Day 9. Albuquerque to Las Vegas, NM. 136.58 miles (whew!) Arlene said goodbye at our 0600 breakfast and headed back to home in Fairview Heights, IL. I definitely felt bad in that almost all of our time together was with me being ill via food poisoning. I ate a bland breakfast wondered if my post illness condition would allow me to finish today. Physically, I felt tired from limited sleep and my stomach was still feeling uncomfortable. I decided I'd ride as far as my health would allow me and ride in the van for the rest. We left Albuquerque with a chill in the air, about 52 degrees under a cloudless sky. All 12 of us (Bruce, Lee, Jason ended at Albuquerque; Jason #2 taking time off for saddle bruises . . . may return, may not) meandered through the quiet Monday morning streets of Albuquerque. First smile of the day occurred when I saw my first Hummer with a "Hybrid" sticker on it! We started climbing and would log almost 8000 feet of vertical by the end of the day. The second most interesting thing along the way was a 5ft snake sunning on the side of the road. I was later told he was dead, but either way I decided to keep my distance. We climbed over the Pecos Mountains and rode through the spectacular Pecos wilderness. Fantastic vistas, mountain ranges and valleys. At the second rest stop, Barb asked me how I was feeling. My stomach was still bothering me and I was concerned that because I'd had such minimal nutrition in the last 24 hours, my energy level would eventually hit me in the forehead. Barb offered a "Dr. Oz" method of restoring my electrolytes: 1 cup Coconut water, 1/4 cup orange juice and a pinch of salt. After downing this potion, my stomach felt much, much better, although I still had not eat much and really didn't have a desire to eat. The rest of the ride, my stomach felt great except when I got off the bike at the rest stop and water stop. I never did "bonk" so I guess my body is more than happy with the food I did eat and the body fat I'm carrying. I'll try to eat more bland things this evening and I've already downed a second helping of Barb's secret potion. After drinking Barb's elixir, I made my way out of the rest stop, climbed the hill and headed for the last leg on the interstate. However, as I was smoking down the hill that would lead me to the interstate, I decided to keep accelerating on a great down hill, and reached 51 mph, although I did miss my "official" turn. Fortunately, the road I was riding intersected same interstate just another mile up the way. We spent about 40 miles total on Interstate 25 today and according to Mike, this should be our last interstate experience. Hurrrrray! And I'm proud to report that I've now ridden almost 280 miles without a flat tire. You've got to cheer the small victories! Although the hills into Las Vegas were many and significant, a strong tail wind helped when I needed it most. As I was driving through Las Vegas, I decided to treat myself to a large Dairy Queen shake that I tucked into the back of my jersey to enjoy in the cool and quiet of my room that lay 2 miles away. All in all, the day turned out a lot better than I anticipated. With God's help and Barb's secret sauce, I finished this leg and will now hit the rack to be ready for tomorrow's ride. Stay healthy, Steve