Cloudcroft New Mexico ride - Memorial Day Weekend 2010

[Wasabi]

Okay I guess I have to start this report. Scott be sure to jump in with the details and pictures you do so well.

Tourmister (Scott) , Rsquared ( Roger) and I Wasabi (Bill) did a little trip to Cloudcroft New Mexico May 25 -31. We left Arlington Texas early Tuesday morning and landed in Cloudcroft at the Summit Inn, 566 miles in about 10 hours.

GPS Track for first three days

Summit Inn

Day 1 Tuesday, Checked in, unloaded the bikes and gear and did a couple hours ride before the sunset. Scott and I on our trusty KLR650’s while Roger flew his 2009 KTM 459 exc.

Day 2 Wednesday , Scott leads the way on a Dust and Ruts 10 hour tour in the mountains of the Lincoln National Park. I was totally challenged by the extent and severity of the ruts we had to travel over. For the majority of the three and a half days we road, I was standing on my pegs trying to pick the rut with the least depth. The locals said they had some of the most severe winter weather in a long time with record snow fall, 180 inches , 60 mph+ winds and a dry spring that spawned forest fires. We saw evidence of all these conditions during the five days we were there. The ruts were probably due to the record snow fall. I was so intimidate by the deep ruts that I got sucked up by one that threw me into a downed tree. I cracked and bent my front faring and busted the antenna on my GPS. Later that evening back at the motel Scott did a fine job of zip tie sewing the faring back together. We were able to bend the faring bracket enough to attach everything enough to keep on riding.

Pictures in no paticular order

I have severe Pumpkin envy now. I joined KTMtalk and a have some quotes from several dealers

White Sands in background

My over packing will get me in trouble later

Rut sent me into this tree, pic after I picked up the bike.

Minor damage , just need some zip ties.

All better now

Had lunch here, I think it was called Bells

Day 3 Thursday started off great until we decided to take on a single track straight up a very steep rocky rutted tree lined gauntlet. Roger seemed to float over the same track that I would lay my bike down at about ever 100 feet. I was so exhausted at one point Roger rode my bike up the hill to a starting point so I could try again. I was so tired I could hardly walk up the hill to get to my bike. Scott was doing much better than me but he still had a few drops. But he still managed to make it to the top of the hill. Roger is riding up and down the hill checking on our progress and giving us a hand. At one point the questions is asked do we continue on this path. Both Roger and Scott agree that we should turn around and go back down the hill. For me it was a no brainier, back down the hill. We rode a while and stopped at the National Solar Observatory Center, NOSC . It was closed , “Out to lunch”. We rested for a while there but had to dawn or rain gear before we left to head back to the motel.

This is how I started my day. The bike was so close the the edge of a 100 foot drop off that could not pick it up with out help. I think a big part of my problem on this track was the amount of weight I was carring high on the back of the bike. Each time I tried to ride over a high spot my front end would pop up and I would loose my balance and tip over. A lesson learned.

NOSC, we took a break here just before it started to rain

More to come

 

[gotdurt]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

 

[TWTim]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

 

[ekms377]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

You KLR guys are diehards..........

 

[Wasabi]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Sorry got some of my pix out of order. Before he headed back to the motel we rode some of these roads

checking the GPS and maps.

Day 4 Friday Scott was in touch with some riders near Ruidoso and they agreed to show us some of their favorite riding area. Ron, Dave, John, and George lead the way on a great ride, where ? I am not sure. I did not have my GPS so I don’t have a map of the track.

Ron, blue shirt, talking to Scott and John. He invited us to meet at his palce to start the ride

Rons magic garage, I wish now we could have stayed longer and had a full tour of the wonderful work going in there.

A few pix of the ride.

After the ride we stoped here for some good eats. The resturant was not open so we ate at the bar.

It was an excellent ride, thanks to Ruidoso Ron and friends for a great time.

Day 5 Saturday: The sky was dark and the sound of thunder is heard in the distance. We head for the opposite direction thinking we can avoid getting caught in some bad weather while in the mountains. It worked for about three hours and then the rain and thunder got started and we had to put on our rain gear and head back to Cloudcroft.

Before the rain

Thats all folks, thanks to Scott for his excellent navigation and zip tie sewing and Roger for helping me pick up my bike and the test ride of his very fine KTM.

 

[greeneggs&ham]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Great ride report. We will be there next week. Mrs. Ham & I will be celebrating our 30 anniversary. We are staying at a cabin just east of Cloudcroft. If Roger is watching this would he like to comment on his jetting. The Mrs. 08 530 will have to be rejetting from it's current 900 ft. setting. I could use the JD 6500 or 9000ft. But someone with past experience would be useful. Again great ride report.

 

[DaveC]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Frankenbike, the beginning!

a least it has character.

 

[Ruidoso Ron]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

We enjoyed meeting you guys, and riding with you. You missed a good one on the following day. We managed to be escorted off of a ranch, but not in an unfriendly manner. We rode up behind a fellow cutting firewood, and startled him pretty badly. Since he had his generator running (to power his splitter), he failed to hear the 6 bikes approach. After he settled down a little, he pointed out that "Yes, you are definately tresspassing", but appearantly didn't feel that it was a shooting offense. Gone D (George) said he felt certain that it was Lance Armstrong, but I'm not so sure.

 

[Rsquared]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

This was my first Dual Sport ride in the Cloudcroft area and hopefully not my last. Compared to the Texas Hill Country and Arkansas, New Mexico gets the nod as my favorite so far; although I do hope to go to Colorado on a Dual Sport ride for the first time this August, so the” favorite” status is subject to change. I’d also like to thank Bill and Scott for letting me ride along, as I truly had a great time. The weather was almost perfect, except for the few rain storms. At the high elevations the air was dry and cool during the day and chilly at night. Typically layered clothing started out the morning ride, but was shed during the first break we took. Anyway, here’s a few pictures.
The camp site.

My tool kit packed and ready.

Stop for lunch.

Meeting up at Ron’s home in Ruidoso

Testing the knobby’s grip on asphalt.

Riding in the Capitan area where Billy the Kid used to roam.

The Storm.

Riding the Storm out.

 

[busric]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Good report and darn glad I read it. At my age and experience on a KLR, I am sure glad I have waited on a Cloudcroft ride. I'm finding the KLR to be a lot of weight to bull around but I am finally getting more comfortable with it as time goes on. I haven't ridden off road in 3 decades and then it was on much much lighter bikes so I'm still getting aclimated on this bike. Besides the weight, the height is much more than I am used to and having 3 fused discs in my back doesn't help much there either. I lowered it 1.5" and that really seems to have helped with handling also.

Once again, thanks for the report. I'm still wondering how you managed to not bust off a turn signal on that fairing crunch.

 

[Rsquared]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Great ride report. We will be there next week. Mrs. Ham & I will be celebrating our 30 anniversary. We are staying at a cabin just east of Cloudcroft. If Roger is watching this would he like to comment on his jetting. The Mrs. 08 530 will have to be rejetting from it's current 900 ft. setting. I could use the JD 6500 or 9000ft. But someone with past experience would be useful. Again great ride report.

172 main, 3rd clip from the top, 1.5 turns out on the fuel screw. This jetting left me a little fat at 9K' with no bogging, and the snap would return at 8K' and below. Y'all have fun.

 

[Red Brown]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Hey Fellas,

Great report....can you guys can post up the GPS route, track(s) etc. I plan to be up there sometime in July. Part of my route overlaps, but I want to make sure I can cover most of the area.

I am also going to get a park map from the ranger station as Richard from Texas Adventure suggested.



Thanks,

RB

PS Thanks for the GPS tracks...I have them now.

 

[NitroRoo]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Great report. I have a dual sport on my mind as my next bike and these threads are helping me decide on what size bike to get. I definitely want to get off the beaten path so I'm thinking smaller and smaller these days...

 

[busric]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Great report. I have a dual sport on my mind as my next bike and these threads are helping me decide on what size bike to get. I definitely want to get off the beaten path so I'm thinking smaller and smaller these days...

Good report you had on your Ark ride recently. Your 1100 is a great bike for the riding you were doing. I'm still getting to know this KLR of mine but like partnering with a good horse I think time will temper us both.
Shoot a message one of these days for a meetup. I could ride over to the cafe by the Ransom entrance for a coke and some visiting. Not today, a lot of rain in the area.

 

[NitroRoo]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Good report you had on your Ark ride recently. Your 1100 is a great bike for the riding you were doing. I'm still getting to know this KLR of mine but like partnering with a good horse I think time will temper us both.
Shoot a message one of these days for a meetup. I could ride over to the cafe by the Ransom entrance for a coke and some visiting. Not today, a lot of rain in the area.

Hey man I definitely will - it'd be good to meet another Lubbock rider! I get to ride home in this fun stuff in about an hour

[/threadjack off]

 

[greeneggs&ham]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

Thanks Roger, I did not get a 172 with the JD kit, but the instructions say to use a 170 between 6k & 9k and a 165 above 9k. I think the town of Cloudcroft is all that is at 9k. I will use the 170 and drop the needle as needed if to rich. But I will take the kit for changes. I see by your photo you have been shopping at my favorite store in Cloudcroft, High Altitude. They rent bikes & can supply guides to pedal to Ruidoso if anyone is intested.

 

[Tourmeister]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

I will eventually get my pics posted. Right after we got back, Dad left for vacation and won't be back until this coming Monday. Right now I can hardly keep my eyes open because I am so freaking tired. I usually sleep from 2-3am until about 10:30am and go into work around 11:15-11:30am. However, with Dad gone I am having to both go to bed and get up 4-1/2 hours early. This means I miss my normal deep sleep time and it is REALLY catching up to me in a hard way!! Maybe next week sometime...

 

[Tourmeister]

Re: Cloudcroft New Mexico ride

My tool kit packed and ready.

That's not a wrench!!

THIS is a wrench!!

and check out that drift pin!!

Roger got a lot of ribbing because Bill and I were packed to rebuild a bike on the side of the trail, and Roger was counting on his bike being one of those that could be rebuilt with our tools if needed Seriously though, he did have a normal pack so he wasn't a tool mooch

 

[Tourmeister]

Here are a few teasers until I get a chance to post them all...

 

[Tourmeister]

Okay... here we go...

So once again, the date for Richard's Mex Trek event was looming near. Three years running I have missed this event because something has come up in the week or so prior to the ride. Last year, it was a deer standing in front of my KLR This time, all seemed good to go... but then there were the constant reports of increasing turmoil related to the drug cartels South of the border. It finally reached the point where I just got a real bad feeling and decided to abort. Mexico is not going anywhere, the violence can't last forever, and hopefully there will be a next time. Meanwhile... what to do with the time off I already have scheduled? I had planned to trailer down to McAllen with Wasabi for MexTrek. When I share my decision with him, he agrees but then asks me to throw together something else for the same time. With a week or so to get it done, I swing into action.

The end result is four days of riding in the mountains around Cloudcroft and Ruidosa, New Mexico. I fire off a few PMs to see if I can find a few other riders on such insane short notice. Roger "Rsquared" is good to go, but no one else. So three of us it will be, plus the possibility of hooking up with a few other folks out in the area. Roger comes to my place, we load the trailer, head for Arlington to get Bill "Wasabi" and we're off to New Mexico. From Bill's place in Arlington, it is 560 miles to Cloudcroft. We get away about 7:00am Central time and arrive in Cloudcroft about 4:30pm Mountain time. A boring drive for the most part but it only takes about 10 hours.

We stay at the Summit Inn

This is a nice place for a mere $50 a night on a holiday weekend. The owner is a nice guy that helps us out during our stay. The rooms are clean. No A/C, but that is really a non issue. It is right off the main drag and most anything we need is in walking distance. He also has a great spot for us to park the truck/trailer. There aren't many rooms though and limited parking overall, so it would not be a good place for a large group event. In fact, in the town of Cloudcroft, there aren't many places at all that could handle a large group. Anyway, we unload and decide to do a short ride just to see how the bikes run at altitude. The town is right around 8500 feet and most of the riding we will be doing will be between 6000 and 9500 feet. So we head out for a short ride on the roads North of town.

The highway down the West side of the mountains to Alamogordo

A dead end road/trail just outside town

Typical of most of the roads close to town, have to watch for ATV's as there are a lot of folks camping off these roads.

Roger on his sweet KTM 450 EXC

Bill on his venerable and well traveled KLR 650

The bikes all seem to be running great. So we drop back out on the highway and head back into town. We had stopped in at the Forest Service office earlier right after getting into town and I picked up some maps of the area. We still need to get dinner and I still need to come up with some routes for the next few days. We end up having a somewhat late dinner at a place on the main drag that is right next to some hotel and a bar. Well... not so good... Then it is back to the hotel and we call it a day.

Wednesday is our first real day of riding. I've got a general idea of where I want to go, but mostly I just want to explore and make the route on the fly. That tends to lead to more fun and adventure. We head West out of town on US 82 to the small town of High Rolls, the cut South on High Rolls Rd., also called FS 90, CR-A061, and West Side Rd. Miles and miles of hard packed dirt with deep ruts, but fun nonetheless!

That is the White Sands area in the background

A ways down we decide to explore a few side roads that jut out West toward Alamogordo. I think this is 90-A. Anyway, it is not as rutted and looks to have been graded not too long ago as there is a layer of loose soft dirt on the road with rocks in it. It makes for some fun riding!

Roger takes off into the distance...

And then Bill... you can just barely see Roger on the far left where the road disappears around the hill

The road dead ends into an antenna farm high above Alamogordo, The Lone Ridge Electronic site, at about 7500 ft.

That is the famous White Sands of New Mexico to the right of Roger

After a break and shedding a few layers of gear, we head back to the fork in the road and explore the other leg of the side road. It is rougher and more fun, but unfortunately comes to a locked gate in just a few minutes. So... back to the main road where we continue our trek Southward.

It would not be a DS ride report without the obligatory pic of someone taking a "break"

There is a LOT of this bush everywhere and the smell is fantastic!

Soon the road gets a little less rutted, having been recently covered with a whitish grey gravel. It makes for some loose cornering as the road begins a twisty climb up onto the ridge East of us.

After climbing up onto the ridge, we intersect the Sacramento River Rd., also known as CR-C001 and is the now paved extension of the Sunspot Highway (also known as Hwy 6563) down to Timberon. The pavement is perfect and is a total blast, but the speed limit is an absurdly low 35mph I guess that is fine when it is the dead of winter and ice might be an issue, but on a beautiful sunny day like to day... Anyway, we roll on down into Timberon in search of gas and food. We stop at the local post office, which is the only building of note to be seen, and I ask about a place to get gas and eat. The conversation starts like this, "Well... if they are open today..." So it looks like we might not be eating and gas really isn't a problem yet. I head back out to inform the guys of our options. Then the lady from the post office comes out and tells me she has called the local eatery, they are open, and she told them we are on our way. Cool. So down the road we go...

The B&B Cafe in Timberon, good food and great view if they are open

Gas is had at a place called Jodie's or Josie's off the main drag through "town", any grade you want as long as it is 86...

I should note that the maps show a road heading out of Timberon to the North East, NF-160 on my map. It is closed, which is a REAL shame because it leads right into a mess of great roads!! So anyway, we have to head back out of town the way we came and cut East on Scott Able Rd.. which cuts over to Woods Canyon.

It's not just the deer, elk, turkeys, foxes, and various squirrels you have to watch out for!

I am hoping to head up Logan Canyon and see if that connects to Potato Canyon Rd. Logan Canyon Rd., starts out fun, basically a two track trail with lots of holes and cow pies. However, it soon peters out to a locked gate. So back we go... but, off to the side I spot another less traveled looking road It's not on the maps or the GPS, but there is no gate... so.... up we go...!

This turns out to be a great road! It climbs higher and higher, getting rocky and narrow, twisting and winding through the Aspen trees. The cool dry air feels incredible against my skin.

No idea what this is called, but it is cool looking!

Well, this road is a keeper. We eventually come back out somewhere around Pendleton Canyon Rd., I think.

We turn South and head down to CR-D003 and CR-D007, then cut back to the Northeast, eventually dropping down into Hughes Canyon. After a break and some map checking, we decide to head for Long Canyon and run back South. Roger seems to recall there being a fire tower somewhere down in that area that might be interesting to check out. He used to hunt this area some years back. Long Canyon is a nice ride, with some interesting scenery...

... and it eventually hits Board Canyon Rd., where we cut East to Bluewater Creek Rd., and head South. This road is the one that runs back down into Timberon according to the maps. So we decide to run down it, also hoping to find that lookout tower. The road gets rough and is obviously no longer traveled. We never see the turn off for a tower and we even miss the locked gate. The road dead ends and as we are turning around, we see the locked gate a little below us and buried under a downed tree. It doesn't look like anyone has been through here in a longgg time. So... we backtrack to CR-E017, also known as Pinon Draw Rd.

I am hoping this will arc over to the East and we can work our way up to Highway 24 near Avis. The road really gets fun as it begins to climb. It has lots of erosion ruts, loose rocks, and gets steep in places. Right as I am really starting to enjoy the road...

At this point, we decide that the alternate route is looking kind of long and we'd rather start working our way back towards Cloudcroft. So we decide to head back to Bluewater Creek Rd., and run back North. This is another fun stretch of road. It is not real technical, but it is very pretty and just a nice ride. From the South end to the North end at Weed Rd., it drops from about 8000 to 7000 feet. At Weed Rd., we decide to head back West toward Hughes Canyon Rd. Hughes Canyon is a nice easy road that climbs back up to around 8200 feet and has some nice views. Somewhere along the way I am looking for a road that is supposed to cut back over to Sacramento, but I never find it... It is on my maps as NF-265 and also as Pendleton Canyon Rd. No signs of it existing now from this end though So we take a break.

Looks like a storm is brewing to the North... We hear rumbles and get some sprinkles

Not willing to don the rain gear just yet, we decide to risk it and head on down the mountain. The scenery takes a surreal tone...

There are still critters here as I just had to break to avoid a deer, and we see a few others as well. Then off we go again... From here, the map shows this as being CR-9622c and it runs West over to Aqua Chiquita Rd. It is a nice narrow twisty road, steep in some places as it makes a quick descent down into the creek valley below. As I am coming down, I catch the occasional glimpse of Roger's headlight behind me. But... when I get to the end of the road just minutes later, he is nowhere to be seen, nor is Bill... I wait a moment... a minute... two minutes... Uh oh...

Looking back from where I just came from...

I recall seeing a little side road and now I start to wonder if perhaps they might have taken that instead of the main road. With no way to communicate, getting separated out here would be a real pain. So I start to slowly head back up the trail... being REAL careful around blind corners so I don't meet the other guys head on... Further... further... higher... higher... Geez!! I know I saw headlights in this spot before!? Before long, I am almost back to the area where I dodged the deer and I KNOW I saw Bill and Roger at this point...! And then there they are

It seems Bill had run out of rut dodging juju and had a spill... right into a downed tree trunk The front of his bike took a beating, but it is holding together and it's road worthy... mostly... as is Bill. So back down we go, now just in a mood to get back to town, hopefully dry... We run up Hay Canyon Rd., to Prestridge Hill Rd., also known as NF 541, and then to Hwy 130, where we just run back up to Cloudcroft on some really sweet pavement!! Once back at the hotel, time to assess the damage...

A face only a DS rider could love...

In no time we get the bike apart and start the process of patching it up for a few more days of riding.

Roger is a big believer in the "Right tool" for the job

Ron, the hotel owner is gracious enough to let us park under the overhang in front of his garage, which is big enough to cover the bikes when it starts to sprinkle again. He also has a cordless drill with a 1/8" drill bit, which I use to perform a little cosmetic surgery on the front fairing while Roger and Bill work on the front end of the bike.

A little bending, banging, prying, and grunting and the bike is good to go

We call it a day, clean up, and head for dinner. However, it seems that just about every place in town is closed already. Once again we are left with eating at the place by the hotel and bar... it is even worse this time We have GOT to find some better grub in this town!! It's been a good day of riding, but now I have to head for the hotel room to see what I can put together for tomorrow... perhaps something a little more challenging...

 

[Tourmeister]

Okay... where was I...?

Day two, Thursday

Yesterday's riding was fun, but I am in the mood for something a little more technical today. I spent a good bit of time last night in my room going over the Forest Service map, the Garmin topo map, and the Garmin City Select v8 map, all of which show different roads/trails. Between the three maps, I get a general idea of where I want to go and what I hope to find. The FS map shows a lot of "roads" that are restricted to vehicles of 50" or less in width. That pretty much means bikes and ATV's, so I figure these will be fun. I find Roger and Bill out front around 9:00am and we are off to see what we can find.

We head South out of town on Hwy 130. I had intended to run down Hwy 6563, the Sunspot Highway, but I was not paying attention and before I knew it, I'd gone far enough that I was not interested in turning around. A quick check of the GPS shows a road that cuts back West, Pierce Canyon Rd. So we take it. It is a nice wide and well maintained gravel road, nothing technical, but good for getting my head back into low traction riding mode. We pass some kind of big church camp facility and some nice homes before popping back out on the Sunspot Highway and continue heading South.

After a few miles, we reach the turn off for Benson Ridge Rd., my destination. The City Select v8 map shows this road connecting over to Dark Canyon Rd., and coming out on Hwy 130. It looks real squiggly on the map which is usually a good sign. However, the topo and FS maps don't show it going through... Also, they show quite a few of those little "roads" running around the mountain on both sides of Benson Ridge and Dark Canyon. I figure we can waste a good bit of the morning wandering around here to see what kind of trouble we can find...

We turn off onto Benson Ridge and following the winding path back into the woods. The road is narrow. There are downed trees of all sizes all around us. Many of them are freshly cut and the smell of pine sap hangs in the damp morning air. It reminds me of the ice storms in East Texas when the tops of all the pine trees snapped under the weight of the ice. Everywhere I went all I could smell was the pine sap. I am snapped myself as I see the front end of a "WIDE LOAD" sign coming around the corner at me He's not going fast, nor am I, but this truck is taking up the WHOLE road and then some. Fortunately, there is a nice little clearing off to the side where we can wait as he rolls by, pulling a low hanging trailer like the ones used for hauling dozers. We keep going after a friendly wave to the driver and sure enough... barely a 1/4 mile up the road we find a dozer working on the road to clear trees. He gives us a wave by and we keep going, but not far beyond him we find the road closed...

We stop for a short break and I check the map. We can hear the sounds of busy chainsaws not far away. I guess we have finally caught up with the road clearing efforts. To be honest, I am amazed we did not encounter any of this yesterday. Given the damage we've seen to the trees, the workload has to have been pretty heavy, but the vast majority of the roads seem to be clear. Not to worry though, we just happen to be at the start of one of those little restricted width roads

Looking down into the woods along the road, it is rocky and narrow. Looks like fun! Most of these trails are actually fairly well marked, but it soon becomes obvious that the reality on the ground does not always match the lines on the maps. I start comparing my GPS track to the maps in an attempt to figure out exactly where we are and which trail we are riding. Sometimes it works... sometimes not... No matter, it is beautiful out here and the riding is great!

After some really great riding, we come to another intersection and I am thinking this looks vaguely familiar... I glance down at the GPS track and sure enough, we've made a big loop and come right back to where we've been before. Now I discover that the trails and ALL the maps are quite different! No sweat, we just take off down another trail that looks like it goes in the general direction I want to go, which is down towards the Upper Rio Penasco Rd. I say "down" because we've been riding around at about 9000-9500 feet elevation and that road is around 8200 feet. The bikes seem to still be running great and thus far I have not been feeling the effects of the elevation beyond just a slight shortness of breath if I really exert myself. No headaches though

The road down...

The road down has some really great descent sections that are pretty steep and technical. The ground is quite rocky and there are a lot of good sized tree roots, so picking a good line and being real easy on the braking is key. In short order we finish the descent and find ourselves at Upper Rio Penasco Rd., a nice wide graded gravel road. I am not really sure why we are heading this way instead of trying to keep going West toward Dark Canyon, just seems like the thing to do right now

So we head West a short distance and look for a little road that heads down into Cathy Canyon. My maps don't show a name for the road, but it is on all the maps. What we are really looking for though is another one of those restricted width roads just off this road that climbs back up to around 9300 feet. We have fun launching off some of those erosion berms that cross many of the roads in this area and then find the turn. The road heads down into a small valley, crosses a small stream, makes a hard ninety and literally climbs up the side of the mountain on a ledge about the width of an ATV... Roger volunteers to go first.

And then he vanishes around a corner, so... off I go! The climb starts out easy enough, loose dirt and rocks, but fairly steep. I get up on the pegs, lean forward, and stay on the gas, letting the bike bounce around underneath me. The dirt soon gives way to rock with some pretty good steps in it. To my left is now a rock wall about 8-10 feet high and to my right... air... The ground slopes away pretty steep on the right, falling down over a lot of big rocks down to the creek below. If one of us were to go over that edge, there would be no stopping the tumble until reaching the bottom. Nothing to do but stay on it and quit looking around!

I eventually get up to an area around the corner and see some nice roots that will have to be climbed. Roger is already off his bike waiting with camera in hand I keep the momentum up, pick a line and go! Once over the roots, the ground levels out and the slope on the right is now a gentle slope into a beautiful green high valley full of trees and a small creek that drops down into the creek below. I park the KLR behind Roger's KTM, grab the camera and head back to catch some shots of Bill.

Looking back down the trail toward the rocky section

The rock wall starts right where the road ends in this shot, the drop off being on the left here

But where is Bill... I don't hear his motor. He was pretty far behind me so I start down the trail for a better look... I find the bike... but no Bill!! The bike is laying on the ground with the bars and seat on the ledge side of the trail. I immediately start looking over the ledge to see if Bill has gone off and tumbled down. My mind is racing through all kinds of nightmare scenarios about how bad this might be and what we'll have to do to get Bill out of here...

And then he walks up around from behind the corner of the rock wall... whew!!

Looking back up the trail

The footing is precarious so close to the edge, but we get the KLR righted and it is good to go

Loose rocks, embedded rocks, loose branches, roots... this "road" has it all... and more...

Bill back underway and tackling the roots

And then a nice place to rest for a bit... Lovely up here...

But just out of sight in that last shot, the road turns left and heads straight up the mountain, no switch backs, just straight up... and there is water flowing down the trail, making one line slick and muddy. The uphill side of the trail is dry, but has lots of big rocks that bounce the front end of the KLR all over the place. I am standing up again, leaning over and trying to stay on the gas, but I hit one good sized rock and before know it, the front tire is trying to climb the side of the hill. I get on the gas more, because as they always say, "When it doubt, gas it!" I try to yank the front end back in line... no good, it just continues to ride up until it totally loses traction and then slides back down into the trail hard enough to carry the bike right on over onto the other side. By this time I am not going real fast and I can just step off. When I look back down the trail... it seems Bill has done something similar. Apparently, the mud got the better of him. Roger is out of sight....

Yes... yes... it IS steeper than it looks!! It even makes you winded just walking up it.

My bike righted, we head down to get Bill's upright

About the time I trudge back up to my bike, Roger comes rolling back down the trail. His report is that it is just more of the same for at least the next 1/4 mile or so, but he thinks we can make it. So I get back on the bike, take a deep breath, refocus, and get back on the gas! Getting the momentum back on these steep climbs is critical but tough. By time I have enough speed for stability, the front end is bouncing everywhere again. I may have to go to a thinner fork oil so that front end can absorb these impacts a little better without tossing the bike all over the place. I get a hundred yards up the trail and stop at a relatively level spot to look back for Roger and Bill...

What lies ahead....

and behind... Bill bounces off a rock/root and drops the bike

Seeing that Bill is up and ready to roll, I take off again. Things are going pretty good until I clip the side of another large rock, bounce over and glance off the bottom of a BIG tree stump/root, then bounce back the other way right into a BIG thick clump of branches hanging down over the trail. I plow through the branches on the gas, but once again the front end is climbing up the sidewall of the trail, which is like one big rut at this point. And like before, I just slide down and tip over, stepping off to the side. It occurs to me at this point, as I struggle to catch my breath... I might be exerting myself now

I get the bike righted and then find some shade for a break to catch my breath. The cool dry air feels fantastic as it finds its way through my mesh suit. I love that no matter how hard I exert and sweat, I just don't feel like I am getting all hot and sweaty. Whereas, when I am back in East Texas, all I have to do is walk outside and stand in the shade and within moments, beads of sweat are running down my torso and soaking my shirt and shorts. The smothering humidity of East Texas might keep my beautiful face wrinkle free for year after year, but it sure comes at a high price Cosmetic tips aside, I soon see Bill and Roger coming up behind me, so I remount and steel myself for the rest of the climb.

At this point, I decide I am just gonna go feet down, slow crawl and thread my way through the rocks and roots. It works pretty good. I go about fifty feet, stop, think about where I want to go, make my way through it, stop, pick another line, rinse and repeat as necessary. I am really working now, trying to keep my balance and keep the bike from going over when I can't get a foot down. Loose rocks spin out from under the back tire and twist the front tire from side to side. A few places there just is no choice to but to stand up and gun it! The trail gets rougher and steeper, but soon I can see a break in the trees ahead and a bright sunny spot. Even if it is not the top, it looks like it will be a nice place to stop and rest to wait for the others. When I break out of the trees into the clearing, I've reached an intersection of several trails... I am at the top!! And I am SHORT of breath...

Looking back down into the woods toward the trail

A shady place to check the maps, strip off the gear, and just lay on the ground!

I lay on the ground and just enjoy the feel of the cool air, the beauty of the clear blue skies, and close my eyes... I focus on slow even breathing and the feel of my heart rate coming back down. I am totally into the experience of the moment and then I hear it... a low distant rumble rolling through the mountains and through the trees. I crack an eye open and look to the North through a gap in the woods. A storm is brewing... Large dark clouds are gathering. I keep a wary eye on it for another ten minutes or so and then start to wonder what is keeping the other guys...

Thinking Bill and Roger can't be far behind, I decide to just hike down the trail a way in case they need help. I get maybe 100 yards or so down and find Roger coming up the trail on his bike. No sign of Bill... Roger stops and informs me that Bill is still pretty far back. It seems that after a few drops, he just could not get his breath back and was really getting close to the point of complete exhaustion. We both walk down a bit farther discussing our options. At this point, we need to get off this mountain the easiest way possible. I am thinking it might be best to just get Bill to the top and then descend one of the other trails, but as we continue to walk and I realize just how far down he still is, I start to see why Roger is thinking we should just turn around here and head down. So that is the plan... but now I have to walk all the way back up to my bike!! So up I go... rest, walk, rest, walk, rest, walk, reach the top and lay down again Even with the cool dry air I am working a pretty serious sweat now! The rumbling is louder and closer... Time to gear up and roll...

I roll up to the edge of the trees and contemplate what lies ahead... Some people feel more comfortable going down when things are rough, I generally prefer going up when it gets rough. If I need to slow down, I either just let off the gas... or fall over... Going down though, I find it hard to keep the speed in check without the bike sliding all over the place. I start out with the engine running but it soon becomes obvious that engine braking is pointless because the hill is so steep and I am spending all my time with the clutch in anyway as I pick my way over rocks and roots. So I kill the engine and just coast, using the brakes VERY carefully. I repeat the process I used coming up, stop, pick a line for a section, move through it, stop again, pick another line, and keep going. I have some close calls but manage to stay upright. About 2/3's of the way down, I see Bill ahead of me and Roger ahead of him. Now I am kind of getting into a groove and feeling better about things. We finally reach the rock ledge near the bottom and Roger agrees to ride Bill's KLR down through the hardest part for him and then walk back up to get his KTM. We finally make it to the bottom and get back to the main road. We sit in the shade and think about our options. I think we've had enough of the really technical stuff for the day and the consensus now is to look for some nice relaxing riding as we work our way back toward Cloudcroft.

 

[Tourmeister]

So as I was saying...

Beat from the last few hours of riding, we decide it is time to look for some easy riding and to think about lunch. We head back up to the Upper Rio Penasco Rd., and head West toward the Sunspot Highway. I am thinking we'll check out the Solar Observatory and then maybe run down to Timburon to see if the B&B Cafe might be open. If not, no worry. The ride down and back still rocks!

We soon reach the Observatory but find that it is closed. An "Out to Lunch" sign is hanging on the door with a "Be back at 3:00pm" note. Dang... it's 1:30pm. Well, nothing to do but have a look around.

An interesting piece of art hanging on the front wall of the main building...

We sit around for a while and take a break. Fortunately, there is a snack machine in the entry way of the building but still outside the inner set of locked doors. So I can at least grab a Snickers bar for a snack. The storm I spotted earlier while resting on top of the mountain seems to be getting closer by the minute. We decide that heading straight for Cloudcroft instead of Timburon might be a wiser course of action. As we are getting set to go, I notice the other guys are putting on their rain gear... Hmmm... That might not be a bad idea...

We get back on the main highway and start heading North. It is only 16 miles back to town so it should not take long. However, no sooner than we get up to speed, the temperature starts to drop fast. A few minutes later, the pavement is damp, then come the sprinkles on the face shield. Moments later I see little white things bouncing all over the instrument cluster and my tank bag... Then they start getting a little bigger... DOH! It's hailing! Fortunately, the hail only lasts a minute or two and never gets real big, but it is soon followed by rain. Now we have to slow down because the road is really twisty and I have no desire to find the wet traction limits of the D606's on the KLR The down side is that it means we get wet... and cold... real cold... I just count down the miles and think of that HOT shower waiting at the hotel... We eventually roll into town and it looks like it has snowed. The ground is completely white in many places. It's all hail! Apparently, we just got into the edge of the bad stuff and it moved on right before we got into town, thank goodness! We reach the hotel, park the bikes, and call it a day.

A small bit of the hail

Our eating experiences the last few days have been less than spectacular. In fact, they have just plain been terrible. So we decide that tonite we are going to head down into Alamogordo and see what we can find. Besides, it is a nice drive down and back.

Looking West toward Alamogordo, the highway runs along the bottom of the rock face on the left side of the image

We get into town and make the run down the main drag. Eventually we settle on an Applebees. A cold beer and nice steak really hit the spot! With everyone stuffed and happy, we make our way back to Cloudcroft and call it a day. Tomorrow, we are heading up to Ruidoso and will be trying to hook up with Ruidoso Ron and some other DS riders. They will be showing us around their favorite stomping grounds. When I talk with Ron after getting back to the hotel, I tell him that after the riding from today, we are ready for some fun but not hard core riding. "No problem," he says...

We head out the next morning and make the run up Hwy 244 through the Mescalaro Apache Indian Reservation. The goal is to make it to Ron's house just North of Ruidoso by 10:00am. The run up through the reservation is very scenic and the pavement great. Of course, once again the speed limit is annoyingly low I mean, it is not like I want to go nuts, but a nice relaxed 70-75mph would just make this a fantastic ride, even on the KLR! Anyway, we reach Ruidoso and gas up the bikes before heading over to Ron's house. When we get there, a few other guys are present and we are waiting on one other.

While waiting, Ron gives me a nice tour of his shop, lots of cool pics from his flying past, a really nice project bike he's rebuilding, and his wife's pottery studio. I neglect to get any pics of the shop because we are too busy yakking about all the photos and gadgets, but I did manage to get a few of his wife's studio. She makes some very interesting pottery, not exactly the plant potters and bowls one might expect

We soon get a call from the guy we're waiting on. Apparently we are going to meet him somewhere then head out. Our group now consists of me, Roger, Bill, George "Revog" Gover, John, and Ron "Ruidoso Ron". The guy we are headed to meet is David. I head to the back of the pack. I spend enough time leading that when I get the chance, I like to hang back and just follow without having to think about where we are or where we are going. I just enjoy the ride. As a result, today I really never pay much attention and just snap lots of pictures. So here you go:

The group meets up with David, he's on the XR650L.

Dave has a minor mechanical issue, but Bill saves the day with his HUGE selection of assorted nuts and bolts. David takes the lead and we head off down a paved highway for a while before turning off onto a wide graded gravel road with mountains in the distance.

John on his brand spanking new KLR, less than 500 miles so far.

More evidence of widespread fires

The road is really rocky, but not real technical. It is quite fun. However, it is very noticeable that we are at lower elevation because the heat is really coming on strong already... I don't think it ever got much over about 80-85 F in the last few days riding in the mountains South of Cloudcroft. Here, it feels like it is getting into the mid to upper 90's. So we take a lot of breaks. With the sun being almost directly overhead there is a definite shortage of shade that actually covers the road.

I am now riding sweep and I tend to drop back, stop, take pics, etc,... George is ahead of me and at the last stop I told him to give me about five minutes without seeing me before he comes back to look for me. Then we set off again and I start dropping back. I stop for a picture and as I am stopping and putting my foot out, I misjudge how far down the ground is on my left side. Before I can touch, the bike leans over juuuussttt a teeny weeny bit too far So now am standing here contemplating whether or not to expend the energy and effort to attempt to stand it back up, or to just let it go and step off. I momentarily lose grip of my senses and try to save it, taking a deep breath and pushing... Then it dawns on me that I am likely to pull something and regret it, so I step off and lay the bike down. I pick it back up, get it on the stand, take my pictures, and get back underway. Moments later George comes around a corner looking for me, hehe.

The fires must have been impressive to see because they scorched thousands and thousands of acres. The scenery is very surreal. The green of the new growth is very bright in contrast to the dusty ground and charred remains of the forest that used to stand here.

Before long, the road starts to get a little more technical. There are some deep ruts, erosion, bigger rocks, etc,... And did I mention it is getting really hot? The frequent stops are actually making me hotter. So long as we are moving, even if only a few miles an hour, the wind through the riding suit feels good and I can stay hydrated since I am carrying a camel-bak. Some of the other guys have to stop to drink though since all they have are bottles of water.

A small creek with lots of loose rocks

Bill working his way over some kind of pipe that crosses the road

Ron coming out of the creek

... and not quite clearing the pipe

Thunderhead brewing behind Roger... some cloud cover would be nice!

Now the road really starts to get rough, basically being nothing more than an area of rocks without any trees growing in them. I'm feeling pretty good though, despite yesterday's strenuous riding. So I just continue to go with the flow, keeping the end of the pack in site and taking my pictures.

John and George contemplating lines for a particularly rocky section

I have been watching John and George all morning. They seem to be struggling in the looser rocky stuff, especially on climbs. At one of our breaks, I mention that it really helps to stand up on that kind of terrain so the bike can just bounce around under you. They both take that to heart and start standing up a lot more and I can see that they are doing much better and seem more relaxed.

Ron has a low speed drop on a fairly steep climb with a very uneven and rutted surface

George's KLR

It's been a good 30 years since I've seen one of these alive. We caught them all the time when I was a kid in central Texas back in the early 70's.

Nearing the end of the fun stuff

Well, eventually we come out on to a small paved road, that runs into a slightly larger paved road, and eventually a regular highway. We stop for a quick late lunch/early dinner, then Roger, Bill and I part from the group and head back into Ruidoso while the others head back to Ron's place for an evening of telling stories and lies over cold drinks. We top off the tanks in town and then head back through the reservation toward Cloudcroft. It was a great day of riding and I really enjoyed meeting the new guys.

Once back in town, I decide that I want to go check out a place on the East edge of town that John mentioned. It's called Big Daddy's Diner and he highly recommended it. I did not eat a full meal earlier and am wanting just a small meal to end the day. Once inside though, I spot a plate of ribs on someone else's table and all of a sudden I am HUNGRY. But they are out of ribs So I get my stand by meal, a grilled cheese sammich, which is excellent! The waiter tells us that they will have more ribs and a full menu of BBQ tomorrow, so we plan to come back here tomorrow night for our last meal before leaving town. After dinner, we head back to the hotel and call it a day. Time for me to come up with another route...

Saturday morning rolls in cool and clear. The news has some nasty weather floating around and there is a good chance we might see rain today. However, we decide to risk it and see what happens. The general plan is to head North of town, then work our way East along the Southern edge of the reservation. We head West out of town on US 82 to the start of Bailey Canyon Rd., and cut North. There are a lot of campers in this area so I will be keeping my eyes peeled for ATV's!

Bill at a dead end, more evidence of fires

We backtrack after the dead end, encounter some kids on ATV's that don't react like they were expecting to see anyone else on the road, and then keep going. At La Luz Canyon Rd., we head East. This is a nice gravel road that follows a high valley. Again, LOTS of campers with RV's in this area. I get stuck behind some kids on ATV's that are blasting down the road raising a huge cloud of white dust. Soon they turn off and I can see again. The road drops out onto Hwy 244 and we head North toward the reservation to pick up CR 99 at Spud Patch Canyon. We head back into the woods and without realizing it, I have missed a turn. We are actually now on Dry Canyon road and almost to US 82. Once I realize what has happened, we backtrack almost all the way to Hwy 244 to pick up the start of CR 7.

CR 7 is nice. It does not look heavily traveled. It is narrow and covered with trees above. It is steep, rocky, and climbs to about 8400 feet. Then it just winds its way along the top of the ridge. There has been some recent road work up here on the top. Trees have been cleared and stretches of coarse gray gravel have been recently laid down to improve the road bed. As we meander through the woods, I notice the sky getting darker directly over us... Sure enough, within a few minutes it starts to sprinkle. I keep going, hoping it is just a sprinkle since it looks clear everywhere else. The drops get bigger... and then it starts to hail again! I finally pull over and we stand around under some trees to get out of the hail until it quits. The rain continues though.

Bill having the time of his life because he is here and not at work

Seeing that we're gonna get wet no matter what, we decide to get back on the bikes and head down the mountain. We drop down off Sixteen Mile Canyon Rd., onto US 82 and stop to reconsider. That one small cloud has now started to take over the entire sky. Even as I stand here checking the GPS and looking for an area to ride, the rain starts again. The direction we had planned to go riding just heads right into a cloud cover that is steadily growing darker and more ominous. It is decided that we will just head back towards town and see if we can maybe find some roads to ride South of US 82 and work our way back to the Southwest side of town.

I try several different roads that the maps show running from US 82 down around the East side of Cloudcroft and coming out on Hwy 130. No luck. Some are gated and one is a park road closed for renovations. So we just head back into town. There is a craft festival/show in town today and the crowds are out in force. We finally decide to just call it a day for riding and to wander around town and check out the festival. Most of the stuff at the festival falls into that category of stuff that is cool to look at and I can appreciate the technical/artistic skills to create it, but I have zero interest in actually buying any of it to add to the clutter in my home. We grab a bite to eat at one of the booths, then head over to the main drag to check out all the shops and get Bill a T-shirt. Eventually, and after a nice cold beer, I start feeling a nap coming on... So we all head back to the hotel and agree to meet later for dinner. For the next few hours...

We meet around 6:00pm or so and head over to Big Daddys for our BBQ dinner. We get seated, place our orders, and wait in eager anticipation. then it happens... the waitress comes back and tells us that Bill can't have ribs because Roger just got the last ones No problem, he just substitutes something else. Then it happens again... Now they say even Roger can't have ribs Noooo!!! Well, denied our ribs, we settle for the sausage, brisket, and chicken, all of which are excellent! I usually don't eat much in one sitting, and I probably should not have done so now, but man I am STUFFED! Finally... are REALLY good meal!! A fitting end to a great weekend of riding.

We get everything loaded up. Then early Sunday morning, we head out. When I go to fill up the truck, the ONLY gas station in town is out of diesel... uh oh... I have a little over a quarter of a tank, and the next town with a pump is about 90 miles away... Well, nothing to do but go for it. If we run out, we can just unload a bike and send someone up the road to get a few gallons. Fortunately, a good portion of the run East to Artesia is downhill So we roll into town on reserve and find diesel. Then we just settle in for the long haul back to Arlington. We hit some pretty good rain storms along the way, but roll into Bill's place around 6:00pm. Roger and I still have to get to Huntsville and then he has to load his bike and get back to North Houston. However, it will feel good to sleep in my own bed tonite!!

Another great trip added to the memories. The Cloudrcroft area is definitely on my list of places to return to!

 

[Tourmeister]

Finally done! Sorry it too so freaking long It's just hard nowadays to get some uninterrupted time to work on reports.

 

[Scorch]

Great report, Scott. Thanks for posting.

 

[Duke]

Great ride report guys!

So I got to ask Scott, or maybe I missed it? Where was the deer, four wheeler, or other unwanted smack down for you on this trip? Still got all of your fingers and toes?