Columbus New Mexico

Erik arrived safely at Columbus, New Mexico.

Erik starts at the Mexican border tomorrow (NZ time), near Columbus. He plans Silver City to be his next port of call, about 130km away. 

He enjoyed Green Chilli gravy for dinner so much, he got the recipe! - it's one of my New Mexican favourite foods. I hope he gets to try Fry bread.

I think the white shirt will become 'rust' coloured from the red rock soil.

There are five riding together: Erik, Greg, Peter Gilbert, Pete Castelli and a man named Gay who is 64, looks quite grizzled and is very experienced at cycle touring. He has bear spray attached to his handlebars! Gay has a heavy drawling American accent, and tells lots of interesting stories.
New Mexico's Famous Green Chile Gravy 
Tasty, hot but not crazily so, and not at all sweet or creamy. Yum!

3 tablespoons oil or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup onion , chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups roasted, peeled/seeded/chopped New Mexican green chile peppers
3 cups vegetarian chicken-flavor broth
1 teaspoon salt
(optional: a pinch of oregano and/or a pinch of cumin can be added if you prefer a bit more spice, personally I like mine plain.)

In heavy-bottomed sauce pan, saute onions in oil, stirring every now and then, over medium heat, until they begin to brown. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes but do NOT let garlic brown.
Stir flour in with onion mixture. Stir a bit and let flour "cook" for a few minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in broth.
Add green chilies, salt (if needed) and oregano and cumin (if using) and mix well.
Bring to a boil, lower heat but keep at a simmer, stirring with wire whisk frequently, 20 to 30 minutes, to allow mixture to reduce.
The sauce should be like a medium-to-thin gravy and bind chilies and onions together.
Store in refrigerator up to a week if you can resist drinking it straight from the pan.

In NZ, the closest I have found to the green chile is the one for $69 a kilo.  They are grown in the Hawkes Bay.  After I have roasted / charred the chile, I pop it in a plastic bag for a while, makes it easier to peel.