3rd annual New Mexico 400 I Monday, July 25- Friday, July 29, 2011

[sanderjavant]

Overall this was the best week we have had in Cloudcroft. The conditions were almost perfect, no mechanicals, no injuries, no problems what so ever. I did lube the chain on day three, I felt like I should do something to the bike.

Day 1

We started out on Pumphouse ridge to get warmed up. We all had new to us bikes to get used to, my brother and I on Honda XR250s and my wife on a Yamaha TTR225. From there we went to FR634 and then rode some of the Rim trail, T105.

width=425 height=350 type=application/x-shockwave-flash>Note, no dust.

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[_RG_]

 

[sanderjavant]

Re: 3rd annual New Mexico 400-Cloudcroft, NM-Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Day 2

We started out on Karr Canyon road then down to Courtney Mine Trail (T132). After riding to the top we decided to ride up to Alamo Peak for lunch.

After lunch we rode to the end of FR223 and explored Dark Canyon. Then we backtracked on FR223 to T5005, on to Rio Penasco Rd and on to Bluff Springs. We also rode T5005 in reverse to include T5005B in a loop back to Bluff Springs.

 

[JasonJ]

looks great! the riding out there looks great, going to have to get out there.

 

[Timbercat]

How assume Sander!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[sanderjavant]

Re: 3rd annual New Mexico 400-Cloudcroft, NM-Wedneday, July 27, 2011

Day 3

We decided to start out exploring the area just north of Cloudcroft. We took Hwy 82 to FSR206, FRS206 had great traction- little gravel and moisture in the dirt. We then went where the roads looked most interesting so we took a left on FRS162 and headed towards High Rolls. The portion of FRS162 north of High Rolls was a fantastic road with great views of the valley and White Sands.

At High Rolls we headed south on the West Side Road, another great road with great views with the most spectacular being the rise back up to the top of the rim at the south end.

We then took E12 to FRS460 to FRS64 and worked our way back to the Sunspot Hwy. We then rode back and forth on FRS640 to look for elk and then headed back to Cloudcroft. We ended up riding farther north, west and south than we ever had.

 

[Vinny]

Nice. Thanks for the report.

 

[klrno2]

*sigh* Sanderjavant. Your report has wrung memories and pangs of melancholoy, yea...tears, from my aching heart, missing that area of NM. Your report could be one of many of my reports. I lived in Karr Canyon circa May2006-Aug2007, not nearly long enough...but we rode every weekend that the forest was open. If there was too much snow for KLRs, we rode ATVs. Love that area...miss it too. Looks like you had a grand time. Thanks for sharing, even if it breaks my heart to look.

 

[Red Brown]

Memories from last year! What a great place to ride and is only a short one day trip from Texas.

Thanks for sharing.

RB

 

[alpine357]

Wow. That looks like some great riding. Ya'll must have had a really good time. Excellent job on the videos too. I like hearing the sounds from the bike and the trails instead of covering it up with music.

 

[sanderjavant]

Re: 3rd annual New Mexico 400-Cloudcroft, NM-Thursday, July 28, 2011

Day 4

We wanted to ride the Rim Trail but it rained on Wednesday night so we figured we would check in out and if it was too wet we would hit some forest service roads instead.

We were surprised to find the conditions almost perfect when we hit the beginning near the intersection of the Sunspot Hwy and 130. It did get a little mushy as we reached the crossing at FSR634 so we bailed out and decided to ride Russia Canyon Rd. About 1/2 way down Russia Canyon we came to the Lucas Canyon trail and decided to head south on it. It wasn't really muddy but it was slick with lots of exposed diagonal roots to make it exciting.

At the end of Lucas Canyon we decided to ride down to Bluff Springs on T5005.

From Bluff Springs we went east on Rio Penasco Rd then 130 up to Russia Canyon Rd to Sunspot and back to Cloudcroft.

 

[sanderjavant]

Day 5

We again started out north of town, FR60C to FR568. We rode a little of T5688 before going to check out T124 that starts and ends at the Silver campground but since that campground was full we decided it would be better to ride that another time. We headed back to Cloudcroft to ride the OSHA trail and the Old Cloudcroft trail that starts right on the edge on town at 82 and 130.

When then headed south on 130 to Rio Penasco to Wills Canyon.

After Wills Canyon we rode the Willie White trail then over the Alamo Peak to ride T105 to FR634.

For the last dirt of the trip we rode down Russia Canyon rd before heading back to Cloudcroft.

 

[Rman of 237]

Cool pics and vids. My bro and I were out there a few yrs ago and had a blast. Sunspot was really neat but we arrived 5mins after the visitor center closed. We still did the self guided tour. I could spend all day there, spectacular views. On that particular day we rode Russia Canyon getting there and slabbed the Sunspot HWY back to town. Cloudcroft lived up to it's name that day as out of the clear blue we rode into the thickest fog bank I've ever ridden in!! '0' visibility for 5 miles! Once we broke through I pulled over and snapped this pic.... My brother on my TW200.

All you could do was watch the lines on the road and hope any oncoming traffic was doing the same.

The Rim Trail rocked!!(pun) Never seen so many rocks in my life! One of my favorite pics... My brother on his XR280.

Impossible to capture the vista with a camera but...
Anyway, didn't mean to jack your thread but I really enjoyed seeing your pics, hope to get back to the mountains soon!

 

[DoctorXRR]

Looks like an excellent ride and the weather held out, with just enought rain to make for good traction!

I guess you had no problem with forest closures or wildfires? Maybe by then they died out or the worst threats were farther north towards Santa Fe?

Thanks for all the excellent pictures, maybe I can make it next year!

 

[sanderjavant]

The forest opened on the Thursday before the ride started. The conditions were the best we have had. Fewer dead-falls than in the past, surprising with the previous forest closure. Saw some burned spots around Mayhill on the way up but no fire issues while we were there.

I guess you had no problem with forest closures or wildfires? Maybe by then they died out or the worst threats were farther north towards Santa Fe?

 

[Mossrider]

WOW! I should have been there..... WOW! Great picture's, I really like the tree trunk with the hornet's nest, don't poke at that one!

 

[Tourmeister]

Great report! Looks like awesome riding

 

[dualsportrider]

Do you have the trip saved on GPS tracks or maps. Thanks.

 

[sanderjavant]

Sorry no, I sold my GPS. I found I spent too much time watching it and following a route than exploring, being flexible and enjoying the ride.

We just started out on Monday close to town and worked our way out. When we came to a cross road we just went which way looked the most interesting.

You can kind of retrace our route on this map based on my daily recap.

Below are some links to trail information. As any ratings they are opinions, one riders easy is another riders difficult...

Trail ratings

OHV Trail Riding Areas

Do you have the trip saved on GPS tracks or maps. Thanks.

 

[Jbay]

was 2012 cancelled due to fires?

 

[DaveC]

Thanks for the trail links.

 

[sanderjavant]

was 2012 cancelled due to fires?

No, we just did small family ride.

 

[portero72]

I realize this thread is ancient, but I wanted to thank the OP for all the great pics and info in the thread. I also wanted to ask if those trails, Rim Trail specifically, were 650 friendly. I ride an XRL and am headed that way next week.

 

[webnel]

Man, I've done a good amount of trails in the area on the crf450x and can say the rim trail is pretty rough at times. Very single track all the way. For me, not ideal solo and wouldn't be a good idea on my XRL. The other surrounding trials I'd use the XRL on for sure.

 

[sanderjavant]

The Rim Trail is to tough for me on a 650 single, I take a plated dirt bike, but I'm sure people have ridden it on 650's just way above my skill level. Lot's of variety though from forest service roads and ATV trails also. The videos above are good example of the variety.

I'll be there next week as well, riding Mon-Fri, staying at the Spruce cabins.

[/url]DSC05217 by AvantMotorcycles, on Flickr[/IMG]

And if its raining on top you can ride down above Alamogordo.