We knew this to be a tough day, if from nothing else the cumulative effect of back-to-back-to-back 80 mile days. Left early, again. Interestingly enough, my riding friend Gabe and myself both thought that the two big climbs of the day, (the first to 4600' and the second to over 6100') were after a designation in the road called Three Way. So imagine our surprise to find that we were on a climb of significance BEFORE Three Way! Up and up. To 4600', then one of the most incredible downhill rides ever.remember, down beats up! Great road, about 6 miles, down to an actual river, with water! The Gila, the first river that I remember on the trip do far.
Yes we gave up altitude, but what a ride. We were then in Three Way, the barest existence of anyplace that I can imagine and still call it service. Yet, there was this old drive-in theatre screen standing from the past. In my wildest of imagining, I can't provide a scenario that would put people there in any quantity that would justify a drive-in. Yet it was there, like us.
The real surprise came when we were told that the FIRST if the day's climbs, the easiest by far, had been the one BEFORE Three Way and now we only faced one climb, a monster.
Switchbacks, grade, miles; all the components of a long afternoon, but hey, it is only one. Climb now.
We did it. In the process we left Arizona and entered New Mexico. Got in at dark to a town called Buckhorn. Not a big place, but the pizza was beyond description.
Pictured are the climbs, new friends that gave me much needed water and into NM.
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