White sands

I'm veering up northeast now through part of White Sands Missile Range. Lots of history here!

MILESTONES

Today's 40.3-mile ride took my odometer over 2400 miles, and took my total mileage since New Year's over 800. Whoopee!! Here's my progress so far.

Near as I can figure, I am just west of Ely, NV, which looks like a fine place to check out. I am also nearly across NV itself. Crossing into Utah within my next 2 or 3 rides is going to be another major milestone.

Without intending to, I have stumbled upon a two-lane interstate highway that will take me all the way to Ocean City, past St. Michaels and Cambridge, MD, so I'll get to return Nancy's virtual visit :-) I have actually driven stretches of this road myself, in WV. And I'll tell you what, it's gonna be a climb when I get to that point. I've been there!! BUT I'll have to go DOWN to get to sea level, so it's not all bad! I didn't realize, when I got on this road in Nevada, that it was the same Rte. 50 I'm already familiar with in the East. To check it out, go here and click number 9. And check here to see all the neat stuff it passes in Nevada. This road and the website are going to make my virtual-trip blogging a whole lot easier!

The website, Road Trip USA, details a lot of Trans-USA trips on two-lane highways:

"Ready for a taste of the open road? Choose route numbers or names to access driving tours across more than 35,000 miles of classic blacktop. Then sit back and experience part of America—the small towns, funky attractions, roadside curiosities, and more—that the interstates have left behind."

Check it out if you want to plan such a trip -- by bike, car, motorcycle, or even on foot (you never know!)

There are two books mentioned at the site: Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon, which I have read and thoroughly enjoyed (why I don't remember Rte. 50 from it is a mystery to me;) and the hard-copy of the website, Road Trip USA, by Jamie Jensen, which is sitting between 2 bookends on our dining table. (I can't say "dining room" because our trailer is all one room, except the bedroom.) It was in opening this book a couple days ago that I discovered the absolute perfection of Rte. 50 for what I am doing. Here we've had the book for 2 years and I've never really looked at it!! (Maybe because Steve plans all the trips...)

This may very well be the route to take WHEN (not "if") I/we actually do a coast-to-coast ride in real life.

Las Cruces, New Mexico

I'm just passing through the town of Las Cruces, New Mexico - as always, heading east.


Four hundred years ago, Don Juan de Oñate made his historic trek into what is now New Mexico in search of gold. In 1598, working on behalf of the King of Spain, Oñate and his entourage made their way through the great Pass of the North (modern-day El Paso) and then north to what would become Santa Fe. The route became known as the Camino Real. The company moved along the Rio Grande to ensure that they would have water as they passed through the desolate land. But eventually, land barriers forced the expedition away from the river and into the deadliest portion of the Camino Real now known as the Jornada del Muerto, or Journey of the Dead. Many men died of thirst along this stretch, both during Oñate's trek and on those that followed. Oñate's expedition marked the first major European colonization of the North American continent, years before Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

More than 150 years ago, United States Army Lt. Delos Bennett Sackett, using rawhide rope and stakes, plotted out 84 city blocks to form what is known today as Las Cruces, NM. Sackett came to the Mesilla Valley from Fort Gibson, Okla.During the summer of 1848, with the First Dragoon of Company H., his mission, along with the 87 other soldiers, was to protect small communities from Apache raids. These communities included El Paso (or Paso del Norte) and Doña Ana, a small village headed by alcalde Don Pablo Melendres.

By 1848, the Mexican War with the United States had ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. That treaty, among other things, converted Doña Ana from Mexican to United States territory. Many settlers headed for the area, trying to claim rights to the undeeded land just acquired by the treaty. In an attempt to maintain order in Doña Ana, Don Pablo Melendres sought relief from the US Army to help in surveying and platting out a new town site. Using rugged equipment, Las Cruces, at least in concept, was born.

Back on track

I'm finally back to the route I would have taken if I hadn't made that futile side-trip to try to find Ellie! Oh well, there were some interesting places along the way.

Today I went through Lordsburg, New Mexico, ". . . the perfect stop along the route throughout the birth of the Old West. It continues to play an important role as a community as well as a launching point to destinations in the New West. Lordsburg was part of the famous Butterfield Stage route. In 1927 Lordsburg was one of the stops on Charles Lindbergh's famous transcontinental flight. Lordsburg also holds the honor of being the birthplace of the New Mexico State song. Lordsburg has 360 days of sunshine each year with many events for everyone to enjoy."

Now I'm in Deming, which is damned by faint praise by the New Mexico Tourism Department: "Nestled in the southwest corner of New Mexico, this historic town, with its unspoiled atmosphere, adundant sunshine, friendly faces and year-round out-door activities, is a delightful experience."

Into New Mexico

Over the line finally and on into my third state!

The last town I passed through was Duncan, Arizona: "A Nice Place To Come Home To". Also a nice place in which to end a sentence with a participle, apparently.

Several pages on their town website were broken, so I have no clues about the history of the town.

Hey, wasn't Dianne just in Duncan!? Where is she? We finally found Ellie after an eight-week absence, but no sign of Dianne since February 15th - maybe she's somewhere around here too!!

Leaving Arizona

I'm on the eastern edge of Arizona now and just about ready for the major event of entering my third state of the journey!

The landscape is dotted with mountains separated by large arid valleys. This is Apache territory, opposed by Fort Bowie directly to my south.

ELLIE IS ON THE MAP :-)

YEAR'S TOTALS AND FANTASY PROGRESS
From my log at CoolRunning.com:

Running 137.4 miles Time: 21h 21m 57s Avg. Pace: 10:29/mile
Cycling 689.5 miles Time: 1 day, 7m 45s Avg. Pace: 4:36/mile
Swimming 5.1 miles Time: 4h 56m 46s Avg. Pace: 51:50/mile
Hiking 26.5 miles Time: 3h 00m 00s Avg. Pace: 32:44/mile
Walking 4.4 miles Time: 40m 00s

This is equivalent to a double-Ironman, plus 3.2 additional marathons, 465.5 additional bike miles, and 0.3 more swim miles.

On my bike trip, I'm halfway across Nevada, having started on the Oregon Coast. Taking State Route 50 East for now. I've just stopped at Austin (I didn't know there was an Austin in Nevada), a historical old-west town. Only a stay-indoors person would say there's nothing to do here.

I may actually run to Panama City Beach by November 4, but I doubt I'll make it on the bike. Unless I do a whole lot more biking than my coach maps out for me....

For my Run-to-Florida, I've included both running and hiking in my total distance. I'm getting very close to the WV/VA state line on Interstate Route 219, in the southern part of both states.

It's kind of hard running from Maryland to Florida at the same time I'm biking from Oregon to Florida... maybe that's why I haven't been blogging it here -- too much time in airports and on the plane hopping back and forth from my run to my bike trip :-)

OK, now I have updated... I'll try to keep up now!

Pima, Arizona

My riding for the month of March finished up in the small town of Pima, Arizona.

Pima is located in Graham County, Arizona. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,989.

Fur trappers first used the area around Pima as they searched for pelts during the 1820’s and 1830’s. These men traveled along the nearby Gila River. This river served as a trail called the Gila Trail. In 1879, a group of Mormon settlers arrived in the area and immediately a community was created. These Mormon travelers were looking for a site to build a canal and to grow agricultural crops. They discovered that the Gila Valley was ideal for what they were looking for. The settlers laid out a town site and quickly built a canal system for their crops. They named the town Smithville in honor of the Mormon leader Jesse Smith. In 1880, the town established a post office. It was at this time that the town changed its name to Pima, after the local Indian tribe. The town was incorporated four years later in 1884.

Agriculture remained the most important economic resource for Pima throughout the years they have been a city. The Gila River and the canals have helped considerably to grow the crops and to help the area prosper. The main crops harvested today are alfalfa, cotton and grain. Cattle has also been helpful to the economic base of the area. Recently, the town has become a popular retirement community and tourist spot.