"Great things are done when men and mountains meet; this is not done by jostling in the street."
William Blake Las Cruces, New Mexico to El Paso, Texas. 65 miles. 1570 feet climbing. I have mixed feelings this morning. It's the last day of the tour and it's difficult to see it end; but I'm also ready to return home to family and work. Three weeks is long enough to be away. We leave the hotel, and as usual head south. Crossing the Rio Grande for the fifth time in the last two days, I note that there still isn't much water in it. It seems they use the river to supply the extensive network of irrigation ditches. In turn these irrigate huge fields of cotton, red chilies, alfalfa, and groves of pecan trees. Where the irrigation system doesn't reach, the land is desert. We ride through pecan groves that overhang the road on either side. The pace is relaxed. The day is a relatively short one and there's no hurry to reach the end. We pass a few riders with flats. Despite the glass on the road (especially in New Mexico) I've had no flats for the whole trip. In fact, the "love train" has had flats only on two days; Ann with a couple and Dick with one. Another remarkable quality of the trip has been the 17 days of sunny weather. We saw rain one day, but never got wet or rode wet roads. Today is also sunny, but fortunately not too hot. After 30 miles we enter Texas. Considering it's the world's largest state, the sign seems rather insignificant. We take pictures anyway. At this point El Paso is only a few miles away, but Lon's route into town has to follow the tour's Ridge of the Rockies theme, so we detour up a pass to 5280 feet so as to get in our mandatory climbing. Also so we can get the mandatory pictures of Mexico without getting too close. Then down off the pass to a point where the whole group congregates 8 miles out of town so as to all ride in together. As the whole group starts off one of the riders gets a flat. While the peloton grinds to a halt the "love train" sprints off the front for home. Ann wins the closing sprint and is the first rider across the finish line after some 2000 miles. The end brings an interesting mixture of elation and sadness. The crew manufactures another fabulous lunch before we pack up bikes and gear, have a little time to lounge, and then have the traditional tour ending banquet. Suddenly you realize that the wonderful time you've been spending with good friends is coming to a quick end. After three PAC tours, it's the thing I've appreciated most. I've made enduring friendships with people who share a passion for riding their bikes. There are five riders on this tour I've ridden with before. I discuss plans with Dick to visit Phoenix, and have him and Terrie visit Ottawa. Others of us will keep in touch and share information on future riding plans. And the PAC organization? Great people. Always cheerful, always well organized. Dedicated to the riders having the best and most successful time touring border to border. The food was pretty good on my previous two tours. This time it was fabulous. A major effort obviously went into the lunches. How such meals could be provided to fifty people on the go, by the side of the road, often in the middle of nowhere, is near miraculous. Other impressions? Cheap dinners in small local restaurants in small town America. Long climbs through gorgeous scenery with amazing summit vistas as a reward. Great mountain passes. Screaming downhills. Fourteen days above 5000 feet. High dry plains with sagebrush as far as you can see. Moose, eagles, and buffalo. Long pulls into the wind. Hanging on behind Dick as he hammered the downhills. The "love train" pulling into sag stops. Can't wait 'til the next one. Don Friedlander ------ To unsubscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED], (613) 230-1064 Web/mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb/Newsletter ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiDo.a2i8p1 Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
