The word "forest" seems to be a generally misunderstood term hereabouts. There seems to be no need for trees in order to qualify as a forest. In fact, scrub, sage and a few cacti seem to do just fine. So when we were advised by some Arizona sign that we were in some particular "forest", it brought a chuckle or two. Deserts; just deserts. That was the day.
For perhaps the first time this trip, we were definitely the slow ones on the road (hard to believe I know). But we were passed continuously, by even the 18 wheelers; up hill. Despite what seemed by comparison slow, we pegged our cruise controls at 75 mph (the speed limit). This was comfortable in the 34 degree heat (a mere 93.5 degrees compared with 107 yesterday).
The miles went quickly and after the very necessary water stops along the way, and a lunch break in Tucson, we arrived at our Day 5 destination: Lordsburg, New Mexico. It was famous for its Japanese internment camp of 1942, but it seems to have fallen on rough times.
So far we have travelled about 3400 kms or about 650 km per day (2100 miles or a little over 400 miles per day). That is nearly the equivalent to Vancouver to Thunder Bay, Ontario (or Milwaukee, Wisc.). Some days were long (11 hours on the road), but others like today were short (we started just as it was getting light at 6 and were at the hotel at 3:30). We expect that we will need to average between 4 and 5 hundred miles a day to make the 4 corners in the 21 days. Despite being very straight roads (you could have slept for an hour and not have moved your hands), and quite repetitive (some might and did call it boring) scenery, it was an enjoyable and not particularly difficult day.
Sorry about the limited pictures (camera battery died, although there were precious little views different than these).
I did get one disconcerting voicemail. It was Dave, the Chairman of the Four Corners US Tour, who advised that he received my envelope from Blaine, together with the required receipt from the gas station there. One problem, I had mailed a blank form (found the filled out one in the package in the bike). No real problem, as I will mail it from the Key West corner. But what was I thinking!