From Marathon, the route follows US 90 east. The town is left behind quickly; after that, the stage is mostly road, railway and open ranchland for many kilometres. It starts at around 1,220 metres and reaches the day’s high point early. From there the profile drops gradually, usually in long, barely visible steps. Along the road are low hills, dry creek beds, fences, cattle gates and access roads to scattered ranches. Shade is rare, and there is effectively no reliable resupply between start and finish. This section needs to be planned before rolling out: water, food, heat and wind matter more than the elevation profile. Near Sanderson, the terrain becomes more cut by dry washes and canyon edges. The town sits small on US 90, with the railway, a motel, a fuel stop and the feel of a remote West Texas waypoint.
