LOE_P3

Ken's 2002 LOE Adventure Page 3

All the sudden, the bike stumbles, and I switch to reserve. Wait a minute! I usually hit reserve about 160 to 180 miles, with my best ever at 199 miles. I have 120 miles on the trip odometer, and it�s 23 miles to Deming; and there is NOTHING between here and Deming! I guess the faster New Mexico speed limits and the average 5000-foot elevation are having their affect! I slow what feels like a snails pace, knowing that I�m going to lose even more time if I run out of gas out here. Two more bikes pass me on the way into Deming, and I wave as they go by. I made it into Deming just fine, bagging the 317 points, and make a note to get gas whenever the opportunity presents itself.

I catch up to the group in front of me at the gas station in Deming, and quickly fill up. I�m hungry (it�s 10-something AM) and I grab a sandwich from the convenience store. I overhear the teller complaining about all these bikers that want a receipt for their 2 or 3 dollars worth of gas, and stifle a smile. I guess one of the printers was out of paper when the first group got there, and the station attendants had to fill all the printers. All I know is that it worked for me, so maybe there is an upside to riding the slow bike! The tellers comment is the only negative thing I hear on the whole ride from the public. I scarf my sandwich, wash it down with some water, and check the map for the best way to Hachita. Looks like I-10 to 146, then straight south. Down I-10 I go singing, �I�m a Hachita bonus, and I�m here for you�� to the tune of the old Chiquita banana commercials. OK, it gets lonely out there, what can I say? I think I made up about 4 or 5 verses before I got to Hachita.

Highway 146 in New Mexico is an interesting highway. On my map, it shows 2 or 3 turns, but the cartographer was an optimist; there is ONE curve, and then a little one before town. And a whole bunch of whoops and signs that say �Standing Water� and �Running Water�. Well, maybe when it�s raining, but not today. Hachita. What can I say about the jewel of southern New Mexico? You have to visit it yourself to experience the � ambiance is the word I think � of Hachita. I take my first ever bonus location picture, and adjust clothing while it is developing, as it�s warming up. Picture looks great, so I write the bonus number on it, fill in the Bonus sheet, and boogie back north on 146.

From exit 42 on I-10, my map shows a little connector road up to 90, which will take me to Silver City, the second Trail stop. I roll off the freeway, and there is the road, if you can call it a road that is. It�s dirt, well sand really. I roll across the rail-road tracks and spend a couple minutes looking at the road before making probably my best decision of the rally, banging a U-turn and getting back west-bound on I-10. 30 minutes later I pass the other end of the road on 90 and congratulate myself on NOT taking that road.

I�d read Jim Winterers� ride report of the Minnesota 2K, and to paraphrase him, he said that on Hopeless class bikes, you get to speed, set the throttle lock, and let the bike go. I do this a lot, slowing up the hills, zooming down the other side. It saved a lot of wear and tear on my wrist, that�s for sure!

Approaching Silver City, there are literally mountains made from mine tailings. I wonder how long it has taken to move all this earth, marveling at the power of man, while at the same time feeling unease for what we�ve wrought. I am always split on the issues of environment vs. business, as I can see both sides. I don�t really think to hard about it today, but I wish I could hang around and explore this area a little, as it sure looks interesting.

At Silver City, I stop for gas, then go in and get some Grandma�s Peanut Butter cookies, a root beer and a new bottle of water. I did not have a good way to put my Platypus on since I left the saddlebags at the hotel, so I used electrical tape to secure a water bottle to my backrest upside down, and hooked my Platypus drinking hose to it. The only problem was getting the last of the water out of the bottle, as I had to collapse the plastic bottles. Ira had a few funny comments to make about my sucking power at the break when he saw the collapsed water bottle.

The clerk must have found my preparations interesting as she watched from the window as I simultaneously munched cookie, drank pop, and changed the bottle. Another smart move I made was asking her where the road to Reserve was, as it was not well marked. With her directions, I had no trouble finding it, and headed up 180 towards my next Trail stop.

Highway 180 was the most scenic highway of the first Trail I did. I can�t really comment on the scenery on the second Trail, as it was dark for the whole ride! Highway 180 winds through the Mogollon, Tularosa, Magnus, Saliz and San Francisco Mountains, and there are actual curves! I�m also reminded that not all places in New Mexico have benefited from the prosperity that Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque have seen. There are a lot of small town out here that seem to be hanging by a thread, and it makes whatever money problems I have seem little and insignificant in comparison. I turn off 180 onto 12 headed towards Reserve.

Coming into Reserve I spot the city limits sign, but head on in to get gas. There is a Harley in the gas station, and he informs me that it�s closed. I�m OK on gas, so I just zip back the block or so to take a picture of the city limits sign. I�ve put my rally towel in the tail trunk, tethered to the bike. For my pictures, I just pull it out, close the lid on it and shoot the photo. Works great, and takes little time. The only time I remove it from the tether for the whole rally is for the Los Lunas bonus, and I make sure it gets right back on the tether after taking that picture.

Trail stops done, I�m now headed back to Albuquerque. I�ve got plenty of time, so I do some more on-the-fly routing, and decide to get the Quemado, Pie Town and VLA Telescope bonuses. I�ve been thinking of time and bonuses, and come to the conclusion I need to get most of my bonus done during the day, and just run a base Trail route at night. So I shoot for getting back to Albuquerque about 7 PM, do the midpoint check, take the one hour rest bonus, and then head back out around 8, giving me 11 hours for a basic Trail loop, with maybe one gas bonus in Fort Sumner. I could use some gas now, so I stop in Apache Creek and fill up. After filling, I pull into the shade for a little futzing. I by a Starbucks Frappachino Mocha and drink it with the other PB cookie, while I clean my shield and changed GPS batteries. I hear the buzz of a 600cc four cylinder and watch as the Buzz �N Bee goes zooming by. I wave, but a little late, and Janene does not see me. Time to get going, and I take the turn off up 32, while she takes the shorter route on highway 12.