From Las Cruces to Fort Davis

After a difficult stretch of riding, it's good to have another rest day in Fort Davis. I'm short on time, so I'll try to give a summary of the last four days.

The sad news during this period is Jeff's decision to end his tour due to medical reasons. We were all surprised and sadden by this news, but we all understood his concerns and reasoning. We will all miss him, especially Tom and I because he had ridden with us since the beginning of the tour. We wish him well.

Dave was also taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons in Van Horn after suffering a stomach disorder and missed the ride from Van Horn to Fort Davis. The cause was inconclusive. However, after a day of rest and lots of fluids, he is now back with us in Fort Davis. Welcome back Dave.

Now, for the riding! During this section of the tour, we encountered heavy traffic through El Paso, endlessly long open roadway that stretched to the horizon, and windy conditions. We had been fairly fortunate thus far with the riding conditions. However, the wind during this section often turned into strong headwinds which made the going much more difficult and tiring. Fortunately, Tom and Jeff was with me so we took turns at the head of the group riding into the wind. I still feel good physically and my mental disposition is great so I'm enjoying each day's ride and the ever changing landscape as we begin our long journey through Texas. I hope the pictures below give you a sense of our day. I'm at the local library in Ft Davis. The kids have just gotten out of school and are anxiously waiting for my computer so "Goodby for now". Herb