New Mexico!!

We have left Arizona and are now in New Mexico!!
Such a good ride today - 75 miles and this morning I was dreading it - I was tired!!  But we had a lot of flat roads with good to great shoulders, not much traffic and this amazing tailwind for the last 20 miles or so!!
All this plus I wore two pairs of cycling shorts today so my derriere was much happier (it is the little things in life that can make you happy!!)
The weather continues to be nice; apparently unseasonably cool which makes for wonderful biking.
Yesterday was a long ride too but far more challenging.  78 miles but it was the day of the flat tires!!
I (only) had one but it happened just at the "Taylor Freeze" where everyone had stopped for ice cream
so I had plenty of help changing it - thanks Sue and Liz!
The record number of flats for yesterday was three!  Can you imagine getting three flat tires in one day???  And it happened to my new friend Joyce who is half Irish (it was St. Patrick's Day for heaven's sake!!)

Did you want to know what a typical day is for me???
We are staying at Best Westerns, Quality Inns, and the like so there is almost always a breakfast provided in the breakfast room at the hotel.  They have some sort of eggs, toast, mystery meat patties, yogurt, cereal....  So all 28 of us descend upon the room and eat something quickly.  Then it is "snack table" time - they put out nuts, chocolate, granola bars and bread for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Snack table 7:15, then off we go - checking out with the day's SAG driver as we leave.
The night before we had had a "map meeting" right after dinner and the "cue sheet" is passed out and gone over.  The cue sheet gives us very explicit directions on where to go in order to get to our next destination.
So, we roll on down the highway....
Every 20 miles we spot the SAG wagon (aka Little Bo Peep) ; we need to check in with the SAG driver, and we can refill our water bottles and grab a quick bite to eat.  Some days the SAG wagon is the most beautiful sight in the world....
Sometime during the day, my buddies and I (Sheila & Joyce, and often others) stop for lunch somewhere.  I have had a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches so far!
And eventually we ride into the parking lot of our next hotel ... always a joy to see that sign.  I am trying very hard NOT to be too much of a princess and really, all I need is a good bed and a hot shower.... right???
Quite a few of the ladies share their room, but I paid extra for a single so I have the luxury of space and no need to wait for a shower.  Well worth the extra money I think!
In any case, it is time for a shower, a stretch and maybe time to catch up on e-mails and this blog...
Dinner is made in the back of the WomanTours trailers - something of a miracle to produce a meal for 28 woman with only two burners but somehow they do it!!  We eat on plastic lawn chairs in the parking lot - it sounds dreadful but it really is okay - a good time to chat, eat, get our cue sheets and then... bed!!
We all find it difficult to stay awake past 8:00 or 9:00pm - it has generally been a long, challenging day!!
And that's it!!  How does that sound to you?????!!!
I have to go now - margaritas on the day that we cross a state line.......
Take care, and keep sending those e-mails!!!