Sometimes all this bicycling gets in the way of the touring!

Ever since we rolled through Silver City, I've been wishing we didn't have a schedule to keep with this bicycle touring. I want to spend more time with the places and faces I've met along the way. Here are a few photo highlights to go with what Jessica wrote about last time.

The eclectic group at the bar in Hanover.





The inside of the trailer where we slept before we did some serious rearranging.



And after:



When we road away from Hanover, we knew we had to carry enough water to make it about 50 miles which would include climbing over Emory Pass in 95 degree weather. We were fairly confident that we had enough to get us to the top of the pass, but perhaps not much for the way down. I have a little love of the number 17. I stopped to take a photo with the surrounding desert scene and found this cache of sealed H2O. We drank to our dry-mouths' content!



On top of Emory Pass!






A beautiful spot for a much-needed snack break.



Look at that hodgepodge!


A sample of Jim's cactus farm in Hillsboro.


And a coffin from when small pox hit that town, which we saw in the fascinating museum he runs.


Some rock skipping at Caballo Reservoir.



Now let me tell you about yesterday...quite possibly my favorite day of our trip so far. We awoke in the brush next to the reservoir



and finally spotted some javelinas! We've heard much about these creatures that seem like wild pigs (but are actually of the peccary family) and had only observed them as road kill in Arizona. They're quite sneaky so I couldn't snap their photo, but google them. They're weird!

We then pulled our bikes back through the quarter mile of sand to the road and pedaled down to Arrey.


Because it had been 48 hours since we last drank coffee, we decided to load up at the Arrey Cafe. We might've drank six cups each which might've been why it turned into such a good day.


We stopped at the Dollar Store in Hatch, NM. Side note: the $ to calorie ratio is unbeatable at these places! A man asked me about our trip and then remarked, "You've basically got a Motel 6 right there on your bike!" Yes sir, we're kind of like snails. Here's BOB still wearing his hat from CA. He wears it with a blue bungee.


In the shade of the Dollar Store, we fixed our first flat of the day while eating a chocolate bunny. Our second flat happened further down the road in direct 90-degree desert sunshine but was accompanied by a little road side dance party, some truly outstanding teamwork, and a lot of laughs.

Hatch has a wild burger joint with quite the smattering of figures out front.















We enjoyed a one-man-band and some lemonade.


We pedaled through serene pecan orchards (minus the serious signs) and fertile farmland.





Around 6:30 pm, we paused at the tiny town of La Mesa in the parking lot of their market. I asked Jess and Tad if they'd like me to run into the store to grab some stuff for dinner or if we should roll over to Chope's bar/cafe across the street. How I found two touring companions who can ride 70+ miles per day and still be ready to dance, celebrate, make new friends, etc before/during/after all that bicycling, I will never know but I'm SO glad I did! Their choice was to go to Chope's...quite possibly the best choice we've made other than the decision to do this trip. What ensued feels nothing short of a dream.

We rolled over to Chope's.


Out front we met three gentlemen smoking cigars who were so impressed with our journey that they whisked us inside and insisted on buying us beer.



And that turned into them buying us dinner...twice!


A mariachi band showed up.



Everyone in the packed bar had to talk to us and take their picture with us. This woman is a plastic surgeon and proposed marriage to Tad when he guessed she was 28 years old.








Our new friend Matt asked us what it felt like to have rock star status. It felt almost as great as line dancing in our spandex and bike shoes.



Here I am shortly after we showed up as Chope's. Little did I know the couple in the background would be taking us home with them.


Matt loaded up all our gear in his truck and drove us back to Dan and April's beautiful home in Las Cruces. They cooked us a whole dinner again at midnight, gave us showers and beds, did our laundry, and spoiled us with coffee and breakfast this morning.












Thanks so much, Dan, April, Matt, and all the others at Chope's. We love New Mexico!

Guess we should get back on the road. All this bicycling sure does get in the way of the touring.

Location:Estancia Pl,Las Cruces,United States