NMBDR -> HobbitRider n BajaExplorer

This is a true and faithful account of the two above mentioned riders riding the NMBDR.*

As an introduction we have been rained on, sleeted up, hailed on, wind blown and the desert sun beat down** till we were completely dehydrated and out of water. So far it's been a great ride. We are now in Reserve, N.M.

There are two things Hobbits little TW200 needs to learn;
1) The rear tire never leads when dancing.
2) The clouds provide no traction when tires are pointed straight up.

Have videos, if we ever get home to edit and post.
Will post about the trail conditions. as we go along.

Have to catch up here with what we have already run, completed section 1, 2, and 3 (today).

* Certain stories may not be totally factual.
** Common folk call it sunshine, but then they are not wearing full gear.

Update to Section 4 on fuel stations.

Luna has fuel and has not run out in the two years the owner/manager has been there.
What the manager told me about the BDR group that came by was it was a Sunday and they are closed on Sun. She just happened to come by the station to get gas for herself and saw the riders there. She opened and they fueled and went on their way.

Luna Service Station
M-F 7:00am to 6:00pm
Sat 8:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday closed.

Start early, fill up in Reserve, Luna and then in Pine Hill.
We rode sections 4 and 5 in about 10 hours.

There is no fuel in Fence Lake.

Section 7 - Rio Chama.

Need to shorten this some more.

Rio Chama

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Can,t wait to see it all. Plan on being there next year, need all the info possible.
Thx Baja.

Getting there:
Hobbit and I left Belton, Tx just after 10:00am and headed to Fort Stockton for the night, before starting the trail at Dell City.

We didn't want to take I10 to Van Horn and the turn north on hwy 54. So we headed north on 285 to Ora and then turn west on hwy 62/180.

Arriving in Dell City just after 12:00pm, we puttered around town for gas n a few groceries, then headed on north about 1:00pm. Temp was hot and getting hotter by the minute.

Didn't take long for the paved road we were on to turn to gravel, then a bit more north came the turn off to the right onto G004 which after heading in a NE direction following the gpx tracks lead us onto more numbered gravel roads till we turn back to the SE and down through a wilderness study area.

Eventually the tracks lead us in a 360 and we were headed up to the top of the ridge that we had been following in the desert floor. There was on gravel curve, pretty sharp with an outside downward slope that needs paying attention to. Once on top of the ridge you can see the 'road' you followed through the desert that took you to the SE. Its way down and far out below you.



For all the sun and hot wind we are having



Less than 2 miles further NW running the top of the ridge we were to run into a downpour of rain and hail without any warning.... Maybe we just were not paying attention to the sky for being mesmerized by the scenery.

The rest of this section 1 to Cloudcroft was pretty tame. Just desert gravel roads and following along the edge of the of the Lincoln National Forest.
Getting such a late start on the first section we stopped in Cloudcroft for the night.

07/15/2016
Leaving CC, we headed up through the Mescalero Indian Reservation.

Bonito Lake on 107 was just about bone dry. Might as say it was.

07/16/2016
I dont' remember where what had moteled last night.

Here the required photo of the tail end of a rocket.
Tried to flag Hobbitrider, but by this time comm link had died because of distance.



Grabbed the picture and took on off thinking I catch up to him without too problem.
Kept going n going asking where is he. Got to point that I thinking I should have caught up him or least seen dust hanging the air. But nothing. It was at this I started thinking that maybe he had gone off the road. Started back, and thought i'll go on a little further.
Finally saw him omh the distance as I topped a hill, he was waiting a cattle guard.
I sure was relieved he was fine. I was getting worried.

Going on down we passed some large lava flows.
Thought I had at least one picture of them, but don't.
That is something worth slowing down for and pondering what the earth was like some time back.

It was a turn back to left at the last lava flow that Hobbitrider dropped his bike.
Can understand it, some that stuff is really loose. Think I slowed to down to crawl.

We finally got to Chloride Canyon and talk to the lady the store, she told us about a good camping spot on up the canyon, so we took off.

The NMBDR info state over 100 water crossing, well yes, if you run it in the early spring.
Not one drop of water anywhere. Crossings were not bad, some large rocks, mostly baby heads.

We came to spot that sort-a fit the description of what we had been told about the camping area to stay.



Pitched camp, went about 100 yards away to have some dinner, packed everything up and found tree to hang it from. Sat around camp just looking the terrain and just talking.
No camp fire. Seems neither one of us are big on big campfires (bon). I see no reason in them. Just a few sticks is all I need to cook with.

07/17/2016
Getting up this morning, we went and got the food containers out the tree, after stumbling over the big a* rocks there. Back at camp both of us decided it an't worth it.
So no more camping. Bears can get the snacks from somewhere else. never saw bear on the whole ride.

Packing up and leaving, we rode for maybe 2 miles, and the canyon opened up into a heavily wooded area, that appeared to not have all the rocks/stones where we had just camped. Seems like we just not gone far enough up the canyon. Beautiful spot there we missed.

It was kind-a hard to try to see the cliff dwellings that were suppose to be in here somewhere and not run off the freaking road.

Just about out of the canyon, the lay flattens out and u come up forest area.
There is fenced ranger cabin on the left and public restroom on the right.
I assume you can camp on that side with restroom. Nice looking spots for camping if so.
Nice bed of loam, or so it appeared. didn't really look.

07/18/2016
Looking at the images I have and trying to figure out where we were at here.
Let me look that map and see I can figure it out.









There was some reason why Hobbitrider wanted pictures of this intersection, with him in it.
don't remember, has to do with mileage to different towns I think.