Final Ride! Separ to Columbus-Mexico Border Crossing 8/21 64 miles

  After a day off in Silver City, and a trip to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, we were ready to ride to the finish.  We rented a car when we arrived in Silver City because we didn't want to unhook everything on Rocky to drive the 45 very windy miles to the cliff dwellings.  Daren found it very strange to drive a car after driving the motorhome for so long.  He tried to make Sarah and I car sick on the way!  The dwellings were amazing.   It is believed that 10-15 families inhabited 46 rooms in 5 caves.  We got to go in all 5 caves, but our time was cut short by an incoming lightning storm.  We were advised to stay a half hour til the storm passed, but decided to take our chances and hike down the canyon to our car.  I'm glad we didn't wait, because the storm didn't hit for at least another hour.
We dropped off the rental car very early in the morning, followed by Sarah in the rv.  We then drove about 50 miles to our start in Separ, NM.  Sarah talked to a border guard at a gas station where we stopped, and asked if the Columbus crossing was ok.  He said the trouble there had been contained and it was ok to go on that way.  Silas rode the first 15 miles with us on this all paved section.  We saw many suicidal centipedes on the highway at least 6-8 inches long!  We saw one coiled rattlesnake off in the dirt about 20ft from us thank God, and many Border Patrol trucks passing us.  After Silas stopped riding, we continued on the very hot, dry desert path.  There was a dirt path next to the pavement that Border Patrol liked to drive on.  They were very friendly with us, honking and waving.  We were actually comforted by their presence.  Sarah felt better that they were around also.  We didn't even mind being buzzed by a Border Patrol helicopter.  Not much else to report on this 95 degree day.  Thank God we had a tailwind.  We kept an 18-22 mph pace for the last 49 miles, which got is into the border by 2pm.  The end was bittersweet.  We were glad to be finished, but after all the build up, we couldn't believe it was over already.  So many long and beautiful days, rough roads, and new friends.

More pics here