Posing at the highest point on the trip. Cold!
East over the Rio Grande
Half the climb down, half to go and though we are up well before the sun makes it up above the trees it is warmer than yesterday morning despite the altitude. The wisdom of doing the climb in two stages is proved when the climb seems endless but we finally arrive at the top where yet another splendid vista greets us, down over the Rio Grande.
The day has been tough so far, but it's all downhill from here. And for the next 26 miles we coast out of the pine forest and back down into dry dusty conditions, in the valley of the Rio Grande. We stop briefly in Hillsboro, a cute arty community with a number of historic buildings, climb very briefly and coast swiftly in increasing heat and a stiff breeze to the shore of Lake Caballo (formed by the dammed river).
As we turned to follow the river south we made an unfortunate discovery: the breeze was blowing north. As we would be heading south for the rest of the day we'd be encountering a headwind for an extended period of time for the first time. The next 20 miles were hard physically, even tougher mentally, but after a drink in Hatch conditions improved as we encountered more shelter in areas where the river cut through low hills, or as we passed through groves of pecan trees. We crossed the river a couple of times and enjoyed some impressive views of rock formations, and the sight of a lot of chill farms.
The day seemed to drag on but we finally made it to Las Cruces, a large town sited below an impressive mountain, and to a very impressive RV park in La Mesilla. They allowed us to stay despite the 72 hours that had passed since our last encounter with real washing facilities. It was one of the best sites we encountered, a grassed camping area, excellent showers, a TV to check out the brand new baseball season and a hot tub. A nearby bar supplied Guinness and plenty of food, then we came back to an evening of ESPN and relaxing the muscles in the hot tub. Well earned luxury!
