Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) - Segment:
Ride from 'Valle Tio Vinces' NF Campground to Pie Town,
NM, 5 April, 2013
- Cycling Summary -
Goal: Completely Ride Adventure Cycling's 'Great Divide Mountain Bike Route'.
Objective:
One Day Ride Segment: From 'Valle Tio Vinces' NF Campground to Pie Town, NM.
Highlights
The day starts cloudy with a high humidly, but turns into a 75F/22C sunny day with some high clouds.
We saw 2 Peccary (aka Javelina or Wild Native Southwest Pigs).
We saw a few turn of the century adobe dwellings and a stone and mortar school (or church).
We crossed the Continental Divide 3 times (not requiring a lot of extra effort).
We each had 2 pieces of pie in Pie Town, NM (Coconut Cream, NM Apple with Pinion Nuts and green Chili, Raspberry Rhubarb, and Peach Crumb).
Day 1 - Cycle from 'Valle Tio Vinces' NF Campground to Pie Town, NM.
Above Left: We begin to fold and pack the tent for the last time on this trip. It did get down to about 30F/-1C last night, frost still on the ground.
Above Right: Continental Divide crossing #23 (no signage, ~ 8,100'/2450m).
Above Left: This is the first water that we have seen on the ground for about 70 miles (112 k).
Above Right: The road condition is still soft from a recent road grading. This will change soon.
Above Left: At last, within 3 miles (5k) the road is in good firm condition.
Above Right: We enjoy a little break. It is still a little chilly outside. Terry's fist is in a ball.
Above: We pass through an old burn area.
Above Left: Passing by the turnoff for the old Mangas Work Center (from CCC days in the 1930s).
Above Right: We are leaving the National Forest and passing by a few Campers, RVs, and hunter type dwellings that are located on small private plots.
Above: We are changing climate zones, leaving a Pine Forest for semi-arid Shrub and Cedar. We are also entering private ranch properties now (with public access).
Above Left: Hwy 60 - 18 Miles.
Above Right: We're coming up on an old ranch homestead. It will have new dwelling construction as well as old adobe ruins. See the old windmill tower on the left side.
Above: Older and newer forms of construction.
Above Left: Traveling with our Global Positioning System.
Above Right: Open Range.
Above Left: At the moment, we cannot tell if it is going to 'Rain or Shine'.
Above Right: The local terrain.
Above Left: Alegres Mountain and a Butte in the distance.
We have just re-entered the Gila National Forest.
Above Right: This old stone and mortar structure may have been a school.
Above: Stone and Mortar Church or School on the GDMBR, Gila NF, NM.
Above: Across from the School/Church, a big old home in ruins and plenty of water (and we are still on Open Range).
Above: We're in cattle and sage brush country.
Above Left: It's a Huge Fan (Joke - Windmill).
Above Right: This is a common sight and I finally got smart enough to take a picture. The Tripod is to protect the Telephone Junction Box from Cattle rubbing. Some of the poles are wrapped in barbed wire, but I don't think that stops all rub activity.
Above Left: For a short segment, we leave NF 214 and head east and jump across a small range of buttes.
Above Right: At the T-Intersection we turn left/north onto Pie Town Road (it is unnamed). About 17 miles (27k) to go.
Above Left: We have found some soft sand, in just a few places we walk the bicycle but in most cases we could ride through at the edge.
Above Right: A knurly old cedar skeleton.
Above Left: This is where we saw 2 Adult Peccary (wild native pigs, aka Javelina) but the pigs ran behind this brush stack and then disappeared into the thicket. We only saw the pigs because our stopping scared them, otherwise our presence and cycling activity probably would not have spooked them.
Above Right: This image is very close to what we saw in terms of count, size, and appearance. This image is from the website of the Ft Bowie, National Park Service, AZ (http://www.nps.gov/fobo/photosmultimedia/photogallery.htm).
Above: Local terrain and fauna.
An Observation: Sandstone, hard stone and sand. The places with more hard rock form the crests of the road and the places with more sand and sandstone form the softer valleys of the road. It is logical.
Above Left: Sandy Road (GDMBR, Gila NF, NM).
Above Right: The Bee takes a break on what is probably Continental Divide Crossing #22 (GDMBR, Gila NF, NM).
Above: We are on speed surfaces now with a slight roller coaster effect heading slightly downhill - Life is good!
Above: Side views on the GDMBR, Gila NF, NM.
Above Left: This crest is most likely Continental Divide Crossing #21 (GDMBR, Gila NF, NM).
Above Right: We're flying!
Above: Back and Front side to the Lamance Ranch Gateway.
Above: View to the NE on the GDMBR, about 2 miles (3 k) south of Pie Town, NM. The clouds are clearing out and we have sort of driven north and away from the mountain clouds.
Above: Roadside Views on the GDMBR, Gila NF, NM.
Above: Looking north toward Pie Town, about 1 mile (2k) to go.
Above: Southerns Cross SX Ranch.
Above: The final northbound climb up to Pie Town's backside hill crest (GDMBR, Gila NF, NM).
Above: One of Pie Town's many homes with character.
Above Left: It is original, the Stool Bus!
Above Right: This is the Pie Town RV Park which also has Showers and Toilets for Cyclists run as an open donation system. This is where we are staying and it is where we left our Shuttle Vehicle. The owners, Penny and Jay, are very helpful and accommodating (575-772-2727).
Above: One of Pie Town's two pie serving cafe's (The Good Pie Cafe).
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck at the Good Pie Cafe in Pie Town, NM; on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR); 5 April 2013.
Above Left: Welcome to Pie Town (on Hwy 60).
Above Right: A Well Diggers Historical Display.
Above: More Pie Town Welcome Signs (Note the annual September Pie festival!).
Above Left: The Pie-O-Neer, one of two pie shops in Pie Town.
Above Right: One of the Pie Town Histories. Another story is that in the 1890s a Girl (young lady) made simple Pastries and Cowboys would ride over a hundred miles to have a pastry and a cup of coffee at her establishment.
Above Left: The Counter.
Above Right: Open Dining Area.
Above Left: The World's only True Pie Chart.
Above Right: Dining Area.
Above Left: Terry had been talking about eating pie at Pie Town for 2 Days. We even timed our arrival for a noon time meal. Terry was eating light snacks on the trail today so that she could eat pie.
We each had 2 pieces of pie in Pie Town, NM. Terry ate Raspberry Rhubarb and Peach Crumb. Dennis ate NM Apple with Pinion Nuts and Green Chili (just to try it) and finally Coconut Cream. Dennis was not not smart enough to take a picture of the pies until part way into the very last piece of pie, sorry. All pies were good!
Above Right: Our neighbors ordered a classic burger! Now I think about pictures.
We had a great time, saw wild Javelina, and ate Pie at Pie Town, New Mexico
It was a great bicycle adventure!