I was expecting more excitement and activity upon reaching the historic town of Lincoln, but things were fairly quiet. I don't think I even saw a store open on the main road, but granted, it was a Tuesday morning in February.

Adjacent are two photos of town, including the post office.

Somewhere around the point of the adjacent photos in the Hondo River Valley, I became a little concerned over my supplies. I had eaten all of my snacks and was somewhat low on water. It was not necessarily a dire situation, but I still had another 40 miles to reach Roswell and needed a real rest break to sit down and eat real food. I passed one little convenience store back in Hondo, but I did not feel comfortable enough with the area and storefronts to leave my bike out front.

The map showed no other towns before reaching Roswell, and so I thought I would just have to continue without stopping somewhere. I distinctly recalling saying a modest prayer. You know God, it's not the biggest deal, but it sure would be nice to encounter a place to eat and rest ...

Thank God for this place! I literally thought, and amazingly, a sign outside the entrance read "God, bless this place!" I had the sense this was going to be one of those divine appointments.

I ate a whole bunch of snacks and drinks as I sat at one of the tables inside. The owner, Bella, was relatively free and we talked for quite awhile. She shared her story about how God led her to sell her home, leave her life in California and start this business that serves as a truck stop, convenience store and RV park. In time, she plans to open a restaurant in the building next door. She has continually trusted God with so many aspects of her business and while it has not been easy, her hard work has been well worth it. It showed in her joy!

Bella gave me a brief tour of the grounds, including the running creek (Hondo Creek) behind her property and some historic structures across the street. Everything was peaceful about this place; I am convinced God's hand was on it.

I told her about my bike ride across America and some of the deeper elements of the journey, that I was making my dream happen, seeking clarity about future matters, and desperately needing an escape from my dull life routine to have a real adventure with God.

After an hour, it was time for me to go. Bella even prayed me off as we stood in the parking lot. What a boost to morale! Physical rest and nourishment coupled with bold spiritual encouragement was what I needed. I had one more intense uphill east of Riverside and then it was largely downhill on the plains for the remainder into Roswell.

Oh and interestingly, there were no other services between Riverside and Roswell. ;)

Yes, you read that bold font correctly. Today was my last day riding in the mountains! The wide open plains initally seemed scary with so much exposure to the sun and wind and nothing but yellow-shaded grass going on and on forever. Ahhhhhh, but the fact I would be enjoying much descent as I continued away from the mountains was quite comforting! The altitude in Roswell, New Mexico is just 3,573, and it would only decline as I continued east for days to come.

My late afternoon and evening in Roswell was a good example of how little romance and fanfare there commonly was to my bicycle ride across America. I stayed at a crummy and cheap motel in a neighborhood that I did not feel too safe in. I ate at a Sonic across the street and that was about it. I secluded myself in my motel room, blasted the vent to drown out the noise of a crying baby in the next room and slept.