March 27, 2025
Day 41: Fort Hancock to El Paso
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
I went to bed last night at 9:30 but woke up early and didn't get great sleep. In some ways I probably sleep better in my tent than I did in the church, but it was nice not to have to set it up or tear it down. I also could plug my devices in overnight. I got out of bed at 6:10 to start packing up. I ate the usual (oatmeal and a clementine) for breakfast and packed a ham and cheese sandwich plus some crunchy granola bars, a banana and another clementine.
I was ready to leave about 7:45. I helped load luggage a bit and left at 7:56, which was just about sunrise. It was warm so I only work a long sleeve shirt, buff, shorts, light socks, and half-fingered gloves. I left on my own and soon caught up with JW. BD rode in the van today and it turns out he decided to leave the trip tomorrow. His bronchitis came back.
JD agreed to meet us with the van at Fabens, at about mile 25. All the way to Fabens it was very low traffic and nice roads. I think there was a modest tailwind. My legs didn't feel great this morning and I had to be conscious to keep it above 110W. JG was at the meet-up before me. I was the first there. BW and JW arrived soon after, then the rest of the crew. Everyone but BD was there before I left.
I ate my sandwich and a banana, filled my water bottles, and drank a lemon-lime soda. I renewed my sunscreen and left, though after BW and JW, who I understand rode together.
As we got closer to El Paso it became more suburban and then urban. The traffic picked up. There was a bike lane, but at intersections it merged with the walking path or you had to ride in the road. I mostly did the latter. My rear end was starting to hurt, so I stopped again at a convenience store at mile 38 and got a Payday and went to the bathroom. I had a hard time keeping it above 100 W without really thinking about it. I'm not sure if my rear was sore because I wasn't pedaling hard, or visa versa. It could also be that I was tired form the previous 2 days. It might have been a vicious feedback loop. I also work my less expensive Perlizumi shorts, which have less a less dense chamois. Anyway, it was hard to keep going.
In El Paso we crossed a viaduct that felt like it was on an Interstate. There was not a lot of traffic, but there was no shoulder and I kept thinking I had made a wrong turn. In downtown El Paso the streets were mostly low traffic There were also non-synchronized lights and I felt like I stopped at every one. That definitely reduced my average speed (Which was about 16.5 before El Paso) and was a bit painful. In El Paso there were a couple of hills, the first climbing of the day. I felt tired on them. That may be because it was hot. They were also not fun to climb because they were on busy roads. We took N. Mesa St. out of downtown. It because a strip mall hell and was not fun to ride on. There were lots of. lights, and while I didn't stop at all of them, it seemed that I stopped at the bottom of every hill and so couldn't cary momentum up the next hill. There was about 5 miles of that. The route took me beyond the Motel 6 we were staying at and I had to navigate back (on the sidewalk) with Google Maps.
I arrived about 1:30. JG was there and had left the trailer. I got my bags and took some time to upload Strava, etc. I was just getting my second bag when JW, my roommate for the night, arrived. I took a shower and did some laundry so I can have clean shorts until our next day off in Silver City.
JE and PB are cooking tonight and I believe we will have sloppy joes. Tomorrow we leave Texas (yay!) and go to Las Cruces. It is a 44 mile dy, which is nice: I can use the rest and time for my butt to recover. This is our last night in Texas.
Today's ride: 63 miles (101 km)
Total: 2,098 miles (3,376 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 4 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |