Today we rode from Chaco Trading Post (GDMBR Chaco Alternate), New Mexico, US to Joe Skeen Campground (25km after Sargents), New Mexico, US. Sunny weather all day. Road conditions included paved roads only. Highlights of the day include making mileage, visiting Grants, and our evening campground.

Riding statistics: on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, day 38 on the route, it took 11:26h (08:00h moving time), between 07:26 and 18:53, to cover 148 km (92 miles), including 950 m (3117 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 19 km/h (12 mph), while reaching a maximum speed of 51 km/h (32 mph). During this ride the average temperature was 30 °C (86 °F) with a minimum of 13 °C (55 °F) and a maximum of 40 °C (104 °F).

Totals: So far, it took 11 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes, and 23 seconds of cycling time to cover 3958 km (2459 miles), including 47122 m (154607 ft) elevation gain, with an average speed of 14.9 km/h (9.3 mph).

Last night has not been my best night of sleep. It took long before I got asleep because of the warmth. We expected a much colder night. At 1:20am I got awake again. I heard some animal doing this and it came from the direction of my bike. We parked our bikes against a shipping container. I slowly opened my tent and used my headlamp to illuminate the bike. I saw several mice, or rats, run away. They were brown, and their body about 15cm long. I knew I had left a few food items in two bags on my bike, so I got up and got them inside my tent. Unfortunately, after a while they started again, this time not on my bike because I could see none anymore. It turned out that Anna had a few bars on her bike as well, and the next morning we discovered that one was opened and eaten from.

The convenience store in the Chaco Trading Post opens at 7am. That is why we had set our alarms at 6am so that we had one hour to get ourselves ready. Before 7am we were already finished and walked our bikes to the store waiting for it to be opened. We had some chats we Tom, who decided to already leave before the store opened. We bought some breakfast snacks, enjoyed them, and left the Chaco Trading Post. Jack & Max took their time and would leave a little later. There was even morning traffic. School busses full of employees for the construction of the solar plants were on the road. Some stopped at the Chaco Trading Post to get coffee and some breakfast / lunch snacks as well. We had a chat with a few, and some of them warning for the dangerous traffic between here and Grants. Which eventually was no issue at all, all drivers kindly made way when passing us.

The scenery was still desert- ish. On the road there were dozens of grasshoppers. We have seen many before, but this were huge. It was again a warm day. Fortunately, we had some wind from cycling. We had to cycle about 115km (71.5 miles) to Grants, but since it was all paved, it took not that long. About one third in, we passed Tom. On this section there was again a large mining area. We went underneath a bridge that was build for the gigantic trucks that were used for mining.

Around 1:30pm we arrived in Grants. First, we stopped at a truck stop to have some cold snacks & drinks, and to decide our next move. From here there was again an alternate route, for the same reason as the previous one, impassable when wet. We also got some feedback from others. Many goat thorns on the unpaved section, and at the other hand, little to no shoulder on a busy road for the paved alternate. For the same reason as previously, we decided for the alternate route. Also, because we saw that there was a campground about 30km (18.5 miles) after Grants, perfect for a late afternoon / early evening ride. We decided to first do some chores in Grants and after that cycle to the campground.

We left the truck stop and cycled towards the downtown area of Grants. First, we passed an industrial area with businesses, which later changed into a main street. We noticed that we were on Route 66. There were still many old buildings from the times that Route 66 was still a popular route, unfortunately many of these buildings are beyond repair. We stopped at the local post office to pickup my tire, which I will keep as a spare. After that we went to a Subway for a late lunch / early dinner (wraps & sodas). Finally, we went to the Walmart for groceries. We needed food for 3 days, and as much water as we can carry. We also bought reflective ‘vests’ because of the remark about heavy traffic on the alternate route. Around 5pm we left Grants.

The road out of Grants was indeed busy. Fortunately, that only lasted for about 15 minutes. Once our road crossed interstate 40, there was hardly any traffic anymore. The scenery changed again, we were back in mountains and forests. We cycled along beautiful canyon walls at one side, and a valley at the other side, with large mountains in the distance. We passed a visitor center, but it had already closed. Around 7pm we arrived at the Joe Skeen Campground in ‘El Maipais Natural Monument’. The campground had several camping spots, all had their own pavilion with BBQ and picnic table. We pitched our tents in one of the pavilions. When it got dark, you could see again an impressive number of stars.

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