March 31, 2025
Day 45: Mimbres to Silver City
I went to bed at 10 and woke up at 5:50. It was really cold overnight and I started with the mummy bag inside my quilt. I was fine temperature wise. As is my habit, I took a melatonin when I woke up in the might, I think at about 2:30. I stayed in bed until 6:00 because it was really cold: JC's thermometer on his bike computer said 33° and there was a little breeze. I was in no particular rush to get on the road early because it was cold and a short day. I ate the usual breakfast and didn't make lunch. I took only a couple Kind bars and some trail mix left over from previous days. I wore leg warmers, sun sleeves, a long sleeve jersey, both sets of full finger gloves, and put my cycling jacket over it. I left at about 8:30, at about the same time as BD and BW, who were the last riders. my plan was to treat the ride as a training ride and really attack the climbs since it was so short and tomorrow was a rest day.
The first climb was pretty early in the ride and the longest: it was 2.7 miles at an average gradient of 4.7% and a total elevation gain of about 640 feet. The altitude is also around 6k feet, though we have been at 4-5k feet so long that I should be acclimated. I tried to keep it above 160 watts and near 180 and ended up averaging 168 W for 18 minutes. The 2nd climb was at about mile 6 and was 2.1 miles with an average gradient of 4% and elevation gain of about 400 feet. I was tired and couldn't hold my power as high for the whole hill and averaged 158W. The fourth climb was short, 0.4 mi and ~100 feet of elevation gain: I averaged 164 W. I stopped to have a Kind bar before the 4th hill. It was 1 mile and 240 feet of elevation gain; I averaged 158 W. There were some smaller hills and I tried to sprint them. Wind was becoming a factor for about the last half of the ride. WindSock said the wind impact was 10% and that it was a headwind 92% of the time, but at the beginning they were not very strong. I did the whole ride in 1:30 including making a wrong turn into the campground. It was the kind of short hard ride that I like.
I was the first at the campground except JG who came through in the van to clear up the lodging situation. One downside is that I missed the copper mine on the outskirts of town. It looks like a big open pit mine and you can see the top of it from Silver City. Tomorrow very high winds are forecast: 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph. BW and I had reserved cabins and agreed to share them with others. They were able to get another cabin so everyone can stay inside. Not quite the solo cabin that I was looking forward to, but I couldn't see others staying in tents in that.
The facilities are nice. We have access to laundry and a nice lounge 24 hours a day. There is a nice cooking space too. Joe arrived with the van I would guess at 11 and everyone was done by that time. We were able to get into the cabins early. I took the full sized bed and let the others take the bunks. My chain was making a little noise on yesterdays big climb, but was o.k. today. Nevertheless, I put more drip wax on it. I looked at the brake pads and they look fine. The Di2 indicator was flashing green, which I believe means between 50 and 75% full. I charged it last in Austin. So, I charged it again. That should last until the rest of the trip.
After I showered I went with the shoppers into town. JG was nice enough to drop me downtown, where I grabbed a combination Mexican platter at Nancy's Silver Cafe. It was good simple mexican food and included rice, beans, a taco, 2 enchiladas with red sauce a chile releno, and sopapillas. I was plenty full. I then walked to Gila Hike and Bike. it was a nice bike store. Silver City is a place I'd like to visit again. I bought a mirror for my helmet and a 4 Goos as i am running a little low. I think that should last until Mesa. JE bought a new chain for his bike as his previous one was stretched beyond 1.0 on my chain stretch gauge.
Back at the campground I tried to put the new mirror on my helmet, but decided it is pretty crappy. I think that the mirror would be deflected in a wind. It was only $12. Instead I put on the Third Eye Pro that I have been carrying with me. I forgot to bring the sticker that attaches it to the helmet, so hadn't put it on yet. I ended up using some Gorilla tape to stick it to the helmet. That seems to have worked. We will see if I can get used to it by the end of the ride. I am the only person without a mirror of some kind.
DS and BW cooked dinner and made barbcue chicken legs with baked beans and potato salad. It is the 3rd time he made it and it is always popular. It was easier this time since the campground had a grill and he didn't have to get our griddle dirty (and clean it). In lieu of the map meeting we discussed trips tomorow. JE needs to take his bike to the bike shop to get a new cassette (his chain had stretch so much that when he changed it the slipping got worse). They open at 10. JG is going to take anyone who wants to go downtown to walk around and shop. I am not sure if I will go as I have to do laundry and want to work on taxes. Originally he was going to take people to the Gila Cliff Dwellings that are about 40 miles away. However, with the high winds forecast that seems like a bad idea. I might not go in either case. I have been to other cliff dwellings before, though not these, and hope to visit this area another time.
Today's ride: 19 miles (31 km)
Total: 2,279 miles (3,668 km)
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