Day 6: Antonito to Tres Piedras, southern San Luis valley

June 3, 2019

Today is an easy semi-rest day. 30 miles straight south on US 285 to Tres Piedras, with no big climbs.

On the road at 8:40 after a crappy breakfast of sweet rolls at the motel office. I didn't want to go into town for a big breakfast on such a short day. I used their electric kettle to heat water for tea. The room has no fridge, microwave or coffee maker.

On the way out of town I crossed the Conejos river for the last time. It's the water supply for Antonito and it seems to be overflowing its banks right now.

The weather was sunny and warm for the first hour. But the clouds grew more rapidly than usual and by 10 AM it was much colder. I have a headwind and the terrain is gradual uphill to the flank of San Antonio mountain. Progress was slow.

Pedaling south on US 285 towards San Antonio mountain. Partly sunny at first.

I was happy to see a Welcome to New Mexico sign because there was no such sign when I crossed into New Mexico earlier. This time I will stay much longer in New Mexico.

The terrain was gently rolling from San Antonio mountain to Tres Piedras. A big gray cloud drifted over San Antonio mountain bringing 45 minutes of light rain, plus a few minutes of hail and snow. The temperature dropped to 55F (13C). The rain stopped before I arrived but I was tired, hungry, and cold when I got to Chili Line Depot at 12:40 PM. Lunch first, then I got my bedroom just behind the dining room. They have a couple more rooms upstairs but I'm the only guest tonight.

My room has charming western decor and no lock on the door. I had free access to the restaurant and kitchen after it closed. They operate on the honor system! The $69 room includes a breakfast burrito in the morning.

Entering Tres Piedras. Pretty much the entire town is visible.

Chili Line Depot is 100 years old and was a dance hall for most of that time. The late Glen Campbell performed here as a teenage member of his uncle's western swing band. Now it's a restaurant and bed & breakfast.

Tonight's home is a 100 year old dance hall where Glen Campbell performed as a teen.

The building is not a former train depot. The name refers to the Chili Line railroad, the nation's first narrow gauge railroad which ran from Antonito to Santa Fe. It operated from 1886 to 1941, the southernmost part of a large network of narrow gauge tracks built by the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. Two narrow gauge segments still operate for tourists. I was a passenger on both (Cumbres & Toltec, Durango & Silverton) during my Indian Country Part 1 bike tour in 2017.

1914 route map. Red is standard gauge. Black is narrow gauge. Click to enlarge.

I was so tired after lunch that I laid in bed from 2 to 5 PM. Then I got up to look around town. By then the storm had passed and it was sort of sunny and 70F. Population is about 300 but it looks smaller.

Chili Line Depot is the only business in town. There is no gas station or grocery store. Tres Piedras is 8124 feet elevation, in high desert but very near forested slopes. The biggest employer is the Carson National Forest ranger station just outside of town.

La Immaculada Concepcion Catholic church.

Former grocery store across from Chili Line Depot.

Tres Piedras is littered with rusty abandoned machines and ruins of buildings. There was obviously much more commerce when the railroad operated.

There are many granite outcroppings around town that I didn't see anywhere else during this tour. Tres Piedras means three rocks but nobody could tell me which granite outcroppings are the namesake rocks.

All around are old junk and the namesake granite formations.

The Chili Line Depot owner told me the landscape is much greener than usual. I saw almost no green grass but the bushes are more vivid green than normal.

The railroad track is long gone. At sunset I walked through the bushes to the old water tank and saw no evidence of the old rail bed.

The water tank is the only obvious remnant from the Chili Line narrow gauge railroad.

I felt better in the evening. The long afternoon rest was helpful. I don't know why I was so tired after the two flattest days of the tour. In both cases, cold and rain and headwind were contributing factors.

Distance: 30.3 mi. (48.5 km)
Ascent/Descent: +892/-709 ft. (+272/-216 m)
Average Speed: 9.4 mph (15 km/h)

Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 236 miles (380 km)

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