Day 15 Silver City to Kingston

Crossing the Rockies, I learned a lot about climbing on a bicycle. A gentle, steady climb can be easy and enjoyable. A steep, abrupt climb can be consuming and exhausting. Of course, other factors contribute. A tailwind and fellow cyclists can make climbing unnoticeable. A headwind and shoulderless roadways can make climbing harrowing and torture. Our own personal growth is a lot like climbing. Gradual change under the proper conditions in fellowship is likely to produce enjoyable and meaningful results. Unsupported, extreme change can create distress and dysfunction. We don't always get to choose the nature of our climbs, sometimes you just have to adapt to the situation. But when a choice to possible, I'll take the gentle path.

Wanting to take advantage of the favorable weather, I left Silver City without a rest day. After breakfast and preparing me a lunch, my host,Tim, rode with me for the first hour. Outside Silver City, I went past the oldest open pit copper mine in North America. Thereafter, the 4200 foot climb was fierce today. I had to pull over several times to rest. Eventually, I made the 48 miles to Kingston, an old, abandoned, silver mining town. Tomorrow is an 88 mile, downhill trek to Las Cruces and the promised rest day.