Routing assistance

I'm on an unexpected trip from Port Aransas to New Mexico. Getting some riding in tomorrow around Silver City but need to plot a way back home. Definitely don't want to do I10 or del Rio back, thinking about cutting over to Midland area and working my way south from there. Can anyone suggest pleasant secondary roads that'll work me way home? Would like to stay off the slabs. This is a part of our great state I'm unfamiliar with. Riding a KTM 1290. I'd appreciate your help.

Draw a straight line on the map from point a to point b then route yourself on the smallest map squiggles that run in the general direction you want to go . Always worked for me . When I used a gps if I got totally lost and compleatly turned around I might turn it on just for directions to a close community so I could get my bearings and find my route again . The gps prefers that you be on the freeway and will route you a hundred miles out of the way for that freeway . All my bikes have roll charts .

Getting from Silver City to San Antonio, while bypassing both I-10 and Del Rio is no easy feat. You might take Hwy 180 through Carlsbad and east, then cut south on 87. You'll be in a lot of desert & plains, but at least you'll be off of Interstates 10 & 20.

One way to help the issue, if you have a GPS, is to set your routing info to "avoid highways"; the GPS will look for ways to keep you off the interstates. You can also uncheck the "avoid unpaved roads" box, and your GPS may lead you down some unexpected byways. Of course, it'll take you a good bit longer to drive home, but I assume you're prepared for that. Safe travels.

When I was a college kid, I regularly plied the road from El Paso to San Antonio. In those days, they were in the process of building I-10, and there was lots of two-lane left. You can certainly make that trip faster these days, but that comes at a cost. Before it became interstate, the road from Sonora to San Antonio was not only scenic (which it still is), but a lot of fun to boot.

US 180 East to Santa Clara
NM 152 to I25
Just past I25 you could go north or south on NM 187 Which pretty much parallels I25

Go north on 187 to TorC
NM 181 to I25.
I25 or NM1 to San Antonio NM (I would exit I25 and stay on NM1 as much as possible takes you through the Bosque Del Apache NF
To San Antonio NM

US 380 to Roswell

Make your way From Roswell to Big Springs, Midland or Odessa area. Pretty boring area but there are lots of road options depending on how much time you want to take

Out of Midland
158 to Sterling City

Out if Big Springs
US 87 to Sterling City
163 to US 90 to Del Rio
OR
163 to US 190
US 190 East to either US277 or US83
US 277 to Sonora then continue south to 55 to Rock Springs
OR
US83 South to Junction then Rock Springs
55 to Uvalde

Then Pick whatever boring route back to Port A you want.

If you choose to go South at 125 back in NM there are a few interesting roads until you get to El Paso but after that there are long stretches of nothing unless you want to follow the Rio Grande back

I have ridden or driven almost all of that in the past few years.

Be careful trusting the GPS in curvy road/ no interstate mode cause mine wants to take me deep into Mexico when I go that way.



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Cagiva 549 said:

Draw a straight line on the map from point a to point b then route yourself on the smallest map squiggles that run in the general direction you want to go . Always worked for me . When I used a gps if I got totally lost and compleatly turned around I might turn it on just for directions to a close community so I could get my bearings and find my route again . The gps prefers that you be on the freeway and will route you a hundred miles out of the way for that freeway . All my bikes have roll charts .

Click to expand...

Roll chart, Google maps, and google "motorcycle road" + whatever state you wish. Ride reports taken doing the type of riding you want are also good route suggestions.

dcflying said:

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Then Pick whatever boring route back to Port A you want.

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Be careful trusting the GPS in curvy road/ no interstate mode cause mine wants to take me deep into Mexico when I go that way.

Click to expand...

If getting there was fun, getting back the same way might be funner.

I refuse to carry a GPS on a motorcycle. Look up "Chispa Road". My roll chart listed each turn to Chispa Road, then "Chispa Road 56m pavement resumes" and I got to the other end. Alive. Adventure? Not with a GPS.

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions, some great ideas, roll chart, looking for most squiggles,proposed routing suggestions, I really appreciate it.

As it worked out, though, the weather made my routing suggestions simple. Rain closing in across Texas, I knew I needed to light a shuck home. I left Silver City around noon, practiced hitting my apexes once again knowing those are the lest curves I'll be seeing for awhile, and headed for Port A. Moteled it in Van Horn which I arrived at via hwy. 62 off the 375 loop in El Paso. 62 more or less parallels I10 and when I got on it and saw the sportbikes rolling in I knew it was a good decision. Glorious ride with awesome scenery. Cut down on 54 to Van Horn. 6 AM the next morning rolled out with a gift from God...a cold norther. Made the most of it with light sunday traffic and fewer speed traps than usual....made Port A early afternoon. Comfortable bed, warm wife and a huge storm last night were the icing on the cake.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate your help.

Sounds like you found a good route. Good on ya.