We're in New Mexico now. I'm very pleased to be out of Texas. New Mexico is magical .... and very steep. We made it over the highest point on the trip, Emory Pass. It was an intense day. We climbed about 4000 ft over 34 miles. It started out as a gradual uphill. That turned into bigger, rolling hills. Then, we gained 2000 ft over the last 8 miles. It was steep and neverending and cold by the time we reached the top. The next day was amazing, though. That night we camped at a primitive site a couple miles from the pass, so the next morning we started out with a beautiful downhill going through pine forests. I loved being surrounded by trees. The past couple of days we've been going through different parts of the Gila Wilderness Area. It's gorgeous. I'd like to come back and do some backpacking around there. I loved it because it reminded me alot of forests in the Smokies, but then I'd see a cactus right beside a pine tree. It's really fascinating. We also went to the Gila Cliff Dwellings and hotsprings. I'll tell you, if I had a hotspring at the end of every day of biking ..... well, it'd be nice.
This is part of the road we took up to Emory Pass. We weren't even at the top when I took this picture.
We crossed the continental divide twice in the past three days. The elevation there is 6599 ft.
I'd been seeing these plants all over the place, but this is the first one I saw in bloom.
Looking up at the cliff dwellings.
View from inside the cliff dwellings.
2 comments:
Wow, beautiful country. If you go backpacking, i want to go with you!! I have wanted to go backpacking in New Mexico since going there to pick you up way back when. The pictures are great. It is so nice to see some of what you are seeing. Makes me wish I was there. The trees are starting to turn here, but it has been so dry they are mostly turning bronw. It is not going to be a colorful fall. Continue to enjoy and continue to post your pictures and comments.
The landscape looks so unreal--almost like a postcard. I love the picture of you two with the helmets. Looks like we can't get out to the West coast before November, and maybe even later. ET from Mars is too busy. BUT we will be joining you both at some point.
I am happy you are both doing well and are happy.
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