Day Before #13 -
Steve's Trip Report Index -
Next Day #15
Day 14: Glenwood, NM to Reserve, NM
33 Miles: Saliz Pass; West New Mexico Mountains In Catron County - February 14, 2008
Above: Highway 180 North in Catron County, New Mexico.
| I rode north on Highway 180 and thought this view was a nice one.
It is a "typical New Mexico scene" at least based on all my many visits to the
more mountains regions in the north part of the state. Moderate-sized mountains,
pinions dotting the hillsides and higher altitudes come to mind.
As usual, the road was very quiet and untraveled, something I really appreciated.
If a car was coming behind me, I could usually hear it coming a long way off.
Thus, I would often ride just inside the white line or
farther in on the right wheel ruts in rural areas like this.
In some instances, the right wheel ruts on a highway were substantially
smoother than the rest of the road which helped me gain speed.
Catron County is the largest county by area in New Mexico and has a miniscule
population of 3,543, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. One interesting fact is the states
of Delaware and Rhode Island could both fit inside this massive county!
|
| I reached the summit of Saliz Pass (altitude 6,436 feet) in the Brushy Mountains.
Riding downhill, there were very beautiful views of the Saliz Canyon to
the right, and I regret not have taken any pictures, but the reality was I whizzing downhill at 25-30 miles per hour!
|
| Arrival in Reserve, New Mexico.
I made today's ride a short one, for the next inn I could locate was 68 miles away
in Datil, which would have
put me over the century mark again. More importantly,
a expectant threat of bad weather coming east from the
White Mountains in Arizona was something to be concerned about.
After two challenging days, it was nice to be at least semi-leisurely on
the bike knowing I would only ride 33 miles, although Saliz Pass was by no means a pushover.
Because of the low mileage itinerary, I even left Glenwood shortly after 8:30 a.m.!
|
| Reserve, the county seat in Catron County, is really tiny with
a few businesses and storefronts that give it an old western, small town appeal.
I explored the entire circumference of the town center by foot in less than 30 minutes.
I stayed at the one and only motel located across the street from the county courthouse. (Top photo)
|
| After settling in, I was on a
mission to find the best place to eat a large and gratifying meal.
My options were limited to just two or three establishments, and
Ella's Cafe caught my eye with it's thought-provoking sign on the front door:
"If you don't climb the mountain, you can't see the view."
Something stirred inside me. "Yeah, I like the inspiration!" I thought, even though I never quite made
a solid connection between how that platitude related to my journey in any figurative sense.
Maybe it would have meant more if I were uh ... really climbing a mountain!
Inside, I ordered a huge green chili bacon cheese burger with onion rings.
It was heavenly to my taste buds! <:-D |
| There really was not much to do in this
quiet town of Reserve, which is unquestionably part of its charm.
Hunting, mountaineering and camping all in very remote places
is part of the tourism lure of this region of west New Mexico.
You can read more on the county's web site: www.CatronCounty.org.
Anyway, I managed a picture of myself through the reflection
from the bathroom sink mirror and greatly appreciated the complimentary package
of conditioner. My long, naturally curly hair had taken a beating during the past two weeks,
even with my efforts to thoroughly comb it out regularly.
|
Above: The final moments of daylight with splashes of pink clouds in Reserve, New Mexico.
| Later in the evening, I feasted on a large Mexican dish across the street
from Ella's Cafe, and thought about the possibility of not riding tomorrow.
It was indeed something to be concerned about, but the adreniline-driven side of me,
having biked 219 in the past three days
carrying all my stuff in saddlebags, persuaded me to thing big.
Who says I won't be riding tomorrow?
As I sunk into bed, however, the weather forecasts plastered throughout the New Mexico news stations
suggested tomorrow would be a snow day, with precipitation coming down in western
New Mexico beginning anytime during daylight hours tomorrow.
All I could do was sleep and see how things were in the morning.
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Day Before #13
- Next Day #15
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