My first "lesson"

Day 7 - Sept 22nd, 2005

Lubbock, Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Planned to get away by 7:00 a.m. but it was still almost black outside. Took my time loading all my gear and double checking my routing. I was on the road at 7:45 with the sun just coming up over my shoulder – a beautiful sunrise. It was a refreshing 65F so I was happy for jacket and gloves. Had a pretty rocky start – got turned around, took the wrong road and the signage was poor at best. They have a loop system around the larger cities and once I “got back in the loop” as it were I was fine.

Stopped for fuel in Littlefield, Texas just after 9:00 a.m. I asked the gas attendant “where is the best place in Littlefield to have breakfast?” She directed me to a little place called “Dixie’s Too” which would also take me back close to the Hwy. I’ve learned that that particular question is pretty subjective.

Had my first “almost” incident pulling into “Dixie’s Too”. The sun was directly in my eyes when I was turning in. I could tell it was a gravel surface and thankfully was going pretty slow. What I couldn’t see was that it was deep pea gravel and the bike started washing from side to side. Someone stronger than me was obviously lending me a hand and when I got stopped my heart was thumping wildly – thought I could see it through my T-shirt. I have an “angel in my pocket” – a gift from Bernie just before I left home. Thanks – it’s definitely working!

Inside the “restaurant” were a couple of “good ole Texas boys”. One Hispanic and the other such a shade of ebony he reminded me of Kunta Kinte from the story “Roots”. They were so curious about my riding a bike and said – “Wow – look at that helmet – you must be riding a rocket ship. Is that motorcycle fast?” I said that it was and they reiterated – “You must be riding a rocket ship with that helmet”!!! They asked where I was from and when I said Canada said – “We’ve NEVER met anyone from Canada, do ya’ll speak French up there?” I said that most of the people who speak French live in Quebec which is in the east and I live on the west coast. “What d’ya all speak there?” “English”. The Hispanic told me his Mom was a full blood Cree and his Dad was Hispanic but “I guess I mostly look Hispanic huh?” His friend said “I bet ya’ all can’t guess where I’se come from?” Then they both started hooting with laughter and slapping their thighs. I asked the waiter where I could find the washroom – he looked at me blankly and said “Huh?” I repeated - “Washroom? – Bathroom?” He pointed and the two friends started their hooting and laughing routine anew. “Whad ya’ call that – huh – whad ya’ call that - a WASHROOM?” I failed to see what could be so hilarious but hey – if they find it amusing … I dare not use the word serviette – they haven’t a clue what that is. Makes me realize the idiosyncrasies of our respective languages.

Crossed into New Mexico @ 10:45 and gained an hour with the time change. Stopped to fuel in Melrose and again in Vaughn. While in Texas the gas prices went from $2.49 per gallon in East Texas to $2.72 in Fort Worth. Here in New Mexico the cheapest I’ve seen is $3.09.

Before I came into Vaughn you could see a front moving in from the north and I considered donning my rain gear under the cover of the gas bar. A fellow approached me while I was paying inside and said “I see you have a Canadian flag on your bike. Are you from there?” I tell him yes, and about my fundraising for hospice with the ride. He told me his sister rides a bike with a group called “Wild Women on Wheels”. She has toured through every state except Hawaii and Alaska. Sounds like my kind of group! I could see some patches of blue so decided against suiting up. Heading up Hwy 285N out of Cline’s Corner it started raining about 5 miles out but only til about mile 8. Whew! Then about mile 21 it really decides to get at it, the sky is decidedly unfriendly and I am now surrounded by the front. The rain is bouncing off the pavement and I am a bit concerned as I am approaching the time to replace my front tire and am hoping it will get me home before it’s truly necessary. I am wearing a light jacket and slip off my favourite, soft deerskin gloves and stuff them inside my jacket so they won’t be ruined in the rain. The temperature, which has been hovering just over 90F, starts to plummet to less than 60F and the rain turns to hail. Fine but hard. It stings my hands and I alternate leaving one on the bars and the other under my butt. The cruise control needs some adjustment as it doesn’t hold the speed so the shift from hand to hand is quick. The New Mexico roads – particularly the secondary roads that I prefer to travel, are notorious for not having a shoulder to pull off to. Therefore I can’t stop to suit up, I rue my earlier decision. When I’ve been caught in the rain on my sport bike, you just turn your head to the side to dispel the water. It doesn’t work with the taller windshield so I have to stand up on the footpegs to clear the water from the visor on my helmet. Brrr – it’s c-c-c-old - my teeth are chattering and I am soaked through. I am tremendously thankful that I am carrying extra fuel – I have come for almost 80 miles and there was absolutely nothing. There are cattle grazing but no sign of a single home or another person. Before the rain started, there were a number of vultures circling overhead and a couple on the ground. Their feast? A deer that had been hit and was on the edge of the pavement. The good news is that about 30 miles out of Santa Fe the temperature rose to the mid 80’s almost as fast as it had dropped. By the time I rode into Santa Fe I was bone dry with the bonus that my jeans were “washed up” too. They had been collecting the remains from the bugs that met their demise. My hands though, are red for a couple of hours.

I have great memories from our last couple’s bike trip into Santa Fe in 1999 and decide to stay at the same hotel. I am fortunate to get the last room – “if you don’t mind a handicap room”. No – I sure do not mind. The hotel is hosting quite a number of evacuees from Hurricane Rita which is striking the Gulf Coast with winds over 170 MPH. People are attempting to evacuate from Houston and are spending 9 hours trying to get less than 10 miles on the freeway. The storm is predicted to backlash to New Mexico and Arizona and heavy rainfall is expected. Better get my rain gear where I can get it out quick.

I treat myself to a leisurely dinner at the Olive Garden and enjoy a nice glass of robust red wine. I leave the bike at the hotel in favour of my two feet – I’ve had enough for today.