Close Encounter

Today was just one massive, long, killer climb up to Cloudcroft, NM (elevation 8,665ft) --about 15 miles at 6% grade. I climb a "hill" every Saturday morning with a group of guys from church back home in Orlando. Guys, I'm a long, long way from Florida. I wish you were here! This mountain gave a whole new meaning to "spaghetti hill."

At several points you could look back down the valley and see the white dunes of White Sands, NM, home of Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range. We rode through this area on Hwy 70 into Alamagordo yesterday. I would have loved to have spent some more time there.

One of the highlights from today's ride was the tunnel passage nine miles into the assent. It was narrow, dark, and had no shoulder. We decided to have a mini-SAG at the mouth allowing everyone a chance to regroup. We took off as a group with a vehicle escort from the rear. It worked out great.

Cloudcroft to Mayhill was a fun, downhill run. It was also the closest I've seen a bike come to hitting a deer. Richard was ahead of me by about 30 feet when he spooked a deer that was beside the road. The deer was caught between the backside of the guardrail and the deep ditch. Rather than run uphill away from us or just stand still, it decided to try and outrun us. We weren't going slow --doing about 25-30mph -- and it was quite a drama from my perspective. The deer was running downhill full tilt with the guardrail and barely 15 feet between it and Richard. As we approached an access road, the deer tried to cut in front of Richard on the road, but changed his mind a split second later opting to cut back behind the guardrail. But he had already passed the end. I thought for sure that I was going to witness the death of this deer piling head-on into the post and steel, but at that moment it launched over the rail --disappearing down the drop-off. All of this took about 12-15 seconds. We're safe now.

Tonight we're sleeping in cabins at the Sacramento Mountain Retreat Center. It is gorgeous. We're in the mountains, nestled in pine trees.....quite a contrast from the last few days in the desert.

Your prayers keep us going safely. Tomorrow is 75 miles downhill to Artesia, NM.

Picture. Cyclemate Edwin at the tunnel overlook. White Sands lies in the valley just beyond the last ridge.