Date(s): Oct. 8, 1999
Day: Friday
From: Mimbres, NM
To: Caballo, NM
Lodging: Caballo Lake State Park
Segment Mileage: 60.1
Cumulative Mileage: 1000.8
Actual Riding Time: 4:48
Average Speed: 12.5
Weather: Sunny, clear
Temp: cold early, mid 80's high
Today was our last day in the mountains, and we reached our highest elevation at Emory Pass, 8,228 feet. Mimbres is situated at around 6,000 feet, and it was freezing this morning. Not literally, but it was very cold, around the low 40's. After a quick breakfast, I put on my jacket and rain pants for the first time, along with my riding vest and glove liners, and I was still cold. It didn't last long, as we started climbing shortly after starting out, and continued to climb for the next 19 miles to Emory Pass.
I left early for a change, with only 3 others ahead of me. After passing Janet and Lynne, then Cyndi, I rode alone to the top. This time of year the ranchers gather their herds from the public lands, and there were several cattle on the narrow road to the top. The first big black bull was rather intimidating, but he just gave me a glance. Other cattle ran as I approached, burning off that valuable fat that the ranchers want to sell. The road passes through some beautiful country, narrowing near the top to a canyon with steep cliffs on either side. There are some nice, primitive campgrounds along the way.
There was a spectacular view to the east from the Emory Pass scenic overlook, and we could see all the say to Caballo Lake and dam where we are camping tonight. Having taken a couple of photos on the way up using my disposable Fuji camera, I was out of film at the top. I got out my sketchpad and sketched the scene, ate lunch (at 10am), and waited for the others. Oliver, Mike, Bruno, and Jimmy arrived after about 40 minutes. Oliver and I compared our times to the top and I beat him by about 15 minutes, which he made up on the way down and into Caballo (Oliver has since corrected me; I was only ahead by 12 minutes at that point). Several others arrived, including Cyndi who had several guys surround her for a picture with the 'hunks' that she planned to send as a postcard.
Bruno and I left for the descent together, putting more clothes on as it was still cold and would get colder the faster we rode. We had a headwind and there were many sharp curves, but we reached speeds of around 35mph. Within minutes Oliver reached us having made up 5 or more minutes on my time. I was reluctant to leave the mountains and the various mountain ecosystems for the last time. We were soon in the desert-like valley floor headed for Caballo. We had a strong crosswind but made good time to our rendevous place, a store in Caballo.
We're camped along the Caballo River just below the Caballo Dam, another good tent campground with full facilities, so we're happy campers tonight. The only downside is that now that we are in the desert we are plagued with thorns, specifically goat head thorns that are shaped like a goat head, with firm thorns jutting out. Cyndi and Bruno had flats just after getting into camp, and Oliver has a goat head sticking out of his now flat tire.
Now that it is dusk, we are not so happy campers. I'm sitting inside my tent finishing up this report because the mosquitoes are swarming, causing us to eat while we walk to keep moving, and to have our briefest map meeting yet. We meet once a day, usually after dinner, to go over the next day's route. Jim lets us know where the facilities such as stores and bike shops are located, and we decide where we plan to purchase supplies for the next day. Tomorrow we move on to Las Cruces, NM.
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