Headed to the NM mountains

Day 38, 106 miles (2289). Rode from Anthony to Hillsboro NM, the first 90 miles  along the Rio Grande River. Although the river is dry now, the river supports a great deal of agriculture on it's banks- cotton, grain, and a lot of pecan orchards. With the river dry, water to sustain the crops comes from wells, big diesel pumps are running everywhere, pumping well water into the irrigation canals the run everywhere.

The last twenty miles my route turned away from the Rio Grande and started climbing into the treeless NM foohills. Although the climbing was modest, maybe 1000 ft of climb, the headwind made those miles excruciating. It felt like I was pulling a stalled car with my bike. I was relieved to make it to the nearly deserted town of Hillsboro, where the only open business was the wine bar, a glass of red wine helped with the leg pain.