April 27 Day 34 cycling Lordsburg, NM to Safford, AZ

Yesterday we cycled our last miles in the vast, diverse Gila National Forest. Check out more info about it here: https://www.nationalforests.org/forest/gila-national-forest/ But we actually have returned to the Gila River here in AZ.

Started out of Lordsburg at 715am – 47 degrees, dust-filled skies had cleared and winds were slight out of N/NW. When I was taking my bike down in the motel elevator this morning, a fellow guest asked how far I had gone yesterday in the wind. I said we made it almost 30 miles. He said that was great. He said it was a super tough day with the crazy wind. I asked if he had been hiking – lots of Continental Divide through-hikers here. He said, “no, he was driving!” 🤣 So I guess if it was hard for him driving, it must have been hard for me cycling!

On a single highway all day today – hwy 70. Straight with a decent shoulder (until Graham County, AZ line) and decent drivers (until one huge semi decided to turn right into a Safford gas station literally right in front of us!). Thanks Tom for pulling when the N/NW & W headwinds picked up at times. 75.7 miles and 1247’. It was so nice to just ride and through interesting, albeit desolate and dry, terrain. Good bye New Mexico; hello Arizona and the Pacific time zone. 😊

New Mexico stats for short visit: 222.4 miles, 10,182’ elevation

On to Arizona:

• nickname: The Grand Canyon State
• bird: cactus wren
• flower: saguaro cactus blossom
• motto: “Ditat Deus” Latin for “God enriches”