June 15, 2005
Day 29: Coyote Canyon to Torreon
Got up early and left for the trading post at Coyote Canyon. I had heard conflicting reports about whether it was still open or not. When I got there, it was clear that it had been closed for some time. Built of the same stones as Chaco Canyon, it felt as remote and abandoned. Weeds were growing knee-high in the cracks in the steps. The gas prices were below a dollar. The elderly lady who ran the store and lived in the house next door had been murdered. Rez life - poverty - alcohol - violence. Now everything is empty. Yes, there's a new convenience store on the highway 15 miles away, but there's no longer a place for people to pick up their mail, visit with neighbors, and be welcomed. There was a faded paper carnation wedged between the doorknob and the jamb. I sat on the steps and had a quiet breakfast.
I rode on through the plateau country - bright sun, low escarpments, grass and sagebrush. The little store at Standing Rock was closed, too. I got some water at the nearby school. I made it to Crownpoint for lunch - free hamburgers c/o Cellular One. Seems they want to give everybody on the rez a cell phone. I took a nap in front of the variety store - which is out of business. I got a few groceries and headed off with a killer tailwind - at last!!
When I got to the turnoff for Chaco Canyon I had a choice - dirt road and side wind or paved road and tailwind. I chose the latter, even though that meant missing Chaco Canyon this year. But the riding was just fabulous. Sometimes you tour for the sights - and sometimes you tour just for the magic of cycling.
When I got to Whitehorse, I stopped at the chapter house for water. They had a Coke machine which proved irresistable. I met a young guy with beautiful braided hair who looked at me with a combination of humor and suspicion. Something on the order of, "What is this old, white guy doing riding in the middle of the reservation?" We talked for a while - perhaps lessening the distance. Then he got back on his computer and I on my bike.
It was an easy climb up Chaco Mesa - what with the wind boosting me along - and a delightful downhill coast through the canyon - flying around the curves. At Pueblo Pintado, I stopped for dinner at the store. Although the wind was great for riding, it made it tough to make a sandwich. I went around behind the store and sat on the pavement next to the back wall. A reservation dog came along to beg a bite - they are around every store. I gave him half my turkey sandwich and made another. Then I got back on the road as it topped the Continental Divide. No mountain passes - instead, an undulating landscape which stretched to the horizon in the soft, evening light. I found a spot under a juniper tree, pulled out my tarp and sleeping bag, and fell asleep watching the stars swirl overhead.
Today's ride: 103 miles (166 km)
Total: 1,480 miles (2,382 km)
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