Cuba

Cuba

July 14

Dogs in the morning as packing up to start pedaling for the day.

A momma and her five pups.

Pretty good size pups.

Jumping up and licking, smelling around all the items on the bike.

They were actually very good looking dogs.

Would have been fun to take one along with me.

But not doable.

No where to put a dog on this "train."

A crisp and very clear morning for riding down 550.

There is nothing between Aztec and Cuba.

Just a long stretch of highway.

Empty long stretch of highway.

Many Christian centers and church like camps all along the way. Most of them had Indian or Spanish names.

A large building for gatherings and then several smaller ones which appeared to be for sleeping. Like long dormitories with outside entrance doors.

Reminded me of the dorms we stayed in when we were studying down in Kangaroo Ground in Australia. 

Ice cream.

That was my meal as I stopped for a long break at a store.

There were chips, lots of varieties, pre made and wrapped in plastic wrap sandwiches, many styles of fast food... none of which appealed to me.

A large container of Dreyer's strawberry ice cream.

Tasted very good.

And it was cold.

Which was nice as well.

Not really sure how nutritious but it kept me going all the way to Cuba.

Before I stopped for the night...

Just after having my nutritious meal of Dreyer's....

I met Scott.

He works for a pharmaceutical company.

Was on his way to Farmington, did a u turn, and waited for me.

Had a can of ice cold Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

I hope he knows just how much of a blessing he was to wait for me as I slowly pedaled my way up the hill to where he was parked on the side of the road.

Again, a divine appointment.

One more was yet to happen this day.

I had seen a few hours earlier, a dually pickup loaded with feed and towing a flat bed trailer with a lot of hay for feeding farm animals.

After having had my ice cream and my ginger ale, I saw this same vehicle by the side  of the road with a flat tire.

Actually two.

Both blown at the same time.

I felt I should see if I could help in any way.

Between the three of us, the husband, wife and myself we got the spare on.

It was a bit flat as well.

And then there was the guy who shows up to help people who are stopped with difficulties along the road.

Had a large, work horse style, air compressor on the back of his truck.

As I was leaving he was pulling the air hose out to give a hand.

And a NMSP officer had stopped by to give a hand as well.

He and I got the floor jack and the two flat tires up into the bed of the pick up.

And the wife pressed a twenty into my hand saying it was for the ministry.

I was hungry, again, which if you have been following this blog, is basically all the time, so stopped at a Subway for a veggie sandwich and several cups of Sprite and Barq's mixture to keep me going.

Cuba was still eighteen miles away.

So at about six miles an hour I would get there about seven or seven thirty.

And that is how it went.

When I have stayed at a motel, it has always been the first one I see coming into town. That has been the general way the Lord has shown mw where to stay.

So I am coming into Cuba and I see flashing lights of emergency vehicles across the street from where I am going to stay.

Should I? 

Should I not?

I cross over to the other side of the road and wait.

Not very long.

And then the lady unlocks the door to the lobby and registration for the night. 

I get all registered and they, the husband and wife, invite me to sit down.

Way cool getting to meet George Lopez and some of his family.

No, not the one from TV shows.

This one works for the utility/power company.

He had seen me earlier in the day pedaling along.

He told me he knew I would be staying at their place.

Our conversation while sitting there in the lobby revolved around a few topics.

Of course the bike and reason for riding.

The motel and how they came to be there.

The room was very clean.

I was going to go to the local eatery they had told me about.

Only a block away.

But I felt I should at least scrape and look a bit more respectable.

By the time I got a little cleaned up and had the last cup a soup in my food pannier, I was tired.

So I laid down on top of the bed and fell asleep.

Woke up about three in the morning.

Went back to sleep till five.

Got up, again, and started getting everything ready for the days ride.

Oh, but that is for the next day's post.

Can not get ahead of myself now!

Continuing to joy in the journey,

D.