NM camp to Abiquiu I was grateful I woke up feeling normal; whatever was wrong with my stomach from the day before just a memory. I got out of my tent just before sunrise and watched the sun come up and begin to warm me and everything else. I loved the camp spot—the big ponderosa reminding me of home. I once again began the process of putting my gear together, and finally it seems the process is going quicker. I had a breakfast of oatmeal and a Clif bar frosted with peanut butter. I’m not going to want oatmeal for a long time after this trip! While I was packing my gear, Alex wandered over and we chatted for a while and decided to ride together for a while. We rolled out, our destination goal for the day the tiny town of Abiquiu—pronounced “aba-que” by the local NM folk. The profile for the day looked rather easy, but yesterday’s did too, so I was a little paranoid about the road surface. The road surface did start off a bit rough and rocky, but slowly got better as the miles went on. The route wound up and down and through beautiful ponderosa forest. NM must be doing a lot of clearing and burning, because a lot of the forest looked almost park-like. Camping options would be really unlimited here, as the forest with grassy undergrowth went on for miles. Traffic was non existent on the increasingly smooth gravel roads, and the miles rolled by quickly. It seemed Alex and I were a good pace match, and enjoyed each other’s company. While I have enjoyed the solitude I have had, I think it’s been a little too much and I was grateful to have someone to ride with. One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about this trip is how quickly the landscape and vegetation can change while pedaling along. Today was even more stark than most! After a miles long descent beginning in ponderosa forest, suddenly we are in desert! To me, the classic New Mexico look of scrub brush, small trees and cacti of several varieties. I was so excited to see cactus and the vast landscape of buttes and rim rock and clear evidence of flash flooding and water erosion. It was beautiful! We turned toward Abiquiu and through a couple small towns that looked exactly “Mexico-like”: Vallecitos and El Rito. We both really enjoyed the change and different feel of the place. We weren’t in Breckenridge anymore, that’s for sure! We stopped at the convenience store in El Rito and I got a coke and some chips and sat out on the curb enjoying the sun and the Mexico vibe. The last 15 miles to Abiquiu were on pavement, into a headwind, so not much to report there! When we finally got to the little town, Alex peeled off as he had reservations at the Abiquiu inn, and I didn’t. The Inn had pretty much the only restaurant in town, but I wanted to see what was available another 1/2 mile down the road where “town” proper was. There were indeed no restaurants, but there was a farmers market going on, and they had pizza! I got one and texted Alex that I was going to check out a bike retreat on the opposite side of town, and we could connect in the morning. I strapped my pizza on my bike and headed another 1/2 mile down the road to a “bike retreat” set up by a kind local person. It had a kitchen, showers, a deck overlooking the river, and a great place to pitch a tent. Great spot! I was tired but happy, and ready to go again tomorrow!