May 19 - Pecos, Texas - Albuquerque - 375 Miles

We got up at 5:00 AM and rode to Carlsbad, New Mexico for breakfast.   This was only 85 miles, but it was such a pleasure to ride on good roads again that it was great.  

We had ridden US Highway 285 from Sanderson, Texas to Pecos, for about 125 miles, and were continuing on US 285 today all the way to Clines Corners, New Mexico, for a total of almost 500 miles on this wonderful 4-lane divided highway with excellent road surface.  There is nowhere in all of Mexico that one can match such a highway - and this is just in little ole New Mexico and a bit of Texas.

From Carlsbad through Roswell and Artesia, NM there are very large flat fields irrigated and growing mostly Alfalfa hay, so it was quite green in what is otherwise flat desert.  The long stretch between Artesia and the little town of Vaughn is very open desert.  We watched for Antelope to while away the otherwise tedious drive, and did see 5 groups of two to eight.

A quick lunch at Clines Corners (founded by Ray Cline on Route 66 in 1934), and we rode on into Albuquerque.

Sixteen days and 4850 miles on the road, - we were glad to be home!

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