Day 15 Espanola,NM to Moriarty,NM 101 miles 5000' climbing

We were all pretty glad to get out of Espanola! Not on our favorites list!

The morning weather was great...but, no sign of the expected tailwind! The middle 50 or so miles on Route 14 south were very familiar to me because I traveled that route (in the opposite direction) during last years LA to Boston. It was much more fun going north. Check out Day 8 in the archive: http://davidacrossamerica.blogspot.com . Today's long climb up to and past Madrid was steep and hot. Last May, I flew thru there at 45mph...and it was about 65 degrees.

Craig and I stayed together most of the day. Chip rode off solo on the long hill into Madrid...and ended up getting lost! He ended up with about 20 "bonus miles". We watched a simple cloud turn into a big nasty storm before our eyes! It was pretty scary. When the lightning started we rolled into the first safe place we could find...a school. Heavy rain and hail, kept us there for about 1/2 hour. The rest of the way into Moriarty was dry...and clearing. We had some crazy looking lady drive beside us today and ask for directions to Roswell,NM. The first thing that came to mind was: "why don't you send an atomic flare back to the mother ship and ask them?" I do know when to keep my mouth shut!

Not much in Moriarty. It's really not much more than a freeway exit with the usual TacoBell/KFC combo, McD's and a huge fireworks store advertising M60's. Anyone have a toilet that needs to be blown up? (not that I'd know anything about that event!!!) Looks like Mexican again tonight...not at Taco Bell...there's an actual Mexican (crossed fingers) Restaurant in town. Wish me luck! I think Montezuma was a really cool dude (karma)!

It's always fun when something happens to throw us off our game. Dodging the storm, or hiding out in the school make the ride more interesting! I love being out and exposed to nature like this. If you are in a car..it's just not the same experience!

Sure do miss my beautiful wife! Just a few more days. Love you Kates!
















A pretty typical house in Espanola,NM. Not the most beautiful city we've visited!




















I love these produce signs....just don't get to shoot them very often.




















These guys could use a visit...or 20!

















Last night's dinner didn't stand a chance. We ate at Peragua in Espanola. It's a famous place...housed in a very old Hacienda building with a tree growing out of the middle. Really cool interior.




















Camel Rock




















we passed thru a very expensive neighborhood outside Santa Fe. Hard to see the houses.






















unless, of course, they are wearing lycra shorts, a colorful jersey and are carrying a bike...





















Once we turned south on Route 14...we were backtracking my route from last year's LA to Boston. At Rob's request I yelled out "sho am good!!!" It was much more fun coming up from the south. I remember screaming thru Madrid at 45mph. This time I was barely making 7mph....uphill.





















Tiny Town...as we enter Madrid. It's a very quirky little town. Seems to have done well since the movie "WILD HOGS" was made a couple years ago.




















Maggie's Diner....from the John Travolta, William H. Macy movie "WILD HOGS" which was shot in Madrid, NM.





















Madrid mailboxes





















I thought this was some weird sculpture at first. It's a lady tending her bees.






















The "Kicking Ass Ranch"...it's for sale!




















looking back towards Madrid..."Wild Hogs...let's roll!!!"






















Here's the new computer. Check out the temp. Disregard the speed...it was a 10 mile climb out of Madrid. I was "pacing myself"...ha!





















today's infinity road





















this is how the nasty storm we got caught in looked about an hour earlier. Pretty wild out here!




















This was one nasty 15% grade hill. Of course...right after lunch!



















we watched this little rain shower blow up into one nasty rain,hail & lightning storm. We had to "hunker down" in an Elementary School.



















Craig...leading us thru the storms.



























You've got to really like living in the middle of nowhere...to live in the middle of nowhere!


















Some spectacular prairie storms today!