Day 11: Gallup to Grants NM

After the last two days of 93 and 92 miles mainly on I-40E, we readily accepted our day of 65 miles and a later starting time of 9am.  We appreciated being able to sleep in a bit as we are all finding it still a bit difficult to recover completely from the previous days' rides.  So it seemed like everyone was in good spirits this morning, if not completely renewed physically.  And, of course, it didn't hurt either that we were greeted with bright warm sunshine, blue skies, and a mild cooling breeze when we departed the hotel.

Tim, Robin (CrossRoads staff), Chuck, Pierre, and Joanne appear well rested and eager to start the day.

Keenly aware of the number of punctures we've sustained over the previous two days, Ross performs
a complete inspection of his wheels, tubes, and tires before starting today's ride.

After a series of right turns following our departure from the hotel, we turn right onto Historic Route 66 and will remain on this road for the next 15 miles.

Tim and Joanne leading the way onto Historic Route 66.

The El Rancho Hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  Originally a base for movie productions, famous stars such as Ronald Reagan, Errol Flynn, and Bob Hope once used it as a temporary residence.

 We reached the end of this segment of Historic Route 66 at Mile 16 as it transitioned into an entrance
ramp for I-40E.  Here we go again.  We were cautioned at Route Rap last night there will be a section of I-40E approximately 4 miles long whose shoulder was characterized by rough, uneven asphalt strewn with a large amount of gravel and occasional pot holes.  Although those riders desiring a bump (i.e. ride in the van) beyond this section could have one, many attempted to ride through it.  I found it was definitely rideable, but not particularly comfortable due to the relatively unstable shoulder surface and our close proximity to 75 mph semi-truck traffic.  Oddly enough, at least part of this sketchy section was known as the Purple Heart Trail.

Rough, but rideable section of I-40E on the climb to the Continental Divide.  Actually, the section shown was
rather civilized compared to other parts, but this was the only section that had the Purple Heart Trail sign.

We gladly exited I-40E at Mile 27 and proceeded to pick up Route 66 again and the Continental Divide.  By this time, I noticed the winds had increased intensity and they were blowing from the SSE at this time.

This seemed like the best place to stand for a photo op at the Continental Divide.
(Thanks Richard!)

Upon leaving the SAG stop at the Continental Divide, we picked up Route 66 and immediately felt the force of 15-30 mph SSE winds and gusts.  It was a tough ride for the next 31 miles.  Strong cross winds slowed our speed and caused us to lean into the wind.  Quartering headwinds and full headwinds were common and slowed us even more. One thing was certain -- there was no tailwind vector.  Despite having to work hard to maintain a straight line and struggle mightily to maintain 10-15mph while even going downhill, there was plenty to see on this stretch if one looked for it.

Until I'm corrected or someone suggests a  better (and printable) name for this structure on Route 66,
I'm calling it the Shuttlecock Silo.
So I've received information that it might be a type of incinerator.  What I thought was an auger-type grain elevator might just be running combustibles into the large chamber.
So until the truth is revealed, I'm calling it the Shuttlecock Incinerator.

Benevolent, strong-legged Good King Richard of Wales contemplates property acquisition in New Mexico.  

Strong "A" group riders Ross and Michael pushing through the Route 66 headwind.

Mount Taylor (11, 301 ft elevation)
(Site of the Mount Taylor Quadrathlon - a 31-year old multisport race
combining biking, running, skiing, and snowshoeing)
(No, I haven't --No, I don't want to.)

Whew!  For a minute there I thought this might be our destination.

Also along this difficult, relentlessly windy stretch of Route 66 we saw a man pushing a baby jogger with unidentified stuff in it.  The back of his shirt said "Walking Across America".  We saw a shirtless man sitting motionless on a rock.  We were chased by dogs -- one wormy looking St. Bernard half-heartedly and one short-legged, ankle-biter who ran through a hole in the fence.  At times it felt like a David Lynch scene from Twin Peaks.

Our reward awaited us at Mile 59 -- a well-deserved break at the DQ.  Upon ordering a vanilla shake, Geoffrey was surprised to learn it was free.  Someone had already paid for it in advance.  We don't know who.  All speculation aside, Geoffrey was impressed that the single cherry was placed at top dead center and that the whipped cream had the expected clockwise swirl.  As for the rating, he said it was "Very Welcomed".  I think that means Very Good.

DQ at Mile 59

Fast "A" group riders Alan, Tom, and Michael relax at the DQ.

At the DQ, we met a woman originally from Ohio, now living near Grants, who bicycle toured in the late 1960s on a Raleigh Carlton and once rode Tour of the Scioto River Valley (famous longstanding Ohio 2-day bicycle tour) with Greg Siple, co-founder of Bikecentennial and the Adventure Cycling Association.  She marveled at our cross country trip and said she is inspired to start riding again.

To conclude, it originally appeared to be an easy day, but it turned out to be a tough day.  We endured strong headwinds.  We were buffeted by crosswinds.  We climbed and descended long highway grades on unstable road surface adjacent to speeding heavy truck traffic. Yet, on the plus side, we had warm sunshine and many parts of the course were rich in sights and sounds.  Days like this remind me that "to appreciate the highs, you gotta go through the lows."

Day 11 Google Earth image and Elevation Profile
Gallup to Grants, NM

Progress Map
(Black = progress-to-date; Blue = planned route)

Tomorrow we ride to Albuquerque, NM.