HOLDING Together

Day 56—Monday, September 26—Abiquiu to dispersed camping at 10,000 feet

27 miles

Horse was nice enough to pose first thing in the morning

We met Don and Dan from Seattle (father and son) at Retreat on the River. They had elected to take an alternate paved route between Hopewell Lake and Abiquiu. Unfortunately Dan ran over something in the road which caused a massive and loud blowout and caused a serious tear in the tire tread. They limped into Abiquiu and had spent the next two days trying to figure out how to patch it so they could make it to Grants, NM, nearly 200 miles of rough riding away. 

On a daily basis I am amazed at the abuse these bikes and tires take given the condition of the trail—and how the rider is really at the mercy of things holding together.

Don and Dan from Seattle hoping for better tire performance

A pre-dawn outdoor shower in the dark delivered hot water that lasted long enough to be satisfying on a cool morning. The day's temperature was not nearly as cold as at the higher elevations, which was a nice break. Eric and I packed up got on the road just as the sun cleared the nearby butte.

The guidebook said that today's ride would probably be the most challenging given elevation gain and the condition of the roads. We were up for it.

We got a hot breakfast burrito and coffee at Bode’s, tried to send some emails and then got going up the road. The Bike Dreamers arrived at the turn-off about the same time. Unburdened by any packs, they zoomed up the road which steeply wound its way up a canyon, turned to gravel, and eventually led to the top of a mesa that looked like a high plain bordered by mountains. It was a new reference plane as there was little indication, other than glimpses, that our starting point lay 2,000 feet below.

Here come the bike dreamers

Prickly Pear

Verdant oasis amid the high desert landscape 

Passing through canyon

Glimpse through the trees of lower valley

Succulent 

I eventually caught up to Eric and we shared another breakfast burrito (one of the best we have sampled) and a can of still-cold Arizona tea.

We continued our climb which, start to finish, resulted in 27 miles of climbing and 5,000 feet of vertical gain. The road took on all sorts of materials and conditions as I have tried to capture in pics. The trail passed through broad canyons whose sides were capped with the type of rock and geology you might expect to see in NM.

Reference plane/plain 2,000 feet above the valley floor (of which you would be unaware)

Iconic mountain from Georgia O'Keefe’s painting?  Eric heading up the road

Passing through a broad canyon. Road is in great shape ... here …

High plains objet d’art

Moisture lingers on an aspen leaf

I think this is a baby horned toad—only about an inch and a quarter long. His scampering caught the corner of my eye… he seems to be catching me in the corner of his eye. He stayed still for the portrait. Teeny guy. Amazing body.

Exhausted, Eric and I decided to camp after 27 miles. We did not see TJ and thought he maybe stayed a day in Abiquiu. We left a sign for him in the road as to our whereabouts using an animal bone for a “J.”

Upon setting up camp in this grassy clearing, we were visited by cows and a couple of bulls who interestingly make a lot of noise when grazing: sounds like heavy breathing through their noses.

Same ritual: set up tent, make dinner, hang up the food, take on warm sleeping clothing, brush teeth, say our good nights, and get in our tents by about 7:30. Sun has been setting at 7 pm and it gets chilly fast.

Campsite at 10,000 feet