Feeling like a Tourist!

We only had 48 miles to travel today from El Paso to Fort Hancock, Texas AND they were easy miles! Our guides told us to take our time as the hotel we were staying at had nothing to offer...truer words were never spoken....not even clean rooms! So we played the tourist scene and stopped at every little thing we could find along the way! It was a fun, easy day. The sweepers did their part today and came in last...it's a hard job being sweepers but we are good at it and we love it. Kirby, Katie and me. I bet you are waiting for a picture of me when I don't have that green jacket on! It was in low 40's when we left this a.m......like a heat wave. It got up to the 70's today. By afternoon I actually rode in shorts and short sleeved jersey! I might get a tan yet.

It was sorta a religious day....we traveled through the Ysleta Del Sur Indian Reservation which was also a mission trail. We visited this church which was part of the mission and it was beautiful. Again, we traveled through very poor areas, but I noted that the Indians must place very high value on their faith and education. There were many beautiful churches and the schools looked very nice. The majority of homes were ghetto type homes.

This was a very simple, yet beautiful grotto in Socorro.

This is the original mission in Socorro dating back to the 1800's. We spent about an hour talking with the Deacon, who is actually the priest due to the shortage of priests. He told us they have 700 families attending this church with an average off erring of $2100 a week; that would be $3.00 per family. He told us to guard our bikes because crime is high. Just last night someone had dug up the water pipes to the church; he assumed it was to sell the copper. We are truly blessed when I see communities like this.

We passed miles and miles of fields, farmers plowing. This irrigation ditch ran for miles and they drain it to water the fields. Still seeing pecan groves - but not as many as before.

The only mountain range we saw today. We believe these mountains are actually in Mexico as we continue to be near the border. A low flying helicopter circled this area for well over an hour while we biked past. We assume they are doing border patrol. Another note, so far everyone in this area of Texas speaks Spanish - most can also speak English, but it is not the main language.

We now have "indoor bathrooms"...well sorta. The SAG wagon wasn't able to find any remote areas to stop today so she opened up the front and back doors, hung toilet paper, hand towels on the right....and what do you know, we have privacy! The open back door allows us to use the back seat as our dressing room as we disrobe as the temp rises. Nothing but the best for us bikers.

Financial Tips in these difficult times:

• Invest in any type of butt creme. 23 bikers are going through a lot of creme; my favorite being Chamois Butt'r.


• Every town, no matter how depressed, seems to have a Dollar General or a Family Dollar store...I think this could be a great investment!
  

Miss Kitty's Quote: I no longer take anything for granted; it is either a good day or a great day! (Lance Armstrong) By the way, today was a GREAT day for me - I hope the same is true of you.

Biking Notes:

• all bikers are healthy today
• all bikes were working today - only one flat that I heard of
• No one sagged today
• The total number of flats for the flat tire derby is 33!