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New Mexico road recommendations??

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4 of us were planning on riding out to Arkansas for a 4 day 3 night camping ride through the Ozarks. I've been following the weather and it seems there's another threat of severe thunderstorms, hail and high winds for Thursday and Friday. Riding in the rain isn't my favorite but camping in the rain is definitely not something I want to do. Add the threat of high winds and possibilities of tornadoes, well no thanks. Our departure date is Wednesday morning returning Saturday. That cant change as a couple of us have to be at work Sunday.

I am generally all about researching out ride routes for a trip, but time is now an issue. I have off today but loads of things to get done around my house and I work tomorrow. We are planning on rolling out of Austin at 0700 Wednesday morning.

Trying to put together a quick plan B. I'm thinking New Mexico.... I know we could probably put together something involving the hill country then Big Bend and while thats not off the table, I have ridden a lot of that several times.

So.... if you have any must do roads, routes, loops, whatever in New Mexico I would appreciate your input. GPX files would also be GREATLY appreciated. Also any camping spots that you may have visited and really enjoyed.

As much as I would love to have a dirty dusty ride one of our riders is on a R1200R so will have to be tarmac.

Thanks...Jeff
 
One of my favorite subjects. It will depend on where you cross over into NM at. But if you cross over where I normally do at Clovis. This area is not really picturesque but just to the north is heaven. From say Santa Rosa take 84 north to Las Vegas. 518 to Mora is super nice then from Mora go 434 up to 38. 38 (go right)over and past Questa,continue to 64 north west to Chama. You can even sneak across from there to lower Colorado if you have time. Or take 84 south down to Santa Fe. The area around Santa Fe is also very nice. 38 is the Enchanted Circle and is a really nice place to enjoy the scenery. The road is one I go on every time I get that way. It never gets old. The 518 and 434 is also the cats meow. Tim and others will chime in on camping grounds. I was in the 4runner last time and it was still beautiful and so different than Texas. Nice and cool up in the higher elevations so be prepared to add a layer if you get chilled. KP
 
If your on a budget Blakes lotaburger is reasonable for a quick burger and shake. Some of the roads go thru National forests and are really one lane in some spots or narrow. But like I said so wonderful you really should make that area a priority. There is a spot on 38 that you can pull over and rest where a large stream/river flows right beside the road. There is a port a john there if needed also. Plenty of scenic pull overs to snap a quick picture of the gang. I will try to post a few pictures when I get home if I remember. Do not miss the opportunity to ride those roads I mentioned, you won't regret it. Coyote creek is above Mora and looked like a good place to camp. KP
 
You have created a monster.:rofl: 380 to Roswell then thru Hondo and Carrizozo,onward to San Antonio. Then up the slab to Albuquerque. While in Albuquerque eat at the Owl Cafe. The owner is a motorcycle rider and has motorcycle and car shows there all the time. In Hondo out in the middle of no where there an interesting store that sells anything from candles to high dollar dining tables. The road looked like it had just been redone at that time and is curvy but way different scenery than northern NM. Around Silver City is nice also but it has been so long ago some one else needs to chime in about that location. KP
 
You might consider running through the Cloudcroft/Alamogordo area, checking out Whitesands, then hopping on over to Western NM in the area around Silver City. There are a lot of nice roads in that area. You could even scoot on over into Az and run 191 from Clifton to Alpine then pop back in NM. 191 is worth the extra effort.

From Austin, it is a decent haul out to say Cloudcroft. There are some nice roads to ride in that area if you want to spend a day there. Or, you could just spend the night there, then haul on over to Silver City, spend the night in that area somewhere and then loop back toward Cloudcroft before the run home. With only four days of riding, you pretty much lose a day on each end in terms of the fun stuff.

You could find a DS bike for the 1200R guy and spend the whole time having a blast in the Cloudcroft area :-P

I assume you are riding the whole trip.
 
If your on a budget Blakes lotaburger is reasonable for a quick burger and shake.

Remember - it is against the law to order a Blake's Lotaburger without green chile. Well - at least it should be against the law.

+1 on the route north from Mora up 434 to Angel Fire then pick up the Enchanted Circle. Gorgeous scenery - just be careful of the cattle in the road between Mora and Black Lake. The road is narrow and cows are a mini-hazard.
 
Remember - it is against the law to order a Blake's Lotaburger without green chile. Well - at least it should be against the law.

+1 on the route north from Mora up 434 to Angel Fire then pick up the Enchanted Circle. Gorgeous scenery - just be careful of the cattle in the road between Mora and Black Lake. The road is narrow and cows are a mini-hazard.

Blakes are all over NM and they have reasonable food and fast service.


So Jeff is this helping any? :rider: If you have any questions just let us know and we will chime in.
 
Wow... thanks for all the suggestions. KP, yes it helps a lot. Still looking like it may be a game time decision but in the mean time I will start to draw up some routes later tonight. I have been through a lot of the roads you mentioned but only a couple of times on a bike. Mostly have been in my truck pulling the toy hauler headed to CO.

TM, I would love to run straight up to Cloudcroft and have 2 whole days to ride around. Its not much farther than our first day out to AR we had planned. I need to take some time and start drawing up routes, unfortunately, I don't have a lot of that.

Thanks again.... Jeff
 
From Cloudcroft, you could take the road straight to Ruidoso and then head up toward Capitan, which would give you a few options to get to Mora, and the south end of the Enchanted Circle. At least budget for 1/2 to one day in the Cloudcroft area so you can ride Sunspot Road and the highway to Timberon. The paved riding in the Cloudcroft area is really good.
 
+1 for Cloudcroft. Easy access from Texas, and one of the most underrated motorycling areas. The roads are all pretty short; it's a rather compressed area. But they're fun, and there's lots of grand scenery to stop and ogle along the way.

Some paved-road suggestions in the area are:
- US 82 from Cloudcroft to Alamogordo. In 20 miles, you drop from 8000 to 4000 feet, while riding some world-class curves. And all the while, watching the desert floor unfurl before you. Stop at the railroad bridge just outside Cloudcroft, then again at the tunnel, for photo ops. You'll know them when you see them. Then turn around and ride right back up the same hill. It doesn't get old.
- Sunspot Highway from Cloudcroft south to Timberon. 30 miles of glassy smooth pavement and perfect sweepers through pine forests and past horse ranches. Halfway down, stop at the Sunspot Observatory and take the self-guided tour. South of Timberon, there's a network of small, paved ranch roads. Keep going and you'll eventually hit the Owen Prather Highway, which is actually a well maintained dirt-gravel road.
- State 130 (the Cox Canyon Road) SE from Cloudcroft to Mayhill. Pick up US 82 and come west back into Cloudcroft. A 40 mile loop. Cox Canyon runs through local ranching country.
- Cloudcroft to Ruidoso. 43 miles. The last few miles are along a superslab. But the first 30 wander through the Lincoln National Forest. Guaranteed get your motor running. Have lunch at any of a dozen places in Ruidoso, do the tourist thing, then head back.
 
If you DO have a spare DS bike for your buddy, many of the unpaved roads in the Cloudcroft area are very easy and well maintained. You could drive most any of them in a family minivan. Riding those roads in addition to the paved stuff REALLY opens up a LOT of extra riding. You could EASILY spend a week there riding. I've done it several times :trust: I've got two ride reports that give details on routes,

This one is from May 2010, only a few weeks later than you are going,
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49082

This one is from Aug 2012, but the weather was real similar both trips,
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76962
 
Actually, those two crazy guys were mostly in Colorado. Here's a link of just one crazy guy, and this ride was all New Mexico, all Lincoln National Forest.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73006

Opps just trying to tempt him to CO covertly but you messed it up for me. :rofl: Didn't think anyone would notice.:trust:

How could I have forgot about that one? On set of old age I guess.
 
Yes!!! A route has been drawn up, loosely I might add, and were cloudrcroft bound first thing in the morning. CO would be nice but won't have enough time. Its OK though I have a 10 CO trip already planned for late July. Thanks for all the great recommendations.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
You'll love it - well, getting there is a tad boring, but once you're part Artesia, life gets better. Bring back pictures.
 
Great NM roads.

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RB
 
Piggybacking and subscribing. I was also planning on heading out to Arkansas but don't want to deal with the weather.
 
Do the Carrizozo to Hondo run if you get a chance since your close it was nice and curvy. Anyone know how 70 is between Tularosa and Hondo? Have fun and take a bunch of pictures if you can. KP
 
Do the Carrizozo to Hondo run if you get a chance since your close it was nice and curvy. Anyone know how 70 is between Tularosa and Hondo? Have fun and take a bunch of pictures if you can. KP

Yeah. It's a big, wide, 4-lane divided highway. On the upper part, of course, you're in the Lincoln NF, running through ponderosa pine. As it starts to drop toward the desert in either direction, there are long, high-speed sweeping curves that aren't particularly challenging but definitely lots of fun. First time I drove that road was in a '78 Celica.

Of course, if you're coming from Lubbock as Scott is, ANY curve is fun. :lol2:
 
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