Day 19 Artesia Nm to Hobbs Nm 80.2 mi 8 hr 70 deg

Left Artesia at 8:45a, later than usual because the forecast was calling for thunderstorms to be ending then. As I was leaving town there was a refinery, then numerous oil supply companies, then finally the miles and miles of oil and natural gas wells, the first I've seen on this trip. This will probably be the landscape for many days to come.
Fifteen miles into the day I got a flat. After yesterday's flat I was feeling vunerable since I had only two tubes left. I stopped at Walmart and thank goodness they had tubes with presta valves that would fit my road tires. I bought the only three they had. Unlike yesterday, I did not feel as lonely because of the all the tanker truck and oil field workers on the road even on this Sunday. There was not one gas station, convenience store, restaurant, or anything open between Artesia and Hobbs, a full 80 miles. I had enough food and water, could have used an ice cold Coke about half way.
The picture for today was from the Roswell Ranch. They had wrought iron signs made up for all their Rodeo Team wins. In back of the signs, you can see a oil drilling rig which was being worked as I changed my tire. Once it warmed up, the temp. hovered around 70 deg all day.