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In Search of the Loco Hills Sinkhole

Joined
Dec 7, 2005
Messages
366
Reaction score
7
Location
Seminole TX
First Name
Jeremiah
Last month a 200 foot wide sinkhole developed near a saltwater disposal site SW of Loco Hills, NM.

http://kob.com/article/stories/S515892.shtml?cat=0

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I wanted to see it so I called up Greg. Greg is a good friend to have as he is usually very enthusiastic to accompany me for any moto-nonsense I have in mind.

This is Greg.

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He is always happy...it is quite contagious.

Anyway. I have been working hard at getting the KLR ready for a trip to Moab next month and have been wanting to do a shakedown with my luggage and equipment.

We met in Riverside NM at the Paddock Cafe and ate bacon sammitches. We played around the Pecos River for a while because I wanted to get a picture of a burned down schoolbus that was on the bank of the river. This year's brush fires cleared out all vegetation and left the red dirt with a black tint. Really cool. Got to the cowtrail that led to the bus and we encountered an obstacle. The river. The bus was on the wrong side. Dammit. We will try again some other time.

We then worked at finding an all dirt route to The Sinkhole. With all of the oil lease roads and pipeline right-of-ways it was easy. Along one pipeline, we came across a rockpile constructed by a pipeline crew. Built in the spirit of Moab perhaps???
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Maybe not...

We hit CR217 and rode east a few mile and found the sinkhole!!!

We just couldn't see it. The Man fenced it off...

We rode over to a tank battery 1/4 mile west and I climed on top of a 400bbl tank.
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This 20ft vantage point didn't really help but when I zoomed in, I was able to see the rim of The Sinkhole...
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This is what we came for...kinda disappointing...
 
Like that highly publicized one in Texas this year, I think I appreciate a sinkhole by aerial pics, from a distance, haha. Very interesting site, but kinda spooky to this rider. Neat trip idea.:rider:
 
Since we were in the neighborhood we rode over to the Square Lake Sandhills north of Loco Hills.

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These hills are LOCO!!!

Found some mud.

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And I kept going through it...

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Because it was loco fun...

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Greg shot some loco video...

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These hills really are loco...

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Greg started acting a little loco...

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Then he got really loco...

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After that we rode over the dunes to the next bowl.

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It was way past lunch time and we wanted to get to Maljamar before the cafe closed for the day. It was 100PM and I was pretty sure that they closed up shop at 200PM. So off we go. Then things got really loco.

I picked up a mesquite thorn...

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This is why I wanted to do a shakedown ride. I needed to gauge my ability to conquer any loco problem that will occur on the road.

Got it all buttoned up and the bike repacked at 200PM and we headed to Maljamar. Just our loco luck, they stay open till 300PM!!!

3 glasses of iced tea and a bacon sammitch never tasted so good....

Made it home...
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she had been waiting...
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That is all...Thanks.
 
It is always cool to come home from a ride and hear, "DADDY!!!" as the kids come running out to greet me! It really makes me focus on riding in a manner that gets me home in one piece.

That sand area looks like a LOT of fun! So does the mud. I have never learned to ride well in mud.
 
Thanks for the nice words guys...

We have a LOT of sand around here just west of the caprock...the conditions that day were PERFECT!!! We had some pretty good rains the week before...the sand was not that wet, but is sure wasn't super dry and soft...lots of fun...

Having my kid excited to see me everyday keeps me going, for sure...it is even better finishing a great ride....

She is very eager to start going with me...I have thrown her on both the KLR and GS for some short low-speed laps around the block and she LOVES it...my wife is not too happy about it...so I have to stop letting her ride when mommy is around....she is 3 now and i think the magic age is 5???
 
Some states have no lower age limit on passengers. Others, like Arkansas, do. My general rule is going to be that they can reach the pegs with their legs, or they are on a bike like a Goldwing with armrests to keep them in place. Of course, with Daniel, there is a good chance he'd try to stand up and jump :doh: So the other criteria is that the kid has a solid grasp of the need to stay put. I don't think Sarah will have a problem with this, she just needs to grow a bit more. Or I could get a Ural Patrol... :trust:
 
Nice report!

I like your third leg that you used to hold up the bike. How about a closeup?

THANKS!!!

Here's what I came up with a couple years ago with stuff I had in my scrap pile:
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-3/4" grade 8 all thread
-(2) - 3/4" nuts (only need one...using two to protect threads)
-(1) - big ol' washer
-3/4" sch40 pipe (one 10.5" section, one 2" section notched for saddle)
-1/2" steel rod - heated and radiused around 1 1/4 cheapo socket (to make saddle)
-Weld it all up:

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Time to test:

I was very happy with the results on the rear.

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I used a hole in the skid plate to lift the front:

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This setup has worked well for me.

It stays out of the way in the tool tube till I need it.

For added stability:
-Bungee down the front brake lever when rear wheel is lifted.
-Bungee down the rear brake pedal when front wheel is lifted.

I have contemplated making a lightweight version with aluminum but have never done it...
 
That's something just about everybody could use. Just make it shorter or taller depending on the bike. Like my HD, something a bit shorter would be great. very nice.
 
That's something just about everybody could use. Just make it shorter or taller depending on the bike. Like my HD, something a bit shorter would be great. very nice.

i think that aerostich sells something similar for cruisers...

with the frame design on the FLST (i had one a long time ago) it would be easy to rig up and carry a pair of aluminum legs that you could use to lift the rear...oops...you would have to lift it up very high to clear the rear fender...
 
I just need something to get it a bit higher to get at the shocks and tranny drain plug. both a **** if you can't get it lifted a bit.
 
Thanks Jeremiah for the great set of photos and description.

I have been pondering something like that for a couple of years. I am thinking I need to make one!
 
no prob, teeds.

if nothing else a length of 3/4" aluminum square tubing can be cut and used as a prop stick...it wouldn't be very adjustable but it would weight next to nothing...

i think that everyone (esp. dualsporters w/ innertubes) should have the means to take care of flats in the middle of nowhere...
 
Do it. Do it. I thought about keeping it and doing the very thing. Only lack of garage space prevented it. Do it. Do it.

hey fletch!!!!

how ya been???

i don't have the space either but my daughter deserves to have a childhood full of fond moto-derived memories that only something as cool as a sidehack could generate...yeah that sounds good...
 
hey fletch!!!!

how ya been???

i don't have the space either but my daughter deserves to have a childhood full of fond moto-derived memories that only something as cool as a sidehack could generate...yeah that sounds good...

I have been great if a bit busy since I got back from Mexico/Colorado. Being on call and knee deep in marathon training have meant very little riding lately. am rectifying that by taking Friday off and going for a ride in the hill country.

Dude, your daughter DOES deserve a hack. Do it (and let me drive it!)...
 
no prob, teeds.

if nothing else a length of 3/4" aluminum square tubing can be cut and used as a prop stick...it wouldn't be very adjustable but it would weight next to nothing...

i think that everyone (esp. dualsporters w/ innertubes) should have the means to take care of flats in the middle of nowhere...


pretty cool tool bullfrog. I use a folding shovel, if I have to.
 
hey sandy!!!

how ya been...sure miss seeing your cloudcroft pics...

:lol2: and I sure miss taking 'em!

The Cloudcroft gravy train ran to the end of the track, so I bailed and went back home to DFW. Sure do miss the mountains though.

How've you and Angel been? She still putting two wheeled miles uder her belt with you?
 
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