Since the SPOT has not sent out a signal since 7:05 pm yesterday (adjusted from GMT) I would guess the batteries are very weak. The SPOT uses two lithium AA batteries. Personally, I have found that the signal transmitssions get irratic after about 3 weeks of continuous use.
The "life and death" comments caught my attention too. I know that it is about 8 miles from Beaverhead Work Center, where he made the call from, to Wall Lake (private property) and another mile to the Geronimo Guest Ranch. Geronimo Guest Ranch is very clearly marked and visible from the road. I saw that that at 2:34 MDST he was coming down the hill to Wall Lake.
John Nobile, winner of this year's GDR and new GDR record holder, stopped at Geronimo Guest Ranch. So at about 4:30 yesterday I called them to see if Felix had stopped by too. I talked to Diana Esterly and she told me that they had been experiencing "monsoonal rains for the last 2 hours." I asked whether Felix had dropped in. She said no, but they would drive down to the location that his last SPOT signal indicated he was at to be sure he was okay. A little while later she called me back and said that he was not there, and that his tracks indicated that he had ridden past the ranch already.
We laughed for a while about the common belief that it is "downhill to the border." There are a few "wrinkles" along the way. If you check the Picasa Albums on my blog: www.bikerbobonthegdmbr.com in the left sidebar you can see some pictures of the country he is riding (walking?) through in the Gila National Forest. The "Rocky Canyon Campground to Beaverhead Work Center" album is the one most relevant for today.
There aren't usually very many people out there, but there will probably be at least one vehicle (Forest Service or rancher) go by him in the next day or so. There is a campground and a running stream at Black Canyon. On the SPOT Leaderboard set on the Terrain Map you can see the incredible geography he is passing through. Zoomed in on the Terrain Map where it says "Hodge Canyon" is actually where it comes into Black Canyon. Black Canyon is not labeled on that map. Click back and forth between the Terrain tab and the Map tab to see how the road curves wildly back and forth. Even if he flats out and has to walk he will probably make it to NM 35 tonight. There is a fair amount of traffic on NM 35.
If he knows, then he can stuff one of those wrecked tubes with debris like pine needles and leaves and gingerly hobble out like a three-legged dog. Besides, even in the most remote regions of New Mexico there are always enough Bud-Lite cans and used condoms lying aroung to cobble together another wheel and make a "tube."
He is probably okay.
Since the SPOT has not sent out a signal since 7:05 pm yesterday (adjusted from GMT) I would guess the batteries are very weak. The SPOT uses two lithium AA batteries. Personally, I have found that the signal transmitssions get irratic after about 3 weeks of continuous use.
The "life and death" comments caught my attention too. I know that it is about 8 miles from Beaverhead Work Center, where he made the call from, to Wall Lake (private property) and another mile to the Geronimo Guest Ranch. Geronimo Guest Ranch is very clearly marked and visible from the road. I saw that that at 2:34 MDST he was coming down the hill to Wall Lake.
John Nobile, winner of this year's GDR and new GDR record holder, stopped at Geronimo Guest Ranch. So at about 4:30 yesterday I called them to see if Felix had stopped by too. I talked to Diana Esterly and she told me that they had been experiencing "monsoonal rains for the last 2 hours." I asked whether Felix had dropped in. She said no, but they would drive down to the location that his last SPOT signal indicated he was at to be sure he was okay. A little while later she called me back and said that he was not there, and that his tracks indicated that he had ridden past the ranch already.
We laughed for a while about the common belief that it is "downhill to the border." There are a few "wrinkles" along the way. If you check the Picasa Albums on my blog: www.bikerbobonthegdmbr.com in the left sidebar you can see some pictures of the country he is riding (walking?) through in the Gila National Forest. The "Rocky Canyon Campground to Beaverhead Work Center" album is the one most relevant for today.
There aren't usually very many people out there, but there will probably be at least one vehicle (Forest Service or rancher) go by him in the next day or so. There is a campground and a running stream at Black Canyon. On the SPOT Leaderboard set on the Terrain Map you can see the incredible geography he is passing through. Zoomed in on the Terrain Map where it says "Hodge Canyon" is actually where it comes into Black Canyon. Black Canyon is not labeled on that map. Click back and forth between the Terrain tab and the Map tab to see how the road curves wildly back and forth. Even if he flats out and has to walk he will probably make it to NM 35 tonight. There is a fair amount of traffic on NM 35.
If he knows, then he can stuff one of those wrecked tubes with debris like pine needles and leaves and gingerly hobble out like a three-legged dog. Besides, even in the most remote regions of New Mexico there are always enough Bud-Lite cans and used condoms lying aroung to cobble together another wheel and make a "tube."