Day 33 - Glenwood, NM to Silver City, NM

So... today is the last "regular" riding day on the GDMBR! Unfortunately, we're dealing with record heat here in the desert southwest --and our potential safety stops between Silver City and the border are temporarily closed (Jeffrey Sharp's bike ranch has had their water run out!).  So we're playing it safe, and ending our ride here...  If your curious  how hot it's getting-- here's what CNN is saying ;-)

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/14/weather/heat-wave-phoenix-california-las-vegas-climate/index.html. 

For today, we got unbelievably lucky... Part the residue of design, part pure dumb luck!  First, we started REALLY early. We were up at 4:15 and on the road before 5:00 and with just a hint of light on the Eastern horizon.  Not that there's a lot to see in this part of New Mexico, so we didn't miss much... Just some yucca and scruffy dry grass among the mesquite and juniper that's covering the long low hills. 

Today's ride into Silver City was basically on long climb... From our lowest point in weeks a couple hundred feet below 5000' altitude, back up to the last crossing of the continental divide at 6230'

As with yesterday, the drop in elevation seems to be really beneficial to how I'm feeling on the ride.  I can't remember a 5 hour ride where I easily sustained 2.5 w/kg, and finished with a 1000' climb at 3 w/kg.  Maybe just a little adrenaline and "horse to the barn" syndrome:-)

So... We're now in a great little coffee shop in Silver City waiting on Mike to arrive.  Feels really good to be in the AC and drinking really cold ice coffee! A fitting finish on the GDMBR!  Cheers;-)