August 6th and 7th

Want to let everyone know that blog comments are encouraged and the first person to leave a comment on this blog post wins a 2012 calendar of my bike trip!


August 6th

Started the day off with a very tasty blackberry waffle and a cup of coffee in the Econo Lodge lobby.  After breakfast I headed 1 mile uphill while overlooking Eagle Nest Lake.  From the top of the hill it was 24 miles downhill to Cimarron.  The ride was awesome, great weather and incredible mountain scenery! I biked through Cimarron Canyon State Park and stopped many times to take in the views and stopped to take a dip in the clear refreshing creek alongside the road.  It was wonderful and is what really makes bike trips like this so enjoyable!  After exiting the park I biked through part of the 214 square mile Philmont Boy Scout Ranch.  It was a beautiful area but full of no trespassing signs.  10 miles from Cimarron I had another valve stem on my inner tube break and had to do some McGyver tricks to get it up and running.  I had to stop every 1/2 a mile or so and pump up my tire but I eventually reached Cimarron and was happy about that.  Cimarron is Spanish for "wild" or "unruly" and has a rich history of outlaws.  It is also where my dad used to live so it was interesting to visit after hearing his stories of his time spent there.  I headed over to the Canyon Inn who offered me a room the night before.  I met Buhl who was very nice and she set me up with a nice room.  Thanks Buhl and Canyon Inn!!!  After a shower I headed over to the visitor center and saw several elk and deer walking around town.  I then stopped at a little all purpose store and was very pleased to find bike tubes, electrical tape, and a round file.  I think this will end my valve stem problem, I am pretty sure my bike rim has been cutting my tubes due to a sharp edge.  Next I headed over to the historic St. James Hotel and Restaurant for dinner.  Dinner was good and the hotel was full of cowboys and cowgirls from the rodeo and boy scouts from the ranch.  It was an interesting mix of people.  After dinner I headed back to my room at the Canyon Inn and did a blog update, fixed my bike, and then watched the sunset.  It was a beautiful ride and a relaxing evening!
http://www.cimarroncanyoninn.com/

Eagle Nest Lake

Beginning the 24 mile downhill ride!

Beautiful place!

So nice to be in the forest!

Couldn't pass up a dip in this crisp clean mountain water!

Dinner at the St. Janes Hotel

Thanks Canyon Inn!!!

Beautiful sunset in Cimarron

August 7th

I awoke to a knock on the door from Buhl who had arranged for me to have a free breakfast at the St. James Hotel, thanks Buhl!!!  I biked over to the St. James and filled up on the breakfast buffet and coffee.  After getting packed up I headed out of Cimarron down a very quiet highway.  Today I hit the 2,011 mile mark for 2011!  About halfway through my peaceful ride I pulled over to take a break.  A car pulled over and I met a friendly guy named Kip who gave me a cold soda and we talked about travels for a while.  Thanks again Kip!  I saw several antelope as well as elk and buffalo.  This section of the trip is where the southern Rocky Mountains meet the plains.  I was also biking on the historic Santa Fe Trail which is now a paved road mostly following the original path.  I reached the city of Raton, NM by early afternoon and checked into the Holiday Inn who donated a room to me for the evening.  Thanks Raton Holiday Inn!!!  It was great to get out of the afternoon heat and in my air conditioned room.  The bed in the room was the most comfortable yet!  I spend the afternoon relaxing in the plush bed and enjoying the big screen tv.  I received a phone call from the front desk letting me know that they had opened the snack bar downstairs so I headed down to check it out.  I was pleasantly surprised to what was more than just a snack bar!  They had minestrone soup, ham and cheese sandwiches, mixed nuts and cheeses, cookies, chips and salsa, pudding, coffee, juices, and more!  I made a dinner out of it and everything was really tasty!  Relaxed in the room for a bit and then went down to the pool and soaked in the hot tub for a while.  I would have to say this is the best Holiday Inn I have ever stayed at!  

http://www.exstjames.com/

http://www.ratonsfinest.com/

The St. James Hotel and Restaurant

Saloon inside the St. James

( bullet holes in ceiling! )

Leaving Cimarron ( looking back )

2,011 in 2011!

Biking down the Santa Fe Trail

Sounds good!

Thanks Holiday Inn Raton!!!

Hotel lobby

Best bed of the trip!

Just some of the "Snack Bar"

Pool at the Holiday Inn