We did it!!

Monday March 27 .  Day 23. Tyrone to Hillsboro, 60 miles or 100 km. A day late posting as there was no wifi.

We were up early anxious to start this day. Consequently, we were on the road by 740 am. As soon as we left the neighborhood of our hosts the climbing started. And it didn't stop till we had reached Emory Pass at an elevation of 8228 ft.

The weather was much warmer than yesterday with a calm wind for most of the morning. Not a cloud in the sky. It wasn't long before we reached Silver City, a decent size town. We had enough groceries so we decided to ride on.

At around 10 am we were reunited with the three amigos from Israel. We chatted for a while at an overlook of an open pit copper mine. We took some pictures and ate a snack. The opinions of all this mining was mixed among us. Mining definitely changes  the environment. No longer did I see mountain sides covered with trees but instead all one can see are steps carved out in the mountain. We said goodbye to our friends as they were slower than us (only using their own power) cycling to the top of Emory Pass.

The first part wasn't bad. I could ride mainly in "tour" saving some battery power. Most of the climb ranged around 6% with the last part a steep 10%. Just before the gate  2 cyclists coming from the other side tried to strike up a conversation. I couldn't stop to chat however, as stopping on an imcline means not being able to get going again. Usually I can't  on an incline and have to cycle a bit down, turn around and get going again. This happened at the gate. 

The road over the pass was closed for traffic as there was a deep crack in the road. There was a high risk of the pavement caving in so cars and campers weren't allowed on the road. There are 5 campings along the way and all were closed and empty. A locked gate prevented cars from getting through. Yet I managed to get my bike underneath the gate and Vicki as well. It really helped us not having to worry about cars passing us on narrow winding roads. It was a gift for us

Even though it was a challenge to get to the top, the views definitely helped soften the leg pain. First chin pain on my left leg followed by chin pain in my right leg. Then both upper thighs were trying to tell me to stop and turn around but I persevered and kept going. It was worth all the pain. Stunning scenery all around us. High mountains covered with trees to one side while the left side consisted of huge rock formations reaching straight to the sky. I even saw snow-capped mountains. Small winding roads leading to the top of the pass. At one point we sat down on a picnic table and just soaked it all in. So peaceful. All we heard was the sound of singing birds and the water slowly making its way down the mountain.

There was a large fire in 2013 and the remnants of that fire was still visible. Huge stretches of bare mountains with charred trees reaching up to the heavens. A sad sight indeed.

After about 2.5 hrs of climbing we did reach Emory Pass. It felt like I accomplished something big. 8228 feet of intense climbing rewarded with amazing views. Pretty darn proud of myself. We celebrated by looking around, taking pictures and taking it all in. We did it!!

The other side of the Pass was easy. Only downhill. My hands became sore from braking. At least 24 km of just coasting down hill. We didn't see our friends from Israel again but they plan to stay in Kingston in an Airbnb. Kingston consists of 3 houses and a couple of small farms. We are going to Hillsboro, the next town over. We are hoping that it is a decent town with a McDonald's. Surprise, surprise. 135 people live in Hillsboro and most of the stores are only open during the weekends. 

There is free camping at the town center and it looked nice. However, no power to charge our bikes. I walked around town but nobody to be seen. I went to the fire department but no outlets, we went to the only church in town but nobody there. Finally I found a woman by the name of Kristen who was able to help us. She brought us to a "RV" park with vintage trailers and offered us on old "Airstream" for free. There are enough outlets for charging, a comfortable bed and even a toilet. Happy,  happy.

We sat outside trying to get wifi but out of reach. Vicki walked to the road to see if she would be more successful and there she met Gretchen. This lady keeps some groceries for cyclists. And sure enough she came to visit us with a box full of different food items. All for free. So many kind people. She told us that there are a wide variety of people living in Hillsboro. A mixed but very interested group of people stopped by our trailer to chat with us. All with a great sense for community. My kind of town.

After dinner Vicki made a fire that kept us toasty warm. Another great day ending with 2 very tired but happy cyclists.