Day 19 [Las Cruces, NM]

0 miles.  That's how long it took me to get my first flat tire today, and 28 miles brought me another four.  Apparently my luck had run out, and this resulted in the day from hell for me.  Every single flat was the result of a little piece of steel belt from an exploded tire.  It's not like I wasn't avoiding road debris either, I always do.  This morning I woke to find my rear tire flat, as usual.  Since it had already been patched three times I decided I'd use my last spare tube and just replace it.  Once on the road I got a flat just about every five miles. So time after time, I'd unload the bike, patch the tire, and get back to pedaling.  By the time the fifth flat tire came I was out of patches and tubes.  Stuck in a desolate area, 25 miles away from the day's destination.  Now I had told myself that I would never get a ride (I consider it cheating) unless I was about to pass out, injured, or just shit out of luck.  Hopefully I won't have to use anymore cheat codes, but in this instance it was necessary.  So there I was stranded on the side of the road thinking about what to do.  I eventually remembered that I had AAA road side service, so I gave them a call.  I let them know the situation, and how I was stranded.  The woman on the phone unsympathetically informed me that there was no way they can come pick up a cyclist.  I then called a cab company located in Las Cruces.  It took awhile to explain what I needed them to do, but they eventually understood and agreed to come pick me up.  Just as I was hanging up the phone a truck pulled over and out stepped Ray and Vicky.  They helped me load everything into their truck and gave me food and water (which I was out of) on the ride.  They were my saviors for the day.  In Las Cruces they dropped me off at a bike shop so I could get the ailing Fiona looked at.  All in all it was an absolutely terrible day.  I'm so thankful that tomorrow I'll be in El Paso with a real roof over my head and a rest day on Monday.  Texas awaits me, and I'm still undecided on which route to take through the extremely desolate western part.