Stuck in El Paso

Leaving Douglas, AZ, wasn’t going to be easy. In addition to the New Mexico Badlands, we were going to face high elevation, high winds, hail, sleet, and snow. And it’s remote country with very few services, if any. So we made the executive decision—and the safe one—to get to Las Cruces as quick as possible. We rented a truck and we’re happy we did.

From Las Cruces we pedaled down to El Paso to stay for a few days. The temps had been dropping and there were a couple storms. I also had some freelance projects and it was a good opportunity to be mostly still, visit the bike shop, and explore.

That said, here are a few highlights from our time in El Paso:

1. The thriving art scene.

We just scratched the surface, but you can’t deny that El Paso is home to a vibrant arts and culture landscape. Colorful murals are literally on every corner. We visited Old Sheepdog Brewery and it was covered in art (and their beers were a little funky too). Plus, the city’s highly regarded art museum was a lot of fun to check out—and free.

2. Ho Baron’s Surrealistic Sculpture Garden.

Sure, Ho is part of the art scene, but he definitely deserves his own mention. He creates abstract anthropomorphic creatures that are amazing—and at 82, he’s been doing it for over 50 years. You can go to his house in the historic Manhattan Heights neighborhood and walk around his yard and check out his art pieces. He even comes out to show folks around. When we stopped by, we just missed him. But he leaves his phone number on a sign out front inviting folks to call, so I did. And he talked to me on the phone for quite a while. (It isn’t every day you get to talk with the artist about his work.) Interestingly, he described himself as an unknown artist in an unknown city. That might be true, but I’d wager not for long.

3. The Borderplex.

*Thanks for the photo, internet!

As someone who’s only recently seen the wall firsthand, I find these bordertowns fascinating. Especially this El Paso–Juárez Borderplex. There are more than 2.7 million people in the region making it “the largest bilingual, binational work force in the Western Hemisphere” and you can definitely feel the cities working together as one. A lot of people we talked with either lived in Juarez or were from there. I was tempted to go to across the pedestrian bridge and enter Mexico but Cortney reminded me that we don’t have our passports. (Good point.) However, we talked with a local who assured assured us that Border Patrol wouldn’t have a problem letting us back in the U.S. “Just show them your license. YOU, my friend, are an AMERICAN. They won’t deny you.” That might be true, but I didn’t want to push it.

4. Brave Books.

For a city of its size, we didn’t see too many bookstores. Cortney and I love used bookstores and when we discovered this place, we found something special. The shop sits in a residential neighborhood in a 1915 craftsman house. When I walked through the front door, I thought this is a great place to spend your time. There’s tons of art, great books everywhere, it smells like coffee, and they even have the obligatory bookstore cat. We talked with one of the owners, Judd. (He happens to be good friends with Ho, too.) You really have to seek it out, but it’s well worth it.

5. El Paso Pride.

*Thanks again for the photo, interwebs.

El Paso isn’t a fancy or pretentious place, nor is it pretending to be. For some, it might have a bad rep for gangs, drugs, or the cartel. (Those things exists in every city.) So naturally, we were cautious. But during our stay, it struck us as a place that has made changes for the better. It’s a place that’s embraced its uniqueness and the people are proud of the direction its going. It’s “El Paso strong.” Most people wanted to tell us the special things about their city, like how Mexican laborers built all the beautiful, crafted stone walls by hand. How at Podium Finish Sport Boutique & Cafe the staff were all exceedingly kind, helpful, and enthusiastic. I was able to get a new tire and chain for my bike and Cortney was able to meet the El Paso mayor. (True story.)

El Paso might not be for everyone, but Cort and I are glad we were able to spend some time here. We biked and urban-hiked around to get a feel for the city and its people. And it surprised us. There’s some truth to what Ho said about El Paso being an “unknown city.” It’s not a flashy destination like some other places, and that’s okay. The world needs variety. There are a lot of different kinds of people in this country, so naturally, there should be different kinds of places. We had to seek El Paso out, and in its own way, it rewarded us. Thanks, El Paso.

Next up: West Texas Rambling and the Southern Tier.

-Erik