No internet yesterday, so I’m combining yesterday and today. Yesterday’s forecast called for tailwinds, but delivered headwinds. Today’s forecast called for headwinds and delivered headwinds. So, it looks like no matter which way the wind blows, you’re always riding against it! Even though both days mostly included flat or downhills, with the headwinds, it still took a lot of effort. Yesterday’s ride was 31.9 miles and today’s was 55.2 miles.

 

Yesterday, when I got to Marathon, all the hotels were booked up. So I was left with trying the La Loma Del Chivo hostel. That turned out to be a good decision. The hostel was set up with several buildings constructed on what was a former junkyard. Ingrid, the owner, said even after she started providing it as a hostel, people would still bring junk and leave it there. She said someone even dropped off a gynecological exam table! I guess that explains the stirrups on the bed in my hobbit hut. Ingrid is a cool lady and offers cyclists one free night’s stay. My hut was so comfy, I overslept this morning and got a later start than I had intended. After eating breakfast at a cafe in town, I headed to Sanderson.

Today was a really chilly ride and I wore my cold weather gear all the way. Along the way to Sanderson, another cyclist caught up with me. He calls himself Dutch and is from Pennsylvania. He’s an extreme cyclist. Three days on this trip, he’s ridden well over 100 miles! Today, he rode from Alpine to Sanderson. 87 miles. His company just recently moved all their operations to Mexico and he was laid off. He decided to take advantage of the hiatus and ride the Southern Tier and then head back up the east coast to Pennsylvania. We’re both staying at the same motel and walked down to the only open restaurant for dinner. While we were eating, a couple of cyclists, Maya and Glenn, rode up for dinner as well. They’re also riding the Southern Tier. Dutch said he saw them earlier in Marathon.

Here’s the maps and photos from yesterday and today:

Here’s where I stayed in Alpine. The owner, Sammy, was remodeling it and turning it into a really nice place. Great place to stay and less than half the cost of other motels in the area. Margaret and Margaret. Two life long friends who decided to take a trip together. Margaret on the left is Sammy’s mother-in-law. This goat family isn’t too happy with the old goat taking their picture. Some more blooming wildflowers. I think the mountains were hazy because of the tree pollen. The forecast said the pollen count was extremely high.

 

 

Ingrid showing me to my hobbit hut.

Heyoka likes it, but he had to stay outside.

Inside the hut. Some of the other buildings in the hostel. Here’s the bathhouse. A serpent guarding the bathhouse.
Maya and Glenn parked their bikes under this shelter. Like me, they hit the sack early and we didn’t run into each other until today in Sanderson.

 

 

Today’s pictures:

This was the look for today. Here’s Dutch.

 

The motel manager took pictures of Dutch and me. Here’s Maya and Glenn at the cafe tonight. And here’s their bikes.

 

Tomorrow will be either a 62 mile to Langtry or a rest day. Happy Either!

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