Barry woke up to a flat rear tire. Never good but especially not today when we were getting up 15 minutes early to leave and beat the traffic. He was in such a hurry he managed to blow up the second tube because he did not install it properly. I had to being him his breakfast outside as he did not have time to eat.
We were told it was going to be another day with lots of climbing. As soon as you leave the hotel you start to climb. Barry led the group through the city in to the headwind and smoke from surrounding wildfires. Nobody complained as it was a headwind and after leading for 8 miles I took over as the hills got steeper.
At mile 16 we rode through Tijeras which I am sure is normally a sleepy little town but not today! The Police/Sheriffs and Highway Patrol were all out with their guns pointed at suspects in front of a bank with one girl being handcuffed. We assume a bank robbery but did not stop to ask! I was climbing very well for the first 22 miles and myself and 3 other girls beat all the guys to the first restroom stop. It was the first time ever that the girls rocked! More climbing to the SAG at Henderson's general Store in the middle of nowhere but they sold jewelry and a few chocolate bars. Out of the SAG we finally got some downhill but scary crosswinds and bad road at times. Made it to Madrid which is a funky little artsy town at mile 44 where some of the riders stopped for lunch and to shop. Not sure how they intend to carry it but they will figure it out. I would have like to have stopped but without a car Barry and I did not want to stop as Tracy said it gets much hotter after Madrid and she was right as usual. Finally had to stop at the only shade we could find which was under the I-25 underpass. After we cooled off and had a stretch we continued on to the hotel. It is the Memorial Day weekend in the US so lots of traffic in the city. According to the computers 5500 feet of elevation gain today.
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