Day 19: Del Norte

A new day without breakfast and no resupply possibilities until Del Norte again, except a small grocery store with limited selection in La Garita not far from Del Norte. Two smaller mountain passes with Cochetopa and Canero Pass were waiting for me. To get out of this afternoon thunderstorm story while climbing higher mountain passes I would definitely stay in Del Norte this night and tackling Indiana Pass, the roof top of the Tour Divide, in the early morning.

James seemed to be well rested. I was not. From my stock I stuffed all these food into me what could substitute an average breakfast.

On a paved road I quickly made it after 15 miles to Doyleville. Mentally it was an essential aspect to me how fast I accomplished the first miles in the morning and in which time. Now the Mexican border moved more and more into sight and seemingly I am really able to make it to Antelope Wells.

There were two major fire reroutes in New Mexico. The first one would save a lot of climbing on the way to Cuba and the second one passes by the whole Gila (175 miles of nothing) on an easier road, how I thought at least. I was right off behind my time schedule for finishing within 25 days, but why spending a second night ride shouldn’t work again? The two ascents for today were long but very flat. The Americans have enough space to built long flat roads, thankfully! In the Alps they would carve countless switchbacks into the rock. 

On the way to Cochetopa Pass I came across another guy with a full loaded bike who was riding the Colorado Trail. Because it was also an option for me in future days I asked him a lot of questions.

Chochetopa Pass was climbing over a lot of miles with a fairly smooth uphill grade. What a mercy! Canero Pass was just like the same so my suffering was limited today. After so many days on a bike I made a sufficient pace and as many dry and hot days before I was longing for a cold Coke! 

As I reached the junction to La Garita it was not a question if I would get a Coke the question was when? I rushed into the small store without looking right or left straight to the fridge with the precious cold cans. I took 3 cans out and on the other fridge an ice cream. Apparently the owners were a very reproductive family, because countless kids in all age groups were running across the shop. I took a short break in front of the store. In the distance I already saw the approaching thunderstorms. Again the landscape was on a change. Huge rock formations replaced the hilly solitude. As I turned from the wider gravel road onto a smaller jeep track I was just about to grumble for that apparently worse stony ground and was expecting a further delay reaching Del Norte. But this track turned out to be a real gem. Like a pump track with incredible flow I rushed toward Del Norte. What a find! The Divide surprises in whichever direction every day. As I reached after a steeper climb the windy gap with the view to Del Norte I realized again that the fun had cost me my second sun glasses. What a bummer, fun and hassle so close together. The downhill at a sandy ground against the wind was no fun instead. As I hit the first sandy spot I was just about to fall onto my face, because my front tire simply slipped away in this deep sandy section. In the very last moment I was able to keep myself in the saddle. And before I could take the direct way toward Del Norte I had first cast a view at the very important local airport from three sides.

I checked my SMS and Thomas was in town too and had as always checked in at a motel. It was not easy to get a room in town, because there was a fire fighter meeting.

The room we got was the worst on the whole tour, not to mention the bathroom. I would compare it to a fleabag. At 8:00 pm the sidewalks had been rolled up. We asked for dinner at 8:05 pm in a restaurant with the answer: “No, dinner is just served until 8:00 pm”. ??? Finally we met Paul, Mason and Ed who were looking for a room too. These three guys (beside Thomas) were one of the most faithful riders along the whole route to me. Since day two I met at least one of them either during the day, in the morning or in a town in the evening.

Thomas and I took a seat at Subways and ordered a foot long sandwich each. Subway was part of a gas station so we did our complete resupply for the next day including some food for breakfast what looked every day like the same for me, Kelloggs Frosties in a plastic cup, milk or Nesquick chocolate, sandwiches, yoghurt (if available), cold coffee from Starbucks in a glass bottle. And for the day: chocolate bars like Kit-Kat or Snickers for the first hour (otherwise it was melting away), Oreo cookies, Power Bar energy bars (if available), nuts in all different styles, trail mixes, bananas, sandwiches and sometimes corn bars. To drink: Water and Gatorade (I liked the white one the most) in the mix. Except for the sandwiches, a miserable sweet mélange that I was really fed up with, literally.