Day 6: Cosmic Campground, NM – Alpine Divide Campground, AZ

We awoke to hot temperatures, even early in the morning. Packing up camp always takes longer without a picnic table on which to organize gear and to lean the bike against, so we didn’t get on the road until after 10.

It was to be a mountainous day with lots of climbing and the hills started right out of camp. The sun beat down and my gloves, helmet straps, and shirt became covered in salt from sweat. The grass and shrubs yielded to pine trees as we approached a lone cafe for lunch, having knocked out a third of the climbing and distance for the day. The Adobe Cafe & Bakery was a lifesaver, being the only store we passed before evening.

After a good lunch we headed onwards, out of Gila National Forest and into Apache National Forest. The wind decided to be a neutral party today, offering equal amounts of headwinds and tail winds as we wound higher and higher into the mountains. A herd of 40 elk crossed the road in front of us, jumping carelessly over the barbed wire fence on either side of the road.

After a couple more hours of hard climbing we arrived at the crest of the hill which was also the border line between New Mexico and Arizona. The town of Alpine lies a few miles past the border, in a high valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. After a dinner in town we headed up on one last climb to our campground for the night, Alpine Divide Campground at 8500ft.

Two-thirds of the campsites in the Alpine Divide Campground are under construction, leaving only the four campsites by the road open. There’s no water so we have to make do with the little we’ve carried until the next town in the morning. Sleep is fitful, simultaneously sweating and freezing, while listening to the lullabies of the bleating Elk passing nearby.

Notes from Donald: “After a lot of climbing we made it to our third state! Hello Arizona!”

Today’s Mileage: 50 miles, 5875 ft of elevation gain
Total: 326 miles