Aug 15, Day 51 - El Rito, NM

Rio San Antonio to El Rito, NM
Distance - 60.5 miles, Avg speed - 7.8 mph

Despite being in what seems to be a remote wilderness area, there is a surprising amount of road traffic during the night, of ATVs and pick up trucks. Where are they all going to and what are they doing out here? We can only imagine that they are going hunting. Their headlamps shine into our tents; that with the noise keeps us awake most of the night.

After the painful slow going of yesterday, we make sure to get up at 6am, determined to make progress to get to our destination of El Rito, despite the lack of sleep. Chip left us a voicemail a few days ago to say he had stayed at the local community college there, and recommended it to us, mentioning they had a bar there. Just the word “bar” made it an unmissable stop and spurs us on to do the 60 miles to get there! We have just enough filtered water to make coffee, fill our camelbaks and bottles to get us 19 miles up the road to Hopewell lake, where there is supposed to be a water pipe at the picnic area. Luckily, it has been dry for the past few days, and what potentially could have been an unpassable road of 14 miles is not too bad.

Dirtbaby is just so happy to meet the pavement again, she has to kiss it! A 5 mile uphill on pavement to Hopewell lake follows, each of us silently willing there to be a water pipe waiting for us……….

When we arrive at Hopewell, Numb Stuff turns on the spigot……YES! Water gushes out, and not only that, it is cold, clear and tastes delicious! Therein follows an entire glorious hour of splashing, drinking, eating, washing and brushing teeth. Amazing what a psychological difference this makes to our demeanor.

By now, we have done 20 miles and it is only 10.30am, better progress than the day before.

Refreshed, we continue towards the small Spanish ranching communities of Canon Plaza and Vallecitos, stopping at the Vallecitos Post Office for a late lunch. Who says post offices are not used??? This one offers a bench and shade which we are grateful for. Both towns seem very sleepy and there is nobody around, just a few dogs barking at our heels as we cycle by.

The final part of the day takes us through the winding roads of a beautiful forest of Valle Grande Peak. However, parts of the road have recently been regarded with lots of fresh loose gravel, which Dirtbaby finds it hard to control Sherman in, particularly on the downhills. She has to pay close attention to the road and is hardly able to appreciate the views.

We arrive at El Rito, which again, seems to be another sleepy town where the bar is closed and the last remaining grocery store is due to close at the end of the month. A couple of miles on, we come to the Northern New Mexico Community College to find this is where all the action is – lots of students are enrolling. Alas, the first thing we see is a sign saying “No alcoholic beverages are permitted on site”. Perhaps we misheard Chip’s voicemail or it was wishful thinking?

Anyway, despite having to deal with all the students, the administration staff here are super friendly, find us a dorm room for the night, and welcome us to dinner. The college president, Dr Rusty Barcelo is a keen cyclist and has cycled Seattle to San Francisco. It feels strange to be back in a college setting again – Numb Stuff was especially keen to try out one of the desks! (photo). Dinner is plain & simple, but tasty after all the recent fried food - mashed potato, meat loaf and SWEETCORN! This is one of Dirtbaby’s few tastes of vegetables since her arrival in USA almost 2 months ago. Although canned, it makes a welcome addition to the diet. We are both so hungry, we literally inhale our food in seconds, then try to sneak back again for seconds. Bloated, we fall asleep, dreaming of what delights will await us in Abiquiu tomorrow.