Seventy four miles today, half in El Paso traffic. Eight lanes of it. David maneuvered between sidewalks and any available asphalt to get us safely through the city. Leaving from Mecilla this morning at 6 AM, we were lulled into a false sense of security, spinning through pecan groves and cotton fields.
Then, West El Paso. Intense traffic at 10 AM. But enough on that.
The city center was more manageable, with an actual bike lane heading eastward. The route led us through the thoroughly Mexican part of town.
I loved it, reminding of my riding through Mexico proper. The intriguing contrasts were all there. Pretty homes with flower-heavy landscaping and high security fencing interspersed with not so pretty but essential community services: auto parts shops, meat stores (carnerias?) and churches.
Beyond the main road lay high density American-style developments, but I still glimpsed some individuality.
We lunched at a Mexican seafood restaurant, the only senior white couple there. Funky, unique and delicious.
We're staying tonight in Clint, TX. We can see the Rio Grande and Mexico from our window. We know there are bad things going on in Juarez, but all is peaceful here.
About Us
- Karen, David & Bill
- Based in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, we three are longtime single cycle riders. After early retirement, Karen and David bought a jumbo-sized Cannondale tandem. It's white (very), trimmed in red. We call it the Pillsbury Doughboy. We were joined by Bill, an old friend, on his 14-year old single Cannondale and made the call that started this adventure. He's supposedly retired but continues to find real work when he chooses.We planned to pedal self-supported across the U.S. in Spring 2011 from San Diego CA to St. Augustine FL. In beginning this adventure we agreed philosophically with Jean-Jacques Rousseau: "The person who has lived the most is not the one with the most years but the one with the richest experiences."
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