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Route Question

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drfood

drfood

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Not sure this is the right forum to ask this question, so please move it if it needs to be moved.

JDawg and I are leaving on Thursday for the 2016 Epic Western Vacation. The trip entails the following--

  • Houston to Lubbock
  • Lubbock to Farmington, NM
  • Farmington, NM to North Rim Grand Canyon with a detour to Monument Valley
  • North Rim camping for 3 nights
  • North Rim to Zion NP
  • Camping at Zion for 1 night
  • Zion to Las Vegas
  • Las Vegas for 7 days (2 work conventions back to back)
  • Las Vegas to South Rim Grand Canyon via Old Route 66 from Kingman
  • Camping 3 nights at South Rim
  • South Rim to Holbrook AZ via Petrified Forest
  • Holbrook to City of Rocks State Park, NM (near Silver City)
  • City of Rocks to Carlsbad, NM
  • Carlsbad Caverns for a day
  • Carlsbad to either Houston or Dallas (depending on our stamina)

Couple of question--
1. Google maps is routing us from Houston to Lubbock via Hwy 36 to Abilene as being the fastest. Any thoughts on this route?? I'm concerned with all of the small towns and lights and local police.

2. Has anyone ever ridden from Carlsbad to Houston in a single day? Does it make more sense for us to split this 600+ into 2 days via Dallas?

I'll try to give trip updates periodically and with photos of course :rider:
 
1. We recently returned on 36 from Cameron to Abilene. Good road with ample fuel stops. Watch for sex crazed deer while zipping through Hill Country parts.

2. Never tried riding that far in one shot. Makes my rumpus hurt just thinking about it.
 
Planned on as direct as possible from Lubbock to Farmington

US 84 to Santa Rosa, NM
I-40 to north of ABQ
US 550 to Farmington

Google maps says 501 miles and about 8 hours

Alternative is
US 84 to I-40
I-40 to US 285
US 285 to US 84 north of Santa Fe
NM-96 to US 550
US 550 to Farmington

Google says that is 514 miles and 8.5 hours

We've already ridden the 285 from I40 to north of Santa Fe. My sister and brother in law live south of Santa Fe, we could stop there and say Hi going that way. NM-96 was all under construction last time we went that way (gravel and tar) and JDawg hated it.
 
Sounds like a great trip!

drfood said:
Couple of question--
1. Google maps is routing us from Houston to Lubbock via Hwy 36 to Abilene as being the fastest. Any thoughts on this route?? I'm concerned with all of the small towns and lights and local police.
Click to expand...

If it were me, I'd get out of Texas sooner than that, to get some altitude and cool air. Or, camp in Caprock Canyon SP.


2. Has anyone ever ridden from Carlsbad to Houston in a single day? Does it make more sense for us to split this 600+ into 2 days via Dallas?
Click to expand...
I did Angel Fire to Ausitn in a day last summer. Not really a big deal. But HOT HOT HOT in July.


Here's the map of the route I took.

Unsolicited feedback: Camping at both the north and south rims might be a bit overkill? Perhaps get up to Bryce or up to Capital Reef NP. There's an amazing road through there. See the Utah section in this map of my ride a few years ago for what I'm referring to.
 
drfood said:
Planned on as direct as possible from Lubbock to Farmington

US 84 to Santa Rosa, NM
I-40 to north of ABQ
US 550 to Farmington

Google maps says 501 miles and about 8 hours

Alternative is
US 84 to I-40
I-40 to US 285
US 285 to US 84 north of Santa Fe
NM-96 to US 550
US 550 to Farmington

Google says that is 514 miles and 8.5 hours

We've already ridden the 285 from I40 to north of Santa Fe. My sister and brother in law live south of Santa Fe, we could stop there and say Hi going that way. NM-96 was all under construction last time we went that way (gravel and tar) and JDawg hated it.
Click to expand...

That seems to be the quickest way. Not the most scenic but faster for sure. The scenic way would take longer due to all the turns. In Albuquerque stop at The Owl Cafe for a bite to eat. It is in the north part of town. http://www.google.com/url?url=http:...ggUMAA&usg=AFQjCNHraZS066EidQB4MJiV5HD7BZ7NVA Second choice for a quick burger,green chili optional try Blakes Lotaburger in Las Vegas or Carlsbad.
 
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Jeff S said:
Sounds like a great trip!



If it were me, I'd get out of Texas sooner than that, to get some altitude and cool air. Or, camp in Caprock Canyon SP.



I did Angel Fire to Ausitn in a day last summer. Not really a big deal. But HOT HOT HOT in July.


Here's the map of the route I took.

Unsolicited feedback: Camping at both the north and south rims might be a bit overkill? Perhaps get up to Bryce or up to Capital Reef NP. There's an amazing road through there. See the Utah section in this map of my ride a few years ago for what I'm referring to.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. Looks like a great route.

Using Marriott points for hotels the first 2 nights. That's why Lubbock and Farmington.

JDawg has never seen the Grand Canyon or Monument Valley (we got detoured 3 years ago by a snowstorm) so I want him to see both north and south, there's so much diversity between the 2. I LOVE the North Rim, it's my favorite NP of all with Grand Teton #2. We went to Bryce (camped), Capital Reef, Arches (camped at Green River SP, UT) on our 2013 Epic Vacation. You're right Utah 12 is an amazing road, especially the part along the "spine".

My only concern now is Congress seems to be hellbent on shutting down the government like they did in 2013 and we missed Grand Canyon and Petrified forest on the front end of that trip. Let's hope they come to their senses. :zen:
 
1) Can't address the hwy 36 question; I've only ridden bits of it.
2) I can't imagine you'd have to split up the trip from Carlsbad to Houston, but if you do, just leave Carlsbad in the afternoon and overnight somewhere between the caverns and Houston. That'll get you home on the same schedule.


kickstand~prophet said:
In Albuquerque stop at The Owl Cafe for a bite to eat. It is in the north part of town.
Click to expand...

I believe The Owl Cafe is on the north side of I-40 on the east side of town. GREAT burger.

And, your route will take you through Espanola... there's a Blake's Lotaburger there, too. Fast-food kind of a place. Decent burgers and shakes.
 
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kickstand~prophet said:
That seems to be the quickest way. Not the most scenic but faster for sure. The scenic way would take longer due to all the turns. In Albuquerque stop at The Owl Cafe for a bite to eat. It is in the north part of town. Second choice for a quick burger,green chili optional try Blakes Lotaburger in Las Vegas or Carlsbad.
Click to expand...

Yes. I would love to go back via Santa Fe. But I'm not sure time is on our side to do that. We have a very bad habit of stopping and taking far too many photos. The more stops the later to Farmington.

Thanks for the dining recommendations. We will definitely look into Blake's when we come back via Carlsbad.

Owl Cafe looks really good! :eat:
 
I just came back last weekend from Colorado to Bryan on the 36 route. Roads are good and the towns don't slow you down that much. Carlsbad to Houston is very doable in a day. I recently did Roswell to Bryan in a day on my FZ1 and Clayton, NM to Bryan in a day on my DRZ400.
 
pub610 said:
1) Can't address the hwy 36 question; I've only ridden bits of it.
2) I can't imagine you'd have to split up the trip from Carlsbad to Houston, but if you do, just leave Carlsbad in the afternoon and overnight somewhere between the caverns and Houston. That'll get you home on the same schedule.




I believe The Owl Cafe is on the north side of I-40 on the east side of town. GREAT burger.

And, your route will take you through Espanola... there's a Blake's Lotaburger there, too. Fast-food kind of a place. Decent burgers and shakes.
Click to expand...

There's a Blake's just around the corner from our hotel in Farmington. We might just wait until dinner to check it out. :rider::eat:
 
drfood said:
Yes. I would love to go back via Santa Fe. But I'm not sure time is on our side to do that. We have a very bad habit of stopping and taking far too many photos. The more stops the later to Farmington.

Thanks for the dining recommendations. We will definitely look into Blake's when we come back via Carlsbad.

Owl Cafe looks really good! :eat:
Click to expand...

Eaten at Happys also in Carlsbad. Not bad,little run down back then. If you go to many places at noon time (Carlsbad)they seem packed and you will have to wait in line awhile.

If you have never been to the Caverns before it does get pretty cool inside on the tour. A long sleeve shirt or light jacket is a must.
 
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