So much for rest
What a change a week can bring. Last week was a quick respite from multiple weeks of heavy training. Only 170 or so miles in about 10 hours (not counting swims, runs, hikes, etc.). This leek was something entirely different. The biking weekdays were almost entirely devoted to climbing Soledad Canyon on our loaded Cutthroats starting around 0530. This was done for one reason…the windy season has arrived in Las Cruces. During the spring and early summer, if you wish to avoid the life sapping wind, your best bet is to ride before about 0900. You can still get smacked in the face with winds, but it’s much less likely. So Ray and I took the opportunity to get in the climbing. That brings us to the weekend.
Saturday started a little later, with us each leaving our houses at 0600 for an 0630 meet up. After riding in Cruces for 25 years, one can almost judge to the minute where you be in a ride, so it’s within 100 yards of the exact same spots that we had planned that we actually met up
Similar to last weekend, we decided to head west for a quick coffee at Loves truck stop. We then headed out on a westerly loop of Sandy “fun” for about 2 hours, with the hope we could catch the newly resurrected ZiaVelo group rides at their stop at Bowlins. It was great seeing the gang while at the same time trying to adhere to social distancing restrictions. We’re sure looking forward to a return to normalcy.
Not a long stop, and we were back in the road…or…et dirt! We headed Southwest into cone country near Aden Crater, NM for another 50 miles or so. After getting back to the Mesilla Dam, Ray and I split ways, with Ray going home to go swim, and me continuing for another 25 miles or so. Mission accomplished with 83 and 101 miles respectively.
Sunday had us up early again for a 0615 meet time to ride up Soledad Canyon and then meet Lola and Dave R. at Milagro Coffee at 0800. Another 35 miles and we finished the day with around 4:30:00 and 53 miles.
These 100-200 mile weekends are becoming pretty routine, though still challenging, and hopefully setting us up well for our TD ride.
Over the next few weeks and days you’ll see more blog content: gear reviews, route finding, impact of family, nutrition….just a whole bunch of other things that we think and talk about as we attempt the Tour Divide!
Ride on!
Shane and Ray
