard as I make camp. The names alone evoke feelings of a different place, out of time, out of our modernity. This is only re-enforced by the dramatic and empty landscapes.

I am alone, in these lonely lands, as I have not seen another person since this morning. Few buildings, fewer homes, as most are ruins in testiment to forgotten ambitions, hopes and dreams. My sounds are the only ones interrupting the forever sounds of this place. After setting up camp, I take a short rim walk, finding a good luck antler. I find a place of honor for it in the embrace of lonesome juniper.
After dinner, I sit, back to Lonesome Juniper, and watch the fading light paint ever shifting colors on the mesas and cliffs surrounding me.

All is quiet, even my mind, as the soul takes a deep breath.

I sleep

And dream....

GDT Day 42 - Cuba to Designated Hunters Camp

Wed Sept. 14, 2016
 Cuba to Designated Hunters camp

Start - ~6900'
High pt  ~6900'
Lo pt. ~6000'
End Elv ~6350'
Climbing ~700'??

Miles ~47.5
Total time ~6:30
Ride time 4:45
Day with BOB 40

Really travelling through the classic Southwestern landscapes now, all day during the ride I was greeted by colorful mesas, cliffs and arroyos to ride around. The are also many volcanic plugs standing tall on the 2nd half of the day.

I woke up earlier than the alarm, and plugged away on my blogs waiting for the post office to open. I have a care package waiting for me to help bridge the route until Grants. In it are backpacker meals, oatmeal, energy bars and gels, tea, and hydration tablets. I could probably get most of this locally  (not the lightweight and simple to prepare backer meals), but it would be over a weeks worth, and I am on the road for 3 days to Grants. I pick up my package and get some fesh fruit from the market before getting a bite at the Cuban Cafe across from the motel. Another breakfast burro, and the heat of the green chile is just about perfect for my northern European and Minnesota heritage. A little sweat but the taste buds are not in shock and I really enjoy breaking my fast. Head back and pack up, a later than normal departure but the 47 miles today are mostly flat, the real concern is wet weather and the gumbo clay of the scaped desert roads along the route.
 Did I mention that it was wet this morning in Cuba? A shower must have come through close to dawn to feed my anxiety. Weather forecast has it as cloudy today with a small chance of rain, and then sunny for next several days. With that drying trend, I stay the course and head toward the back country route, gumbo be damned. I have 10 miles of US 550 first however. It followed the Rio Puerco down, though I have a modest headwind. It is getting drier as I go, reassuring me that it was an isolated shower, and gumbo is not on the biking menu today. I start on the dirt road, it is scraped and dry and smooth, where there are not tire ruts from the last storm it is quite enjoyable as i am winding my way through side canyons and around arroyos as I slowly climb to gain a mesa top.

I love mud roads, when they are not muddy that is. The dry clay is smooth and fast, with low rolling resistence. I make good time and the easy road gives me time to look around and enjoy the scenery. The landscapes I see are an appetizer for the soul, the clouds however cause pause. A patch of clouds off in the distance are dark grey, and they are clearly raining, and dammed if the route doesn't  point me right at them. I think I have a good chance to skirt there rain on the west as they move east, fortunately. More cruising as I catch up to the wake of the storms path.

And gumbo is back on the menu boys!

At first it is just a little bit sticking to the tires, and at first I even smile as the back wheel spins and slide around. However in a remarkably short distance, I am gumbo-ed up and can't even stay on the bike.

So the I push

And then I drag....... what a drag that is.

I gain a little higher spot and see that the trailer tire is indeed immobilized, front derailleur is packed by the rear wheel, and both wheels look like 29ners instead of 650s.

Scrape scape scrape,
push and then push a little more

'Til I hit a drier spot after a few hundred yards. Then I can ride and begin the spackling phase of cleaning. As I gain speed, gumbo flies farther, and I have some larger freckles now.
I get hit by rain again, but fortunately this is on a 4 mile section of pavement mid ride.

Exiting the pavement I approach Cabezon Peak, a large plug that will be my neighbor for much of the afternoon.
I fill up on water off route at the Homstake deep artesian well, and begin a short but steep climb to the recommended campsite, which looks very underutilized, though I see plenty of hunters passing by. On the way up a rancher in his dually is coming down and stops to chat. He asks alot of questions, about my starting point, next destination, awareness. He is really looking out for folks  like me, making sure I am prepared for what is ahead, which is dry, empty, and a long way from any help. Friendly fellow and I appreciate his concern and checking.
The sunset on the mesas enlighten the horizon as I make camp, dinner and prepare for rest.