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A goon-fotch and her ride to New Mexico

Joined
Oct 3, 2007
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Location
San Jacinto
I am hoping to head out to Northern New Mexico this Monday, if all works out. My childhood home is in Los Alamos, and I know that if I don't do this now, I never will. I will be solo, and am following the suggested (by Mike and Cynthia Fletcher) route below. Any advice is very appreciated--I'm a rookie at anything like this, have done a couple of pie runs and weekend camping trips w/ Windsong, obviously nothing like this. I have a three week window, and need to get this done before the 2nd of August. Plus, my town is having a "all class" reunion, and I really want to see some old friends. I will be riding a Honda Shadow 1100. My gear needs to be minimal, as much of the weight carried will be textbooks for studying while I am home. Heavy textbooks. I have the tools that came w/ the bike, new tires, recent fluid changes. My fear (s!!) is something happening to the bike while I am on a stretch--like a blown tire. I figure it will take 3 days each way-- If anyone out there has advice, or lives somewhere along this route and can give suggestion for things to watch for, I sure would appreciate it. Thankyou. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=32...521683_Los Alamos, NM___e_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~
 
Any way you could make copies of what you might need to study? I've done this before instead of carrying ridiculously heavy textbooks. Or maybe ship the textbooks to where you're staying?

Sounds like an adventure! Have fun, trust in yourself and be safe!
 
Three days? Wow, that's a lot of time to travel that distance. I think you'll do fine though. I think we have a thread around here somewhere that folks put their info on if they are willing to pick up a stranded twtx person. Might be a handy list to have since most of your riding will be within the area of most of those folks. Then, there's also a handful of New Mexico people as well.

If you aren't running a spot, have someone you can call quickly to give a status update. I hopped on my Suzuki TLR that had been a rebuild from a wrecked bike that sat for two years and rode Dallas to Birmingham in one day. No issues at all. But I called my wife at every gas stop and let her know or left a voicemail as to what exit I was at. She had copies of my maps and if she didn't hear from me, at least she could give the search party a smaller search area than "Somewhere between here and Birmingham."

All that is just prep work though and you'll most likely do fine. As far as being worried about being stranded. Hey, it could happen in your car too. You'll get there and back fine and have an excellent time.

Although, I would highly recommend leaving either the bike or the textbooks at home. If you have the bike there, when you hit those roads, there's no way you'll be getting any studying in at all. :mrgreen:
 
Join AMA for roadside assistance http://www.ama-cycle.org/

I like carrying my laptop, it would help finding the closest dealer if you need it. You could also scan what you need to read and read it off the laptop. I have a mini so it is light.

I use it to find where I am going to stay. I'll stop for lunch and google where I will be to see the campgrounds or motels. AMA has discounts on motels that has helped alot
 
I have a tourmaster sissybar bag and a good Master Cable lock if you want to borrow them.

The bag is similar to this one but is textile not leather.

h_mc3.jpg


Let me know and I will try to get them to you tomorrow.

Maverick
 
I suppose I have lived a sheltered life--what in the world is goon-fotch? tom
 
You will be fine. Confidence and preparation are your best riding companions. Many women on this forum have done this very thing including me. Last August I rode a similar route to NM but continued on to Keystone, Colorado to the AMA Women's Conference. It was the most glorious thing I have ever accomplished. Nothing, short of repeating the trip, or taking other solo trips has ever beaten that feeling.

You bike is up to the challenge. I rode a Suzuki Boulevard 800 with not a hint of problems over 1200 miles.

Ride with confidence, be knowledgeable about your bike, your gas needs, your surroundings. Do not be without water.

You are wise to consult this forum for advice. Take every bit you receive to heart. These women have many miles of touring and know what they are talking about.

HAVE FUN, you will love it!!!!!!!

MotorcycleBelle
 
You're too funny. :lol2: :giveup:

Actually, would like more advice from the female collective on a trip like this. From my perspective I don't worry a lot about the safety and security of the ride.

However, a solo female rider should be more alert. No offense intended but the "fairer" sex does have a bit more to deal with than us "dudes".
 
Awesome Windrunner!

Take less than you think you need and drop clothing articles in the shower as you shower. Scrub them out, wring them out, and hang them up. All of my stuff dried by morning every time. I really think 2 shirts is perfect and one pair of undies. A cool thing to do is to keep a broom stick skirt where you can get to it at any time while you ride. If you are stopping to be a tourist, right in the parking lot you can drop your boots and upper gear, pull the skirt on and drop the pants. You will be cool and comfy. Carry sandals ON a carabiner. I lost one using bungees. Keep your phone in your jacket and a spare key on yourself. The phone needs to be WITH you in case you part ways with your bike.

Don't ever count on the phone having service.

Listen to the inner voices, cause they can be really entertaining!

For soaked boots. stuff full of newspaper pressing HARD several times. It will draw the excess out.

I am betting you will be cold more often than hot even though it is August. I was in western states for 7 weeks last summer and was hot 3 days and cold the rest.

The greatest thing I found on the road was counter-intuitive...I lost ALL feelings of loneliness and felt like I was surrounded by friends the whole time.

The mom-pop cheap hotels cost barely more than camp grounds and I noticed they always tucked me in the room right by the office or their quarters when they knew I was traveling alone.

I was never afraid.

You are gonna LOVE this!!
 
You're too funny. :lol2: :giveup:

Actually, would like more advice from the female collective on a trip like this. From my perspective I don't worry a lot about the safety and security of the ride.

However, a solo female rider should be more alert. No offense intended but the "fairer" sex does have a bit more to deal with than us "dudes".

I have not had problems from anyone one when I solo but I am not forth coming with much information and I will tell others I am meeting with a group further up the road. I feel safer in a tent than I do a motel. I do carry but never had to use and this last trip I brought along Guard Dog - Portable Entry Door Guard with Siren Alarm - by Blockit & Lockit - Guard Dog -- And I do travel with SPOT


I just completed another solo trip
Pony express

I like doing solo trips so I stop whenever I want to take pictures or take a unplanned side trip
 
Awesome Windrunner!

Take less than you think you need and drop clothing articles in the shower as you shower. Scrub them out, wring them out, and hang them up. All of my stuff dried by morning every time. I really think 2 shirts is perfect and one pair of undies. A cool thing to do is to keep a broom stick skirt where you can get to it at any time while you ride. If you are stopping to be a tourist, right in the parking lot you can drop your boots and upper gear, pull the skirt on and drop the pants. You will be cool and comfy. Carry sandals ON a carabiner. I lost one using bungees. Keep your phone in your jacket and a spare key on yourself. The phone needs to be WITH you in case you part ways with your bike.

Don't ever count on the phone having service.

Listen to the inner voices, cause they can be really entertaining!

For soaked boots. stuff full of newspaper pressing HARD several times. It will draw the excess out.

I am betting you will be cold more often than hot even though it is August. I was in western states for 7 weeks last summer and was hot 3 days and cold the rest.

The greatest thing I found on the road was counter-intuitive...I lost ALL feelings of loneliness and felt like I was surrounded by friends the whole time.

The mom-pop cheap hotels cost barely more than camp grounds and I noticed they always tucked me in the room right by the office or their quarters when they knew I was traveling alone.

I was never afraid.

You are gonna LOVE this!!

Also, don't travel with the phone on. It will eat up your battery with roaming.

The broom shirt is an amazing idea. I carry one on trips every since I was lent one by Soozy
 
Extended weather for the Texas Panhandle/South Plains area is mid to upper 90's flirtin' with 100's... so stay hydrated! Remember if you get thirsty, you're already behind! Camelbaks are great, fill 'em with ice then top off with water, sip 'n go, blow the water back to the bladder to keep it cool. I'm never without one if my one-way trip time is over an hour.

There is excellent info about riding in the heat at the LDRider's site as well as 29 great tips on the IBA's site

John
 
Awesome Windrunner!

Take less than you think you need and drop clothing articles in the shower as you shower. Scrub them out, wring them out, and hang them up. All of my stuff dried by morning every time. I really think 2 shirts is perfect and one pair of undies. A cool thing to do is to keep a broom stick skirt where you can get to it at any time while you ride. If you are stopping to be a tourist, right in the parking lot you can drop your boots and upper gear, pull the skirt on and drop the pants. You will be cool and comfy. Carry sandals ON a carabiner. I lost one using bungees. Keep your phone in your jacket and a spare key on yourself. The phone needs to be WITH you in case you part ways with your bike.

Don't ever count on the phone having service.

Listen to the inner voices, cause they can be really entertaining!

For soaked boots. stuff full of newspaper pressing HARD several times. It will draw the excess out.

I am betting you will be cold more often than hot even though it is August. I was in western states for 7 weeks last summer and was hot 3 days and cold the rest.

The greatest thing I found on the road was counter-intuitive...I lost ALL feelings of loneliness and felt like I was surrounded by friends the whole time.

The mom-pop cheap hotels cost barely more than camp grounds and I noticed they always tucked me in the room right by the office or their quarters when they knew I was traveling alone.

I was never afraid.

You are gonna LOVE this!!



That's an excellent idea, the clothes-in-the-shower! It's been a major concession for me to wear shirts and jeans 2 or 3 days in a row on these long cross-country trips but on a bike there's only so much room for stuff. I'd change clothes several times a day if I could!

The broom skirt idea is brilliant!! I'd love to see some of the guys use this tip. :rofl:

Also on top of listening to your inner voices (I assume Soozy you're referring to intuition) read the book The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker if you have time. In a nutshell he teaches you to trust your gut feeling. Your subconscious mind will see potentially bad things about a situation your conscious mind will try to make excuses for. Just always be aware of your surroundings. And when you think/feel something isn't right, it's probably not.
 
The broom skirt idea is brilliant!! I'd love to see some of the guys use this tip. :rofl:



:photo: without photos... :eek2: it never happened.... :nana:

:rofl::rofl::lol2::lol2::rofl::rofl:

J
 
Soozy & Rasz know what of they speak!!!! They were my inspiration to get on the road by myself.

Although, I followed Soozy's recommendations to keep my phone in my jacket while riding, during one of those stop and wait construction delays in west Texas, I decided it would be a good time to douse myself with water to cool off, forgetting about my phone. I fried it the first day of a 12 day trip. So whether you have phone service or not, it helps if you have a functioning phone. A zip lock bag helps with that. :eek2:


MB
 
CBAT--sounds like we are in the midst of a f aux pas (spelling of French eludes me) since no one will tell us what it means.:zen: tom
 
Gracious!! I had NO idea so many people responded to this!!! I left around July 18, and got back here late Sunday night. I have a private message from a nice fellow in Kress, giving me his phone # if i needed help--of course I didn't see it till I got back on the computer.
I was thinking while riding..my heart is in Texas, but my soul is in New Mexico. I love both places, and am SO glad I did this trip!!! I got rejuvenated...saw miles and miles of lovely pastures that weren't for sale (you get jaded around Houston), fat cows and fat shiny horses. I smelled alfalfa, road kill, cut pastures, rain, chamisa. I rode when the temp was 105, w/ my jacket and helmet--thinking of all the wreck stories I have read here. I rode w/ a friend in NM (the fellow my mom paid to take me to prom, fearing I wouldn't go otherwise) all over northern NM one day--he kept whizzing off, then pulling over asking me if something was wrong w/ my bike. I told him "no, that I rode the speed limit, had a Texas plate in NM., and had one day to absorb the sites--thinking the whole time of Mike, Tim, and Dick telling me to "ride my own ride".
I had a lot of maintenance to do on my family home-but it was heaven to sit out in the back and breath in that mountain air (no place on earth has the smell of New Mexico after a rain) and watch the birds, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks--being bombarded by hummingbirds. Thanking God for getting me home, giving me rainbows and a full moon. The house I was raised in and now is mine (though falling apart rapidly) is on the edge of the Rio Grande Gorge-and you can hear the cows bellowing up from the canyon, walk out and look over the rim to the swollen river, watch a moonrise over the Sangre de Cristo mts. I studied, which was the intent--saw old old friends, took myself for trips up through the Jemez mts., down the Bandelier canyon. The only injury occurred at the very end, putting the bike away I burned myself pretty bad on the exhaust. Stupid me. Which brings me to "goonfotch" . One and the same.
Thankyou guys for your suggestions, and offers--I just never saw them. I camped in state parks. Headed out to NM I got SO tired before I was to hit Clovis, that I pulled over to rest on a log by a silo-couldn't rest, kept thinking someone would steal my bike, so got up to keep riding. I went one block and saw a "Welcome to New Mexico" sign!! I was in a town called Texico--a very appropriate name. The difference between NM and Texas at that point was the cost of gas-the block in Texas had reg. for $2. 45, a block over, in NM it was $2. 85.
I am a rapidly growing old lady who behaved herself when young--so this trip was a total surprise to myself and most people who know me--but I knew in my heart that if I didn't do it, I never would. School starts again this week-(I'm in an RN program at Montgomery College--even me, this old lady) and it is so hard and intense--that I soon won't be able to breath--but for two magic weeks--I was in heaven. I will try now to put in some pictures. I hope. Zandra
 
Zandra...Glad to hear you are back safe and sound. Looking forward to the photos.
 
I could not get any pictures to load on this site, so started a Shutterfly address, and put some pictures there. Hopefully it will work. I am so sorry if it doesn't, there are some beautiful shots of nice places in the two states. I went up through Abilene--pretty much followed 20, and 84--then 285 in New Mexico. I camped, and am so happy I did this. Dale led me out, and came to meet me when I came back--in his car, so as to spell me for a 100 miles just before Conroe--I was hot, hot hot. I sure hope this works. Z

http://zspictures.shutterfly.com/#:emid=site_weeklydigest&cid=SHARE3SXXXX
 
Good job! It was successful if only because you arrived home safely. It sounds like it was much better than that... a memory for a lifetime.
 
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