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9th Annual Smokey Bear Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride

Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
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1,814
Location
Castroville, Texas
First Name
Sander
Come spend a week riding your motorcycle in an alpine environment away from the Texas heat.

Weather information

Average temperature end of July / first of August high 70.5° & low 46.7°

Goal
I want to invite others to come out and ride for three reasons, (other than to meet new friends).

1. The trails need more riding in. If we don't use the trails we risk losing access.
2. More riders over a short period of time will demonstrate the positive economic impact of motorcyclists responsibly using National Forest land.
3. Although there is no cost to participate in the ride I would like to make a group donation to a local Cloudcroft organization or charity to give back and further motorcyclists cause as a responsible user group; organization and amount TBD. Regardless of the local Cloudcroft organization or charity I would like to get a group of riders together for a short ceremony to make the donation at lunch time one day.

Basic information
The ride is based in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. For an idea of the riding available check out the pictures and video from the 2011 Ride Report. For even more trail / forest service road videos click HERE, search New Mexico 400 or Smokey Bear Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride.

Invite your family, invite your friends, everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend and ride. You determine when you arrive or depart and your level of participation each day - ride all day, 1/2 a day or not at all. My family plans to ride Monday through Friday.

No formal rides, meetings or routes. Just an excuse to ride in the mountains and escape the Texas heat, plus see 3 reasons above. Available terrain ranges from class 1 roads to extreme enduro type trails with astounding variety and options, in fact part of the NMBDR route goes through the area. With riders of different skill levels attending you should be able to ride with someone or a group that fits your ability. I.E. Find the group that is going to ride at the level you want for the day. If you need to warm up (temperature wise) and get tired of aspen and pine trees head west 10 or so miles down the mountain for some desert riding.

I will be happy to give route and terrain advice from the areas I've ridden, I still haven't ridden it all in 10 tries, plus a lot of TWTer's have extensive knowledge of the area. Fortunately the detailed Map makes it easy to explore and find your way back.

The great thing about riding in the Cloudcroft area is it doesn't take extensive planning just a willingness to explore. I've never used GPS in Cloudcroft, but usually always do in Texas. Why? There are so many options. I usually just head out of town each day in a different direction from the day before and let the ride flow. See a legal road or trail, check it out. Signage has improved in the area but not perfect, which in doubt check the Map. At an intersection we go the way that looks the most fun and where the sky is lighter. Most days there will be a shower somewhere in the forest, usually easily avoided by watching the sky, that also keeps the dust down or eliminates it completely. If a road or trail is too wet, like the three bears you can usually find one that is just right. Then at 3 or 4p in the afternoon wherever we are in the forest we find our location or the MVUM Map and connect the best route back to Cloudcroft.

My family will be on plated dirt bikes but there are plenty of forest service and logging roads for heavier dual sports and adventure bikes. The days my wife rides we stick mostly to gravel forest service roads and logging roads as most of the single-track trails are very technical. I try to get in at least one full day on the Rim Trail and other single-track trails.

My wife and I plan to arrive on Saturday night to get situated on Sunday, scouting, getting last minutes items, and maybe even riding a little.

The unofficial banquet will be Friday, August 4th at Ski Cloudcroft.
Unofficial meaning, no host, show up if you want, when you want, of course during their business hours. My group will probably get there between 630 & 7p.
logo-min.jpg

http://skicloudcroft.net/ - "The restaurant is also open for the summer, Friday 4-8 PM, Saturday 12-8 PM, and Sunday 12-7 PM. Get out of the heat and enjoy one of our famous pizzas on the deck and cool summer air."

Lodging
We stay at the Spruce Cabins, there are lots of cabins in town and several motels. We stock up on groceries in Alamogordo for sandwiches on the trail and to cook out in the evenings.
The Spruce Cabins offers a 10% motorcycle discount but you have to ask for it to receive it.
If you stay 6 nights at the Spruce Cabins, the 7th night is free, since we booked 6 nights we are going to arrive a day early and take advantage of the extra night.

Camping in Lincoln National Forest

Restaurants

Fuel

Riding requirements

Motorcycles registered for use on public streets are not required to be registered for off-highway motor vehicle use. NEW MEXICO OFF-HIGHWAY MOTOR VEHICLE (OHV) PROGRAM
A Texas (or New Mexico) OHV sticker is required for off road only motorcycles to ride on National Forest land. Texas Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Program / Out of State or Visitor Permitting Rquirements

Trail information
Trail information
Trail spreadsheet with difficulty ratings
Motor Vehicle Use Map
Most current MVUM Map for the Sacramento District of the Lincoln National Forest with the trail rating spreadsheet ratings highlighted, trails marked easy, moderate, and difficult as per the rating spreadsheet. Prepared by the TrailBoss.
Paper maps and other trail information is available at the Sacramento Ranger District office, 4 Lost Lodge Rd, Cloudcroft, NM 88317 Office Hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm M-F

GPS track maps
Cloudcroft partial overview
Rim Trail GPS
Benson Ridge area, Taylor Canyon Trail (T5007) & Wills Canyon Trail (T5008)
West Side Road
Apple Tree Canyon Trail (T5601)
Karr Canyon Rd

New Mexico off-road riding information
http://www.nmohva.org/main/index.php
http://www.b4uride.com/

About the area
Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce

Alamogordo is 16 miles to the west (about 4500 feet lower in elevation) has the major chain stores and several motorcycle shops.

Cloudcroft, New Mexico is....
* up at 9,000 elevation.
* 40 miles from casino wagering and golf at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.
* 50 miles from Ruidoso Downs.
* 16 miles from the Space Museum, Alameda Park Zoo, and Toy Train Depot in Alamogordo.
* 40 miles from White Sands National Monument.
* 150 miles from Carlsbad Caverns.
* 90 miles from El Paso and the Mexican border.
* Within 50 miles of 8 magnificent golf courses.

Why is the ride named after Smokey Bear? In 1950 a real baby bear became the live "Smokey” when he was rescued from certain death by firefighters in a devastating blaze in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest.

interior-smokeys-history-003.jpg


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DSC05386 by AvantMotorcycles, on Flickr

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Re: 9th Annual Smokey Bear Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride / 7/31-8/4 / Cloudcroft, New Me

:popcorn:
 
Re: 9th Annual Smokey Bear Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride / 7/31-8/4 / Cloudcroft, New Me

Hmmm maybe me and wife Stephanie she said yes
 
Re: 9th Annual Smokey Bear Dual Sport Motorcycle Ride / 7/31-8/4 / Cloudcroft, New Me

Yep. ..that'll work.
 
Looks good, Sander. I would like to make this. Appreciate your effort on the planning.
My son and I will be riding the NMBDR the first week of June and I plan on having a couple of extra days to look for a place to buy up there. I sure like the area.
 
I should be in NM during that time; Barn-E would love to see some of that part of the country! I need to know what time you usually start riding so I'll know what time to leave home.
 
I need to know what time you usually start riding so I'll know what time to leave home.

Usually 9 to 915a, come over a few minutes early for the pre-ride video.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX3_fmgyOls"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX3_fmgyOls[/ame]
 
I'm interested in going but that's pretty far from San Antonio on a WR. If anyone is towing their bike there I'd be interested in a ride share and would cover the gas there and back 100% plus lunch.
 
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My family will be on plated dirt bikes but there are plenty of forest service and logging roads for heavier dual sports and adventure bikes. The days my wife rides we stick mostly to gravel forest service roads and logging roads as most of the single-track trails are very technical. I try to get in at least one full day on the Rim Trail and other single-track trails.

:tab Just so folks are aware, in addition to the awesome single track and nice forest roads, there are also a lot of nice ATV trails, which are open to the bikes and are not usually as technical as some of the single track. Although, there are a few that are pretty technical :flip: You can do a lot of these on something like a KLR 650 or smaller (maybe a KTM 690). Some are steep and have loose rocks, but many are simply nice two track trails.
 
I'm thinking of trying to slot this into a show in Salt Lake City since I could probably fly out of El Paso on the 4th, hopefully leaving truck & bike in El Paso for a week. Hmmm :deal:

What's the meet-up, group situation? Any plans? I'll be bringing the Husqvarna.
 
What's the meet-up, group situation? Any plans? I'll be bringing the Husqvarna.

We leave the Spruce Cabins each morning about 9a. M,T,Th,Fr I ride in a group with my wife, we usually stick to forest service roads and easier trails. We start out with other riders but they usually pair up a split off during the day. She takes Wednesday off so we hit singletrack that day. I hope to get in more singletrack this year.
 
I may try to attend this year with a buddy of mine from NY. We road road out here a few years ago but our ride was cut short by weather.
 
I'm interested in going but that's pretty far from San Antonio on a WR. If anyone is towing their bike there I'd be interested in a ride share and would cover the gas there and back 100% plus lunch.

It's on my calendar too, as I really enjoyed my trip there last summer. I have a truck, but only a receiver mount for one bike. If you could find a suitable trailer for two bikes, perhaps that would work. I will most likely try to disperse camp.
 
Time to bump this one to the top. 300, 400 or 650? Mebbe I'll just take two. :mrgreen:
 
I am new to this site and new to ADV riding. Have years of off road and street experience just not this type riding. Live in the Dallas area and ride an 800 gsa. Yup a bigger bike. This ride interest me. It would not want to tackle it alone on my first go round. I can trailer 3 bikes so if a means of getting there helps someone out maybe we can work something out. I would tend to prefer camping but am open to a sharing a room as well. Anyone interested?


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There are a lot of really nice roads that you'll be happy with. The trails are not the places I'd take an F800. But then I fall down a lot...
 
There are a lot of really nice roads that you'll be happy with. The trails are not the places I'd take an F800. But then I fall down a lot...


The falling down part is not to bad so long as all the appendages still point the right direction when you mount up again.

I'm good for two tracks and even some single so long as the rocks don't get too big or too loose.


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Me and wife are gonna be in a camper van...

Up on Alamo peak or where ever with bicycles

A little worried about leaving the 500 on the hitch if we run around
 
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