Monday 14 January 2008

Last night as we packed up there was a huge bank of cloud to the West and apart from the beautiful sunset it looked like being a bumpy night. The coyotes were howling and yapping and then the wind came up, and come up it did, blowing a gale all night we were glad of being inside the tent.

This morning when we awoke the wind was still howling from the direction we would be traveling in, so rather than battle into the wind all day and end up with sore knees and legs, we called an unexpected day off. Of course normally when we take a day off because we expect or have bad weather it clears up around mid morning as if to mock us, but today it kept on blowing. The good news was that the sun came out and sitting inside the tent while the wind blew sand and dust everywhere outside, was pleasant, and rather warm.

With the solar panel working well we were able to look at some GPS stuff on the laptop, organise and look at some photos and of course work on the website. Apart from that we spent some time looking at maps of the US and making some tentative plans for the future.

The border patrol came along and didn't even stop for a chat so we figured that as they have been seeing us riding along the road for a few days that they knew who we were and were not at all worried about us. The wind is being a pain because if we stay outside the tent it is cold, if we get inside it is hot, if we open the tent doors for air flow the desert wants to move in with us, and there is already a fine covering of sand across everything as it is, so hopefully the wind will abate tonight and we can give everything a good shake out before we hit the road to Columbus, nearly 60 kilometres away.

Today's Stats

From: Bush Camp 8km S Hachita

To: Bush Camp 8km S Hachita

Weather: 22 deg C.
Sunny and very windy.

Camp Location:

N: 31°52'52.7"

W: 108°12'36.0"

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Our wish for the wind to die down became a reality last night and that meant that the temperature dropped even lower then the night before. In bed as the sun dipped below the horizon and the temperature began to drop, the total silence allowing us to listen to the Border Patrol passing on the opposite side of the highway, as they slowly drove along looking for footprints in the meticulously kept dirt track that follows the farmers fence line.

Waking this morning we knew that it was another cold one, ice had again formed on the tent window, and even on the inside of the tent. We got up when the sun had also done so, and a check of the temperature gauge showed -7. Thankfully the wind was gone and the sky was also clear of cloud.

Riding off down the road the terrain was generally flat and the vegetation was similar, creosote bush, sand or dry brown grass. Riding almost parallel to, and the closest we have been to the US/Mexico Border meant that there were plenty of Border Patrol vehicles around; almost every hill or vantage point had one on, other areas saw then parked where they had gone on patrol on ATV's. Riding on a little further we came across another one of the measures against illegal immigration - portable observation posts.

The closer we got the more we could see of the cherry picker with an enclosed box similar to an aircraft control tower, various pieces of electronics on the top and what looked like an infra-red camera or spotlight. Army personnel manning the tower and living in the tent greeted us as we rode past. Passing a number of these observation posts as we made our way to Columbus was a constant reminder that the border was only a few kilometres away, and that there were plenty of people over the border wanting to find a new life, and willing to run the gauntlet to get it.

Arriving in Columbus we found a small border town with not much to it other than housing and a few shops, most of which were closed. Arriving at the Post Office to pick up a parcel we found the place closed for lunch. Stopping in the local park for lunch we enjoyed the sun before taking a trip back to the Post Office only to find that the parcel was not there. A short ride to the store for some supplies and then it was time to find somewhere to stay, which turned out to be the only place in town, the towns cheap, cheerful and only motel.

Today's Stats

From: Bush Camp 8km S Hachita

To: Columbus

Ride Time:
3 hours 45 minutes

Distance:
61.5 km's

Av Speed:
16.4 km/h

Max Speed:
32.9 km/h

Max Altitude:
1438m

Av Climb: 1 %

Max Climb: 5 %

Weather: -7 to 20 deg C. Sunny with cool wind.

Camp Location:

N: 31°49'46.2"

W: 107°38'28.7"

Wednesday 16 January 2008

The weather here has deteriorated and there is a real chill to the place, most weather reports are informing of the next few days being around zero and with a cold wind, so it didn't take much for us to take a day off and to explore not only Columbus, but to go over the border into Mexico for a look.

The manager of the motel offered to take us to the border and to pick us up when we were ready, so we took her up on the offer. Walking over the border and with out any sort of formal requirements was so easy, the border activity on the US side was organised and officious, but non existent on the Mexican side. Walking past the wall that is being built along the border and through the checkpoint we immediately noticed the difference.

The US/Mexico Border fence.

Gone were the organised, clean, bitumen roads, replaced with typical border advertising. Bad roads; dirt and dust everywhere; people standing around in a seemingly aimless way; hand painted signs; old and badly maintained vehicles, and a generally poor outlook was everywhere, we had definitely walked into the "have not's" area.

The cold wind was still blowing as we walked around the streets, looking in the pottery shop, looking at the church that seems to attract every tourist and which sits opposite the town square, and then it was a walk around more of the dusty, dirt ridden streets before we stopped at The Pink Store, the recognised tourist shopping spot for souvenirs and nick knacks. We browsed the store for a while before enjoying some Mexican food and a coffee and then heading back into the US. As arranged, the motel manager arrived and picked us up in the car park on the US side and brought us back to the motel, from where we went for a look at the local museum which is located in the old railway station.

We spent quite a while looking through the museum before taking a short walk around town and another check at the Post Office for our parcel and then it was time to head back to the motel to get out of the weather.

Columbus is not only a border town but is famous because of a raid by Pancho Villa back in March 1916 when he and his bandits raided the US Army camp and town, looting the shops and killing 10 civilians. This raid is recognised as the first terrorist attack on US soil. Interestingly enough, the town of Columbus has a State Park named after Pancho Villa and in fact uses the raid as part of its tourist attractions.

Columbus NM

Thursday 17 January 2008

Day off in Columbus.

Columbus NM

Friday 18 January 2008

Leaving Columbus this morning with the mercury at minus 4 deg C was an interesting experience. Riding was keeping us warm with exception of our faces and our feet. A gentle climb out of Columbus under a beautiful blue sky saw us working reasonably hard. Cresting the hill we came upon a Border Patrol Road Checkpoint, complete with armed guards and a drug dog. The guards asked us if we were in the US legally and asked to see our documents to prove that. Passports inspected and accepted we were allowed to proceed.

The temperature was getting slightly warmer and but our feet were getting colder so we stopped not only for a break and something to eat but to put on a second pair of socks. A man from the New Mexico Dept of Transport stopped to see if we were okay and then after a short chat continued on his way. The wind began to pick up and of course it was a headwind, the wind chill keeping the temperature down low, despite the brilliant sunshine.

Riding through open farmland meant that the wind was able to continue blasting us and with Deming less than 10 kilometres away, we were so looking forward to get out of the cold, stopping again for some more energy food and to put on our water and more importantly wind proof boot covers. Arriving in town we were stopped by a man who was from the local paper and who wanted a short interview and photo's, so we obliged before heading over to where we had decided to stay.

Today's Stats

From: Columbus

To: Deming

Ride Time:
3 hours 34 minutes

Distance:
53.48 km's

Av Speed:
14.9 km/h

Max Speed:
23.0 km/h

Max Altitude:
1323 m

Av Climb: 1 %

Max Climb: 3 %

Weather: -4 to 7 deg C. Sunny with cool wind.

Camp Location:

N: 32°16'07.4"

W: 107°44'24.6"

Saturday 19 January 2008 - THE LATEST NEWS!

Dear Reader and Vicarious Traveler.

When we started our 3 Oceans on 3 Wheels trip, we were filled with a ton of excitement, expectation and wonderment, and month after month as our trip progressed, we experienced so many wonderful and amazing places, and met so many wonderful, warm, hospitable and fabulous people. But as good as all of that has been, as time has gone on and the miles disappeared under our tyres, we both began to enjoy the trip less and less, not so much because of the places we were seeing or the people we were meeting, but because the road is a hard task master and has been wearing us down physically and mentally.

For some time now we have been filled with indecision and wonder about where our trip has been heading, and somehow the dynamics of the trip changed, the goal of reaching the Atlantic Ocean and thereby completing the 3 ocean trilogy no longer seemed that important anymore. Over the last little while we have spent quite some time considering a number of options, but there was nothing that felt or seemed right, and so the only logical conclusion was that it was time finish this ride, and to go home.

We have both recognised that we love the outdoors, especially being in the middle of nowhere, surviving by our own means and challenging ourselves, and we have also recognised that we are not good at the city to city, town to town thing.

So now it is onto another small adventure, getting ourselves and our gear home. We are fortunate enough to have friends back in Arizona where we can sort, clean, package and organise it all from, and that is where we will be while we sort it all out.

Over the course of our trip many of you have been sending us messages that encouraged us, telling us how much you have enjoyed riding vicariously with us, we have kept and cherish them all, and we thank you for them. Some of you will be disappointed with our decision to finish, and we apologise to those of you who have been looking forward to our getting to and reporting on certain other places, and in some cases even meeting with us. We too are disappointed that the trip is over, but at the end of the day, we know that we have made the right decision.

Our trip statistics (from Deadhorse Alaska) are:
Total Distance: 8079.5 km's.
Average Distance: 52,8 km's per day.
Total Time Pedaling: 618 hours, 22 minutes, 28 seconds.
Average Time Pedaling: 4hours, 2 minutes, 29 seconds.
Average Speed: 13.1 km/h.

Total distance (including Australia): 12,423.6km's.
Total Time Pedaling: 955 hours, 25 minutes, 5 seconds.

We are not sure where life is going to take us next, hopefully there will be more tours, though maybe slightly shorter than this type of epic, and we will no doubt report on them if and when they happen, but in the meantime we will be returning to Australia to see our family, 3 children and 9 grandchildren.

Thank you for riding along with us.

Deming NM

Trip Postscript

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