How to get out of Antelope Wells?! (GDT)

[ekoostick]

Well here we are in Sargents, CO (in the middle of a huge electrical storm) and are starting to think of getting off the GDT. There are two of us and we still don't have a solid plan for getting out of New Mexico and back to New Hampshire. We do want to ride to the border so stopping in Silver City is out of the question. Our thought is to use the shuttle service that the ACA recommends which would run us about $50 each to get to Deming to get on a greyhound.

We are thinking that getting to Deming and taking the Greyhound from there would be the most economical way out but we wanted to check with some GDT vets. How did you get out of Antelope Wells and back into civilization? We are on a tight budget so the cheaper, the better. Also is there a bike shop in Deming? I see there is a UPS store so I know I could ship the bikes back, just wondering if there is a way to get some boxes. Any help with this would be very helpful. Also you can check out our blog at http://divideride07.blogspot.com

Thanks, Keith

[vgbailey]

Keith,
I've been reading your post - I'm really inspired by what you two have accomplished.  I consider you both "hardcore" as I look at the miles you are able to cover in spite of the roads and the conditions.  My thoughts and prayers are with you both as you continue this journey of a lifetime.  I did a 1,000 mile road trip journey across the great basin of Nev. UT, and Co., but I don't think it was as much adventure as you guys are having.  I hope you make it safe and sound.

                    Vernon

[ekoostick]

Vernon, thank you very much for the compliments! We are very exicted to be finished (8/14/07, high noon at Antelope Wells, NM! 2800+ miles) but I already feel the itch to get back on a bike and ride another tour. I think I might be addicted.

I will answer my own question in case people get stuck with my same predictiment.

Well in Hachita we found a gentleman named Sam Hughes who was very very helpful and let us camp in his side yard. If you are biking into Hachita, ask any of the people who live there for Sam and they will direct you. He offers a shuttle service from the border to Deming or Lordsburg for a very fair fee. Also Tim who works at the border for Border Patrol seemed live a very helpful and awesome guy. He greeted us with ice cream and asked if he could help out in anyway. He told us about a shuttle service that brings people from Mexico to Tucson or Phoenix and they have a trailer which they can throw your bike/bob into. We ended up taking the Mexican shuttle to Sam's house and then he drove us to Deming. We decided to take Greyhound (read:WORST DISCISSION EVER!) out of Deming so he brought us to a cheap hotel where we packed up, drank some beers and headed out in the morning. They don't have a bike store in Deming but they have a Walmart and Kmart that I was able to get boxes from for free. The UPS store is a ways out of the main town so make sure you plan ahead because it was an 8mile round trip walk in 100+ degree heat with 2 40lb boxes. And we couldn't find a single taxi service in Deming so I am not sure if one is available.

If you are flying, I would say El Paso or Tucson would be your best bet if you can find someone to drive you there. The Greyhound goes to both but ours was 4 hours late picking us up which would definetley mess your airline schedule up unless you planned way in advance to be in that city early.

Hope that helps and if anyone has any other questions, I can definetley try and help you if you just want to drop me an e-mail at xcbiker27@juno.com

Also for Vernon and the rest, I will be finishing the blog in the next couple of days as computers were hard to come across in NM.

-Keith