Aug 25, Day 61 - Silver City

Buckhorn to Silver City, NM

Distance - 38 miles, Av speed - 9.8 mph

We realize we have dropped to below 5,000 feet and Silver City is around 6,000 ft so today is going to be a climbing day. To our surprise we find a coffee shop in Cliff, which does not look at all open, despite the sign outside saying open but actually is. Two lattes later, we stop at the gas station to check our lottery ticket but alas we have not won. Dirtbaby was planning on first class two seats back home, one for her and one for Sherman, if we had won the $115 million…… oh well dream on.

Mr Headwind woke up as usual, between 10 and 11 and boy, was it strong! It slows us right down and it makes for a slow ride to Silver City.

For some reason, there seems to be a lot of cicadas on the road and as we are riding so slowly, they provide us with some entertainment. They are either having rampant sex or eating their dead colleagues which have been squished by cars. What a life!

Eventually, we make the Continental Divide Crossing, and dive down the road to Silver City, where we have a late lunch then try to find a motel with a ground floor room – third time lucky!

Numb Stuff goes to the Post office to pick up our last ship forward box, while Dirtbaby goes to the store and tries to buy beer. Alas, the store has a policy of carding everyone, even grannies and Dirtbaby, and as Dirtbaby being from the UK, is not used to having to carry round ID with her, she is not allowed to buy beer, despite looking by now, 100 years old.

Never mind, we hit the bistro next to the bike shop and make some damage to their wine and beer stock instead. We now have to figure out our last 120 miles to the border, of which 30 miles will be on dirt and the rest on pavement. Oh yeah, and the last 46 miles is a mecca for Mexican drug dealers – whatever, I’m sure we’ll cope!