Lots of time to think

This trip has provided me with a lot of time to think. Here are some of the things on my mind:

Top things a cyclist does not want to see:

1. Mean dogs who chase cyclists

2. A wind farm with the wind blowing in the wrong direction (We saw a wind farm in CA at the top of one of our major climbs. I do have to admit that I felt a certain amount of validation that someone else thought it was so incredibly windy that energy/money could easily be made at this location.)

3. Road signs reading: (we've seen all of these)

No shoulder

Soft shoulder

Road narrows

Road construction

Detour

Danger falling rocks

No stopping inmates at work (My cadence easily doubled.)



I have also felt a bit homesick today. My Dad and I biked with Team Slipstream on our way into Silver City. We first saw this team of professionals (who are commited to not doping/doing drugs) going in the opposite direction and later in the day we biked along side them. This occasion also caused my cadence to double. I wish Dale had been there! Plus I have seen a million freaky birds I can't identify. Much to his chagrin, the field guide was cut because of its weight.

Yesterday, my Dad and I arrived in Las Cruces, NM. To get here we passed many fields of pecan trees with signs that read "No nut picking." I found the signs thoroughly amusing. Another sign that I particularly liked was a sign near a campsite of ours that read, "Danger: Lake ahead." Obviously we're not in Minnesota.

I also learned of our Las Cruces hosts from the website warmshowers.org. Their names are John and Jenette and they too have been extremely hospitable. They let us do laundry, shower, they fed our voracious appetites and have engaged us in very interesting conversations. Jenette is an artist so their home is filled with beautiful and colorful decorations. I am so thankful for their hospitality and the opportunity we've had to visit with locals.

My Dad (aka He who hath the patience of Job) is great. One thing about my family is that we do not camp. Our church would have camping trips so we would go to them, but just as dusk was settling in (and when the mosquitoes would begin to carry off the small children), we would go home to sleep in level beds with down pillows. Apparently on one rainy night long, long ago my parents left their tent and gear at their campsite and vowed to not camp ever again. I do have to say that When it was 15 degrees the other morning, I too felt a little like leaving the tent and gear behind.

I also think about food constantly. We burn a lot and we eat a lot. Today my Dad and I purchased Ensure Plus so that we could get all our nutrients and 100 more calories per drink. It's ridiculous.

Tomorrow we head to El Paso, TX. I will keep you posted about whether or not everything is truly bigger in Texas.

Words from Mark,

I've had a lot of time to think too,like...

Would Gatorade taste good as a hot beverage?
Would Raspberry flavored Gu make a good sandwich spread?
How many days in a row do you have to wear the same jersey and bike shorts before the the dogs won't chase you?
How long will it take before my daughter figures out that her father is not really adventurous but rather just nuts?

Technical update for the "Bicycle Chain" crew

So far everything has worked pretty well. So far we have had six flats, three in the area around Safford, Arizona home of "bullheads" or "goatheads" depending on who you talk to. They are thorn bushes that grow near the side of the road. We've purchased some heavy duty tubes because we were told to expect more of these bushes in Texas.
The chain on Ann's bike went over the top when she shifted to the big front ring one day but no damage was done and we made a minor adjustment so hopefully it won't happen again. Other than that the only adjustment we had to make is the stretchy things on the pannier bags we are using don't have anything to hook on to on Ann's back rack so we used twisty ties to secure them.

Thanks for all you've done to help us get our equipment set up and ready for this adventure. We could not have done it without you!!!

Finally, if Ann and I had not been pulling trailers when we saw the Slipstream Team I think we could have ripped their legs off.