DAY 14 AND 15 SILVER CITY TO KINGSTON TO LAS CRUCES

After our great rest day I decided to visit the Gila National Monument with Sally and Hilary.  My co-rider Cher joined us.  It was a fascinating place.  It is a small collection of cliff dwellings of the Mollogon people who only lived there for one generation.  Life was incredibly hard here and eventually they ran out of water and all died. The drive there is beautiful, through the mountains.  We then walked up to the cliffs and had a tour with George.

After our visit we drove to route 152 and went over Emery Pass.  It was very windy at the top but a lovely view down towards valley.

We stayed at the Black Range Lodge in Kingston.  A wonderful old stone building.  The owner, Kathryn, prepared a turkey dinner and a great breakfast.

Today, Saturday, we rode to Las Cruces, New Mexico.  The trip was 88 miles.  I made it 80 with Cher.  We had great tail winds and made good time until the wind and dust became so bad we called for the SAG (support and gear) car to pick us.  In the meantime a woman named Velma stopped in her white pickup to offer us a ride to the hotel.  A true bike angel.  We were not sure we could get the bikes on the subaru so the pickup was perfect.  She even showed us around La Mesilla, the old part of the Las Cruces.