Sec 6, Pie Town, NM to Antelope Wells, NM - D29

07/08 Day 29 New Mexico  Silver City, Separ, Hachita, Antelope Wells (123 miles)

The original plan was to leave Silver City around 2 or 3 am but having arrived so late after such a horrible day, we did not roll until about 6am.  STB seemed well, with no lingering effects from whatever had happened the day before. 

Breakfast was Shell station coffee and one of those hot burritos you get that might have been made in China.  The pain in my stomach is now constant.  Just 123 miles.  Just one day.

We had rolling hills from town on fast paved road for 20 miles.  Then in full daylight we turned onto the best section of dirt road of whole TD and had a great ride for the next 30 miles with 2 more CD crossings, to Separ.  At Separ we made a quick stop at the store then followed I10 on a now abandoned service road.  STB got another flat and I took the opportunity to call Jeff and tell him where we were.  Seems he was on the way and had a SPOT tracker of his own so friends could track him coming to get us.  Fun. 

Sunrise riding out of Silver City

Cows.  One more time. 

With a growing heat and head wind, we followed paved 146 south into Hachita.  A store thankfully had opened there and I was in need of a cool place to stop.  I desperately needed to eat but my stomach hurt so bad I could not face eating anything I had.  I got a freezer pizza and a cold drink at the store and ate it sitting on the floor chatting with the adorably cute clerk whose image was staring at us from a 10 ft tall Budweiser bull roping poster.  He is famous in Hachita. 

With ice in the camelbaks we rolled out.  Just 46 miles, head winds at about 15+, temperature 104 degrees.  We are strong Texas women and we can do this. 

The rest of the route was utterly unremarkable.  Which made it all the more difficult to get through.  We counted mile signs, listened to our ipods, anything to pass the time.  The only shade was an occasional tall yucca cactus (careful if you crouch to pee behind that).  The only traffic was Border Patrol who showed up with maddening regularity if I had to stop and pee behind said yucca. 

"I'm fine thank you.  I just can't pee until you leave."  True story. 

 

Last Continental Divide crossing.  About the same elevation as where we started. 

 At my last pee stop, I hear a car.  Sigh.  I ask STB, “Is that a car?”  “Yes, but at least it is not Jeff.  Oh, wait!  It is!”  Just then I see my own Subaru fly past, skid and back up while I’m pulling up my shorts.  Jeff is running out with his camera asking me to re-stage the shot.  Not. 

The last 20 miles were the longest of my life.  I was in pain and bonking.  I ate Hammer gel carried all this way for an emergency.  This seemed like one.  Then out of nowhere, we see the boarding crossing at Antelope Wells and a huge surge of energy had us hauling ass for the border.  Looking up I can see the S. Africans along with Jeff running for the road to be there when we reach it. 

Just look down.  Turn pedals.  Turn pedals.  Turn pedals. 

1 Mile!!

Hugs, tears, pictures.  The Mexican border guards were playing basketball.  They did not even look our way as we went under the crossing arms to take our picture in front of the iconic brass plaque marking the line dividing the US and Mexico and the southern terminus of the Tour Divide.  

There is more story - the crazy customs guy who fed us rainbow pops and let us shower at his house filled with dogs, writing our names on the wall of his “living room”, swapping stories with the S. Africans (who had left Silver City in the wee hours while we slept), the trip home with me curled in a ball nursing the same Sprite all the way back to Texas, the beautiful banner my niece and her friend had painted and stretched across the front of the house, 2 fevered days in bed before my first real meal. 

But standing with Sheila Torres-Blank, the “other” Sheila, in front of the sign at Antelope Wells, arm in arm, with our bikes.  That is the end really.  

Postscript

Customs Guy