Ludicrous Day

Ruidoso to Las Cruces 22 April

After working out that I was about a day short to get to LA on time, climbed to 7000 feet this morning, but had forgotten payback of descent. 31 miles in 80 minutes through fabulous wooded country dropped me to White Sands desert (first A-bomb exploded here May 45) and on to Alamogordo.  Decision to make: after 50 miles did I have oomph for further 65 mile desert crossing (which needs to be done as oner - no water in between) with strong headwind. Just another Dunwich Dynamo.... Filled up my 8 pints and went for it. Not bad (rear wheel puncture, first in 3 weeks, very unhelpful in mid-90s), until totally unanticipated brutal ascent of 2500 feet as I passed my day's  93 mile mark - regret to report legs totally failed and walked (!) most of 6 mile stretch.

113 miles. Completely Jacob'ed and won't do that again, but it has put me back on track. Only eating place by motel a steakhouse. Beer was great but baked potato, salad and dipping vegetables, negative steak, marked me down as un-American, commie, bleeding heart liberal who obviously believes in big government and Islam. Nobody talked to me.....

Mark P: Wally Walmart  remains brilliant. Mike G: no Hersheys yet but plenty of other industrial stuff. John B: yes please to LA contact; aiming for Santa Monica, for swim and proximity to LAX. ETA Sun 4 May, sometime, for flight pm Mon 5 May. Rod; thanks for your solicitude about climbing hills. Fran: bum marginally better, and meatless not too bad (pace above). And thanks all for tips on route, but in fact New Mexico tops so far - great scenery, quite laid back, fab road surface. A fre miles on I-10 will probably sort that out....