We passed in to yet another state today. Well, it’s almost as if we passed in to another country today; Texas is a land all of its own…
I was on support today, so Jess and I left bright and early in the morning to go out and mark the route for the rest of the riders.
The route was pretty smooth until we got in to El Paso, where it quickly became obvious that the roads were not safe for cyclists. The directions had the cyclists riding on a highway-like road, with no shoulder, and cars flying around the bend at 60+mph. To the south was the border (literally directly next to the specified road) and to the north was the highway, so we had no choice but to turn around and have the riders rack their bikes when they came close to the city.Everything went pretty smoothly and we were able to get to our Global Health Day with plenty of time to spare. Some people played ping pong in the lounge, while others just hung out and enjoyed a little relaxation time. Jen and Lenore gave our first lecture and then a speaker from the PanAmerican Health Organization spoke. We had a great turn-out and were incredibly pleased with the event. We also got quite a few donations and free lunch, which is always something to smile about. =)
After our GHD, we went to get settled in to our lodging for the next two days (we have a day off tomorrow in El Paso). However, these lodgings were not similar to those we have had during the past two weeks. Oh no; they were much better. Somehow our wonderful hosts in El Paso had figured out a way for us to stay in a hotel for the time we were there. It was amazing! Semi-privacy, showers, and a REAL BED to sleep in. We were all ecstatic. We spent the remainder of the day lounging by the pool and relaxing.
For dinner we went to a delicious local brewery. Some people weren’t too happy with their food, but I was very content with my veggie burger and raspberry beer. We went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening hanging out at the hotel.
While this may not sound very exciting, our hotel was privileged to have a salsa/pop bar in the basement. Interesting? I thought so. But we had a great time and it was nice to let loose for a little while. 
End of the fourteenth day. And it was a bit crazy.
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