Goin' Toco: Albuquerque, New Mexico

I made the turn! I made the turn!

Seriously, that was the only reason I came to this state.
But it is oh so gorgeous here!

Many people have told me that they're inspired by this journey I'm on, and that they consider what I'm doing to be challenging. Well, I'm pleased to make a difference for you.

But I'll let you in on a little secret. I know of many people doing things I can draw inspiration from.
And one of those blessed souls happened across my path today.

While riding through the phenomenal, wide-open landscapes that form this high plateau across much of New Mexico, I saw a little figure in the distance.

Folks, it's even more desolate out here than it looks.

As I got closer, I could only shake my head. It was a person with a bicycle.

Oh my! They are pushing the bike! My mind starts racing. It's been about 25 kms since I passed any sort of village of settlement. I DID pass a coyote run over the side of the road.

According to my GPS, it's another 50 kms to the next village.

The first thing you see is her huge grin!

Well, I'll be! It's a woman pushing that bike. By herself. Smack in the middle of this desert. I HAVE to pull over to chat.

So it seems Ursula (my Granny's name!) Holsbeke is riding from Alpena, Michigan to Santa Fe, New Mexico. She's only 1 day from completion now!

She's been on the road the same length of time as I, but is doing it to raise funds for Green Planet Films, a nonprofit who promotes environmental education thru films specifically about invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Wow!

She's so prepared. While chatting with me, she reached into her handlebar bag and pulled out a photocopied flyer to give me with all the details!

It gets better.

She only learned to ride a bicycle in 2008! And already has a Michigan to California trip under her belt from last year!

Check her story and drop a donation at http://www.causes.com/causes/522767/about (you can link it to your Facebook page... or not)