Up at 6:30 A.M. and on the road at 7:00 A.M. I biked East on TX Hwy 20 for five miles past irrigated cotton fields then on Road 192 for 17 miles. I saw a few cotton fields but mostly past abandoned fields reverting to native desert vegetation. Few inhabited farm houses. I rode on the shoulder of Interstate 10 for two miles then rode on a frontage road next to I-10. The surface of the frontage road was rough so I wheeled my bike to I-10 and rode on the shoulder. Evidently bikes are allowed on I-10 in this area. After about 13 miles I rode past a Border Patrol check point without stopping because the map I have said bikers don't need to stop. A few minutes later, a Border Patrol agent flagged me down to inquire if I was a US citizen. Over another eight miles, I gained 2,000 feet of elevation on my way to Sierra Blanca. I stopped for lunch at a Subway. Ironically, I ran into the Border Patrol agent at lunch. Back on I-10 for another 31 miles to Van Horn, my destination for the day. The scenic terrain featured mountains near the highway and in the distance. Lots of rocky slopes with desert shrubs and grasses (see photo). The major negative for the day was the persistent, strong headwind. When I arrived in Van Horn, I abandoned my plan to camp at an RV park and checked into Motel 6 to escape the wind. I revived with a shower and dinner. 75 miles today.
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