Tuesday 3 May 2011

Viva Las Vegas...Day 9...Albuquerque to Las Vegas...Mon 02/05/11

On paper, this is the toughest day of the trip, as it means over 8000' of climbing and 135 miles ganin' forward. Of course, as the hoary old line has it...we don't cycle on paper, do we?

Away from the hotel in Albuquerque just after 7am and I had the pleasure of Tom's company until the first stop at 35 miles, and I was glad of it too as we shared the work through freezing temperatures with headwinds and snow-flurries, with plenty of climbing from the off: 1000' for every 10 miles.


What happened to 80F?


See? Told you there was snow up here...


As well as stunning views...just keep pedalling to keep warm.


One of those days that when you did get a downhill stretch, the windchill was biting. Still bombed-on, natch.


This was the other Madrid, with tons of arts'n'craft shops, burnt-out hippies and coffe shops. But no Mourinho.


Just staggering landscapes- the outcrops on the horizon never seemed to get much closer though.


Yes indeed I do, Dionne- you take exit 319 off I-25N.


Just over 10 hours (!) after leaving Albuquerque I arrived at the Comfort Inn, Las Vegas. Sure, a long day but a strangely enjoyable one: I remembered back to this date one year ago- I was seeing Iggy & The Stooges go bananas in Hammersmith. Definitely did not forecast this malarkey one year on, hah-hah!


Reckon there must've been some method in yesterday's steak, beer, wine...then pasta, beer, wine diet as I seemed to fare a wee bit better than some out there. Think I should share this...I'll let Brad Wiggins know.

Have I got stats for you: check the elevation and temperature...not the fastest century ever, nor the easiest. Job done!