Day 17 Alamogordo Nm to Cloudcroft Nm 22.3 mi 5 hr 62 deg

I must be getting the knack of this ascent riding, it wasn't easy , but not as bad as I thought it would be. Even though it was "only" five hours and all up hill for about 4400 feet I still had some riding in me, but no close towns to go to. I put my lights on for the tunnel and peddled fast, I'm glad I only met one car. I am looking foreword to the ride tomorrow, Artesia Nm is 90 miles away but it's a gradual descent of about 5000 feet and I should have a ten knot tale wind, yipee. I rode my bike to a Texas barbecue place for supper without all my bags and water and I almost could not believe how light it felt. The temp got up to about 75 today, but in Cloudcroft it was only 62.