Thursday, March 17, 2011

Day 19 El Paso to Fort Hancock

El Paso, Texas is not a particularly wealthy or attractive town. However the El Paso region boasts the oldest, continually habitated, European settlement in North America. Coupled with Cuidad Jaurez, it constitutes the largest bilingual city on the world. Conversations fluidly and continually bounce from English to Spanish and back again. The University of Texas at El Paso is the place where NCAA basketball became integrated. El Paso is a Hispanic city, where Anglos constitute a minority. The city feels safe and racially removed. While enjoying an evening ride and meal with the local bike group, I was oblivious to the fact that Anglos were an oddity. What a friendly and lovely place! America could learn a lot from El Paso.

Today I enjoyed the beautiful missions of the Rio Grande with their rich traditions stretching back almost 400 years. Here adobe is still sometimes used as a building material. The sense of history is deep. The California missions are late comers by comparison. Thereafter, I left the comforts of community with a 72 mile segement into open and empty expanses. Services are few and far between with long pedal following long pedal. Time to see if my equipment is reliable, and if my fitness is adequate.

3 comments:

  1. Ah, the power of duct tape. Have you pulled it off yet? If not you have my blessings to curse during the removal. Son of a _____ always works well for me, my father was a truck driver:) Heal buddy.

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  2. Dr.Bob
    Your daily posts are more than just following a blog of your journey...they are inspirational and enlightening!! You have given us insight to other people, places and of ourselves. I look forward to your posts, as I reflect on the words you write and the meanings that I interpret. I am proud of who you are and the message you relay. May God Bless you and keep you safe.

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  3. I sure hope you didn't have to ride into town with duct tape on your wrist!?!? You know if it worked,,, we may have a new cost saving remedy for minor sprains at the office! Thank you so much for your history lessons also.. very interesting. Glad you had a good bunch to ride with. We all miss you. Take care..

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