No Country For Old Men

A couple of days ago when I stopped at a bike shop in El Paso for a maintenance check, I asked the young clerk what the route was like down to Van Horn. He sleepily replied, "Tough road. And hot this time of year. Why are you asking?" When I replied that I'm riding across the country he stopped and said, "Huh? Who's riding across the country?" I repeated that I was. It was easy to read the guy's mind; "no way" is what he was thinking. "Man, that's a difficult trip for ahh, well, anyone." 

Good luck with that one old timer, is what he was really saying. Fact is, this southwest part of the US is rugged, hardscrabble landscape. While most of New Mexico was picturesque, the route hugged the US-Mexican border; soon there were many more US Border Patrol agents than Kodak moments. We've made good time. Today marks Day 19 and we've clicked for over 1,060 miles since leaving Oceanside on May 1. We're camped tonight in an outpost called Van Horn, TX -- not exactly a garden spot but I've seen worse. The people are friendly and curious. Most ask the same question: why? And I've got answers.