132 miles: Tornillo - Isleta - El Paso - Rio Grande - Strauss - Aden - Cambray - Deming
Well I done it!
I got on the bicycle at Eddy, Texas, and I got off it at Deming, New Mexico, and I sold it to the barber who shaved me for $23 and I'd given Montgomery Ward $23 for it. So I got free transportation, and I had my camping outfit. I didn't sleep in a house but once during the whole trip.
I stopped in El Paso a very short time -- long enough to go over into Juarez and then I went on to Deming and it was a terrible trip between El Paso and Deming. Oh, terrific.
Bedi speaking to Bill Owens about his bicycle trip.
In Bedi's interview with Bill Owens he clearly states he rode all the way to Deming -- even going so far as to note how "terrible" the last leg was from El Paso to Deming. Lillian's (his wife) story about him hopping a train from El Paso to Deming is curious and appears incorrect. Although our family lore has been Lillian's version, I am inclined to believe he rode the bike all the way to Deming. He would know!
El Paso
From Tornillo, we stayed on highway 20 next to the railroad. The next stop on the 1909 Southern Pacific timetable is Isleta. Now, Isleta is just a suburb of El Paso with no notable "town," so we jumped on I10 for the last 20 miles to El Paso.
The train station in El Paso appears to be the one he may have seen -- though I am having trouble verifying the date it was built.
Bedi said he visited Juarez while in El Paso. In 1909, there was some unrest as the Mexican revolutionaries were skirmishing. I read that folks in El Paso did not take the "conflict" very seriously at this point and "watched it from their balconies." I guess Bedi did not feel it would be dangerous to cross into Mexico.
The bridge most likely looked like this when he crossed. Interestingly, President Taft would walk across this same bridge some months later for an historic meeting with Mexican president Diaz.
This is the bridge today from El Paso.
Rio Grande - Strauss - Aden
Rio Grande feels like a suburb of El Paso. We crossed the river and arrived in New Mexico with little fanfare -- just a small sign.
As soon as we could, we got on a dirt road alongside the rail road. Both Brian and I think the terrain after El Paso became even more desolate -- not even any dry arroyos. There were LOTS of dust devils in the distance.
None of the towns between El Paso and Deming listed on the timetable were anywhere to be seen. They were on Google Maps as well, but we saw no buildings of any sort beyond a major transfer station where Strauss was supposed to be.
We did find a few old buildings on the side of the railroad at one point, but I couldn't tell how old they were.
We also traversed a very interesting lava field -- the area around Aden is full of blown out volcanic craters. I wonder if Bedi was fascinated by it.
Deming!
The railroad follows along I10 as it enters Deming -- not very romantic or exciting. However, it was still thrilling!
With some effort, using Google Maps and a paper drawing, we managed to find the homestead claim and the parcel my mother inherited! It is hard to imagine where their cabin might have been. There is nothing there, now -- no hint of a windmill, house, animal pens, or anything. Some of the family have sold off their parcels, so there is no longer a contiguous Bedichek parcel.
The mountains are closer than I thought they would be. There are very few other houses around. It looks like a hard place to live. An old-timer told us that the water table in the early 1900s was at 80 feet and now it is at 1000 feet.
Next up is research in Deming to solve some mysteries and hopefully find some original documents at the local museum, archives and courthouse! Posts about their life in Deming to follow!
Some of what I hope to find:
Original Deming Headlight newspapers (Bedi was editor for awhile).
The location of the house they rented to live in for the birth of my grandmother.
The location of the Chinese restaurant where Bedi found his dog Bo.
The Deming Headlight offices.
Their marriage certificate.
Visit Faywood Hotsprings where they went for their honeymoon.
I feared that it would be desolate, as I have been out there riding with Bruce Huff when he was a truck driver. I cannot even imagine doing that on a bicycle! I certainly hope your family enjoyed the trip. Your research has made it so interesting. I hope you find more. But $23 for a Barber! Also, so interesting that the water table has gone so low!--Sherrell Huff
It’s hard to see a homestead on that land. Roy and Lillian must have been idealistic. I have really enjoyed the journey. Thanks for taking us along. — Heber
I visited the Demming Headlight around 2001. It was a going concern then. Looking at their website now, I don't see anything after January of this year. Thanks so much for this blog!
Rob Bedichek