Cycling Ellen

48.6 miles today
956 total

At last night’s map meeting, Michelle told us not to hurry out this morning because it was a short day and there wasn’t much to Fort Hancock to rush towards.  She was right.  Not only is this a little town on the side of I10, there were 3 water main breaks in town so there was no water for us to shower with or drink when we arrived.  By now, it will be obvious to you, that there is also no internet, little phone connection and no microwave in the room to heat up water for tea (right, there is no water either!).  For someone with a cold, the late start was a nice reprieve from the usual pace of the day – out for breakfast and on the road shortly after 7 a.m.  Today was a leisurely 8:30 call to pack our snacks for the day and to wait until 9 a.m. for the El Paso traffic to clear before we headed out.

We were following the Mission Trail for the first part of the day.  Along this route Christian missionaries built a series of churches.  I lost my riding partners early when I stopped to take pictures and got caught in a series of red lights.  I stopped at the chapel in San Elizario to see one of the mission churches.  There was also a building known as Los Portales which was originally built as a home and then converted into a school in the 1800’s.

In Tornillo, I took the recommended detour on our cue sheet to La Calesa Restaurant.  As I wound through the little town, I passed the elementary school where the children were out for recess.  I spoke with three 2nd graders along the fence.  If I hadn’t had a cold, I would have stopped into the school but I didn’t want to bring my germs along.  Most of the schools we’ve passed have been on spring break so it was fun to see children on a playground again.  There were big awnings over the playground structures to keep the kids out of the sun.

Around the corner, I found the restaurant but to my surprise no other riders.  I sat down and shortly thereafter, Arda joined me.  Using my minimal traveler’s Spanish, I found chicken soup on the menu which was just the thing for me for lunch along with some hot tea.  Later, several cyclists came along and just about filled up the place.  Already we’ve learned that the Texas wind really picks up in the afternoon and I was glad to have Arda and Jane with me to help block the wind (which always seems to be a headwind) after lunch.  We rode together the last 20 miles or so into town past more barren cotton fields, one field of Texas cattle and mountains in the distance both in Mexico to our right and in the distance far ahead of us.  We’ll be climbing those in a couple of days so I hope I’m back to full form by then.

Jane, Candice, Sandra, Dawn and I enjoyed refreshments at Angie’s restaurant across the street and Jane and I stopped at the chile store next door where the kind man talked us through the various kinds of chile products they make and sell there.  Michelle and Linda did a huge shopping trip in El Paso today to prepare for the lack of stores along the way in the next couple of weeks.  It’s another beautiful day in Texas.