Date: 9/27/98

Fr: Socorro, NM

To: Ruidoso, NM

Total Miles: 105

Feet Climbed: 6,700

Weather:

Cool and clear, about 50 degrees am.

Warm and partly cloudy about 90 degrees pm.

Points of Interest:

White Sands Missles Range where the first nuclear bomb was tested (really big cows grazing there); Valley of Fires Recreation Area where there were lava flows (hard to believe much recreation could go on there).

Highlights:

Starting off going south before sunrise - once the sun peaked over the mountains, our shadows were stretched out across the horizon; lots of climbing at the end of the ride to the town boarding Ruidoso which is aptly named ALTO (Spanish for "high").

Howie Rode With:

Started out riding with some guests who came down from Los Alamos for a day - Harold, Lynn and Henry (age 2) on their tandem - Harold did the Elite PAC Tour last year (15 days on our same route) and did the RAAM this year!

Bruce rode mostly solo but a brief stretch with Ned.

Brian rode solo with very short stops to minimize an already painful day!

Comments/Quotes:

Leigh and Forrest (our tandem riders) can't wait to get to Texas where it's flat (it's tough to climb on a tandem)!

Editor's comment:

Gatorade has permeated every pore of our body, covered every inch of our clothing and bikes, jammed up our gears and even our pee looks like gatorade.

Left trailer door with memorabilia. Pony Express sign says "Wanted -young, wirey men, preferably orphans" 

Right trailer door with clock and thermometer and other funny memorabilia