first day, 05.15

Ok, so maybe this really is my fist day.  Up before 7, showered and over for the classic motel waffle breakfast with hot tea and a banana.  back to the room for some final anxiety. bicycle packed up, everything good and out the door.


the first half dozen miles was to get me up out of the rio grande valley.  two stage climb, nothing too difficult, but at the top i met up with I-40 and the parallel service road.  and looked out to the west.  and wow, what an incredible country.
after 15 miles, the service roaded ended and i turned on to I-40.  there's no choice, there's no other paved roads heading west.  the next 20 mi. were interstate shoulder.  i was so enthralled by the land that i bearly noticed the traffic.

the mesas and scattered storm clouds above.

this portion of my route follows the old rte 66.  I-40 was built over the top of it, sometimes the original is there to ride on, sometimes just to look at, sometimes it's totally gone.  then the only choice one has is to ride on the shoulder of I-40.

at pueblo leguna i was able to leave the interstate and get back on old rte. 66.  and weave through several peublos till once again i had to be on I-40 fo the last short bit.  but not before i stopped at a little roadside gas station, villa de cubero.

 
paulie, is this one of your relatives?

i made it to the el malpais national monument visitor's center.  scoped out sleeping there, but the chunks of lava everywhere did not look comfortable.  so the night was spent right next door at lavaland rv park, grants, nm.  coincidently, they have a brewery.

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