Day's Stats: 100 miles | 2070 feet elevation gain
Day #11 was a quintessential New Mexico traverse—a clear day with a strong wind as a constant companion, unfortunately pushing against us as we crossed the vast, beautiful expanse of the state's southern borderlands. We left Portal, AZ, and set our sights on Columbus, NM, passing through the small, historic towns of Animas and Hachita.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly crossing the Continental Divide on NM State Route 9. It’s always a powerful moment to cross that geographic spine of the continent. Of course, the requisite stop for pictures was mandatory!
The scenery today was classic high desert: stunning vistas that seem to stretch forever under the massive sky, dotted with hardy, beautiful scrub and grass. We did have a few wildlife encounters—fortunately all of the dead rattlesnakes we saw were just that, dead. We were also treated to an absolute swarm of grasshoppers!
The Giants of the Road
One of the most striking sights of the day was the relentless parade of industrial power: we counted at least 50 trucks carrying wind turbine blades! These things are absolutely massive. For reference, the blades we saw could easily be 150 to 200 feet long!
A Warm Welcome in Columbus
After a long 100 miles, we rolled into Columbus, NM, and were met with the warmest reception imaginable! Mayor Phillip greeted us and is generously hosting us for a much-anticipated dinner at a local restaurant. It's the perfect way to recharge after a demanding day on the bike.
Tomorrow, we have a slightly shorter push—72 miles—as we head for El Paso, Texas!
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