Gracious!! I had NO idea so many people responded to this!!! I left around July 18, and got back here late Sunday night. I have a private message from a nice fellow in Kress, giving me his phone # if i needed help--of course I didn't see it till I got back on the computer.
I was thinking while riding..my heart is in Texas, but my soul is in New Mexico. I love both places, and am SO glad I did this trip!!! I got rejuvenated...saw miles and miles of lovely pastures that weren't for sale (you get jaded around Houston), fat cows and fat shiny horses. I smelled alfalfa, road kill, cut pastures, rain, chamisa. I rode when the temp was 105, w/ my jacket and helmet--thinking of all the wreck stories I have read here. I rode w/ a friend in NM (the fellow my mom paid to take me to prom, fearing I wouldn't go otherwise) all over northern NM one day--he kept whizzing off, then pulling over asking me if something was wrong w/ my bike. I told him "no, that I rode the speed limit, had a Texas plate in NM., and had one day to absorb the sites--thinking the whole time of Mike, Tim, and Dick telling me to "ride my own ride".
I had a lot of maintenance to do on my family home-but it was heaven to sit out in the back and breath in that mountain air (no place on earth has the smell of New Mexico after a rain) and watch the birds, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks--being bombarded by hummingbirds. Thanking God for getting me home, giving me rainbows and a full moon. The house I was raised in and now is mine (though falling apart rapidly) is on the edge of the Rio Grande Gorge-and you can hear the cows bellowing up from the canyon, walk out and look over the rim to the swollen river, watch a moonrise over the Sangre de Cristo mts. I studied, which was the intent--saw old old friends, took myself for trips up through the Jemez mts., down the Bandelier canyon. The only injury occurred at the very end, putting the bike away I burned myself pretty bad on the exhaust. Stupid me. Which brings me to "goonfotch" . One and the same.
Thankyou guys for your suggestions, and offers--I just never saw them. I camped in state parks. Headed out to NM I got SO tired before I was to hit Clovis, that I pulled over to rest on a log by a silo-couldn't rest, kept thinking someone would steal my bike, so got up to keep riding. I went one block and saw a "Welcome to New Mexico" sign!! I was in a town called Texico--a very appropriate name. The difference between NM and Texas at that point was the cost of gas-the block in Texas had reg. for $2. 45, a block over, in NM it was $2. 85.
I am a rapidly growing old lady who behaved herself when young--so this trip was a total surprise to myself and most people who know me--but I knew in my heart that if I didn't do it, I never would. School starts again this week-(I'm in an RN program at Montgomery College--even me, this old lady) and it is so hard and intense--that I soon won't be able to breath--but for two magic weeks--I was in heaven. I will try now to put in some pictures. I hope. Zandra