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The Great Green Chili Dreamtrail Adventure...

_RG_

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One ringy-dingy...

Hello...

Hey, JT...is it hot at your house?

Are you kidding? A tree just grabbed my dog and made him wet on it!

OK...we need to go ride where it's cool right now.How bout Cloudcroft New Mexico?

That'll work! Know any trails?

Naw..but Sander has a whole bunch of good info and the forest folks sent me a trail map with lots of dotted lines all over it...

And thus began the Great Green Chili Dreamtrails Adventure...

In the beginning was the first day and the stars were aligned just so...and it was good.

Dawn at our campsite in the Lincoln National Forest

sunrise.jpg


My happy tire after day one. Outright brutality...Heart Attack Hill. Dry, loose rocks, steep and ugly. It won this round.

tire1.jpg


My sad excuse for a tire after day two. Rim Trail south. Can we say white knuckle express? Notice essence of Slime evenly distributed?

tire2.jpg


My pitiful excuse for a tire after day three. Various canyons, hills and valleys...all covered in sharp angular and loose Cloudcroft rocks.

tire3.jpg


More as it happened... :rider:
 
and so it begins . . .

We camped near Uranus. Curiously, the air was remarkably clear. :doh:

The Sunspot Observatory has a Solar System Model stretching from Cloudcroft to the National Solar Observatory marking points with signs along the road corresponding with the relative orbit of each planet. It is the third largest in the U.S. and sixth largest model in the world. Uranus was almost within rock throwing distance to the turn into Upper Karr Campground.

After sunset we took a moment to chill, and to bask in the mountain air. We found ourselves watching satellites until around moonset. It was then time to hit the sack as we had trails to conquer on the morrow.
:yawn::yawn::yawn::yawn:

This marked the perfect ending to an all-day trek across the vastness that is the Chihuahuan desert, with a brief stop at the Mayhill Cafe for a Green Chili Cheeseburger*, and setting up our base camp for the week.
*(the first in our quest to determine the best Green Chili Cheeseburger in the area)

By morning we were eager to hit the single track, but only after our daily ritual of JT's camp coffee and RG's pancakes and bacon. :eat:

Breakfast of Champions!


CampMorning.jpg
 
:tab RG, is that tire a Pirelli MT16? It sure looks like Roger's tire after a few days of riding at BBRSP! My MT21, installed at the same time as his MT16 and ridden on all the same trips, is still going strong!
 
:clap:

Can't wait to get back up there this month, thanks for getting me even more exciting! I can almost feel the cool air now....
 
In Search of Green Chilies – Cloudcroft, 2012

Well, here is my story. Disclaimer: If any part of this story has any resemblance of the truth, it is purely by accident. I will not be commenting on the consumption of cheeseburgers, beer or pizza, as I do not condone eating such foods and would never be involved in such debauchery. Nor will I comment on cow parades or Uranus. And lastly, I will not admit to hitting the ground more than a couple dozen times in one day, or getting trapped between my bike and a tree and squealing for help. But thanks guys.

I left the house at 4:30 a.m. Sat. morning to meet JT and MotoTex at the Whoop Stop on Hwy 21 at 6:00 a.m. I was really looking forward to riding with RG, JT and MotoTex in the cool southern rockies. Once at RG’s, we loaded up in his trailer with all the gear and the bikes. The back of the truck was full of camping stuff, too! Good thing we were just taking the bare necessities.

After a day long drive, we arrived at the Mayhill Café for our first try of the famous Green Chili Cheeseburgers. Except one of us ordered a chicken sandwich. What? I thought this was the place with the best Green Chili Cheeseburgers? The reply was, “No that was the Weed Café.” It was decided right there that we would just have to sacrifice ourselves and try all the GCCB’s in the area. Well, I thought the Mayhill was very good. (see disclaimer above)

Once we set up camp, we spent a few minutes having some libations under a star filled evening. I brought a growler from Whole Foods with one of their on tap beers that they sell, but I could not remember what it was called. But it was very good. Oh well. (see disclaimer above)

We woke up to this with a slight chill in the air.

Cloudcroft_2012_003_TWT.jpg



My home for the next few days.

Cloudcroft_2012_009_TWT.jpg


MotoTex and JT getting ready for the second day of riding.

Cloudcroft_2012_011_TWT.jpg


This is a picture of what we saw while sitting at the table at sun up.

Cloudcroft_2012_012_TWT.jpg


After lunch on the second day, we ran into Jim’s group. MotoTex was going to show us a route under the old trestle thru a tunnel to the north side of the hwy, but it had been changed to non motorized traffic.

Cloudcroft_2012_016_TWT.jpg


The third day we joined up with Vinny and rode the Rim Trail south from Alamo peak to Sun Spot. This is where I think I hit my head and do not remember or will not admit to spending more time on the ground than on the bike. Thanks again guys. Here are some shots from the Rim Trail before Sun Spot.

Cloudcroft_2012_023_TWT.jpg


Cloudcroft_2012_025_TWT.jpg



Where the Rim Trail crosses Westside road, MotoTex had to pave it into Timberon because he was running low on fuel. Hmm… he had a 5+ gallon tank. I was still too shaky to understand that we were being set up. Once he took off, we continued on the Rim Trail south for more fun. This was the type of fun that if it didn’t kill you, you will be stronger. Yes, more ejections from the bike followed. We met up with MotoTex where the Rim Trail crosses Sun Spot Hwy. He was sitting in the shade with a Cheshire cat type grin. Note to self: stay with MotoTex!

Next stop is Weed, for more GCCB’s to be evaluated. On the way, we hit a couple of rockie/dirt roads till we came upon a T. JT and RG had already gone to the right. Hmm.. MotoTex was nowhere to be seen. Vinny is just sitting there in the intersection and I hear on the radio JT and MotoTex discussing which way to go. Vinny indicates that MotoTex has gone to the left, up the hill. Well, I’m going to the left, and Vinny indicates the same. We wouldn’t want MotoTex to go off alone again, now would we! About 4 miles later, the two roads came back together. In the meantime, we had some fast and fun dirt road riding. Vinny tried to impress some of the local bovine with his riding skills, Jay Springsteen style. It ended badly, but he got up and walked away, with little damage. Once we caught up with RG, he was riding a rear flat. With no trees large enough to shade us on that road, we decided he should ride it in.

Here we are at the Weed Café/Post Office/Store.

Cloudcroft_2012_033_TWT.jpg


RG had to get his boots their own table.

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Here we are with the main course. Very Good! (see disclaimer above)

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Evidence of the carnage.

Cloudcroft_2012_031_TWT.jpg


So Wednesday morning we got up and headed south to ride one of the canyons we had not yet explored. Nice trail, not very used and dead ended after some time into a group of trees, just about where the GPS said it would. A nice sit down area, so we sat and contemplated what we would do next. All we came up with was “Let’s go back to camp and come up with another plan.” Good enough, so we rode back to camp, where I suggested I needed a rest so my scrambled brains could heal from the day before. I thought everyone else would still go out and play. But I must have hit a cord, ‘cause everyone was up for just walking around CC for the afternoon. And so it was. Later, JT, MotoTex and myself went up to check out a pizza establishment that we had been eyeing. Well, it turned out that we walked in 20 minutes before closing, and we could only get a pizza to go. “Can we eat out here on the porch,” I asked. “Sure,” the young pizza maestro said. It was good. So ends another day.

Thursday morning we are all refreshed, looking for adventure and agreed that this would be our last day of riding. We need to make it good. So we start with the Rim Trail north, starting at Alamo Peak road. Still a little shaky from Tuesday, I led, at least that way, they would not have to walk far to pick me up! Here are some pictures from trailside.

Cloudcroft_2012_036_TWT.jpg


Cloudcroft_2012_038_TWT.jpg


Cloudcroft_2012_040_TWT.jpg


Cloudcroft_2012_041_TWT.jpg


It was a totally different day. The bike stuck like it had never done before. I went from thinking of selling it to this is the greatest bike in the world, with just a couple of clicker adjustments and letting the air out of the forks. Or maybe I was getting used to the altitude, who knows. We finished the north end of the Rim Trail and JT led us on one of the trails north of CC, ending up just east of Mayhill for lunch.

Cloudcroft_2012_049_TWT.jpg


From there, we headed south out of Mayhill to one of the trails we had done earlier in the week. Nobody crashed all day – excellent way to end the ride. That night, we went back to the pizzeria, making sure we got there early enough to eat dinner inside! Two medium pizzas loaded with green chilies and one beer for each of us and we were some pretty happy campers.
Really! Do I need to say it?

Cloudcroft_2012_047_TWT.jpg


Sam

P. S. – Thanks for a great ride, guys!
 
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Here are some Video's that I messed up and didn't load with my last post. :oops: :brainsnap

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCqRZd84CM8&feature=plcp"]Cloudcroft 2012 006 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWE2a7Ks6b8&feature=plcp"]Cloudcroft 2012 007 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6h7u-scLhE&feature=plcp"]Cloudcroft 2012 008 - YouTube[/ame]

Again, Thanks for the Great Ride. :clap:
 
Looks like a great ride! That's one of my favorite areas, sure brings back alot of memories, thanks for sharing.
 
Looks fun. :rider: Thanks for sharing.

Any tips for getting gps routes/tracks for the best trails out there?

You will want to get together with JT. He has lots of GPS tracks, he never goes anywhere with out his little friend, Montana. :trust: It may take him a little while to process all the trails and grade them. I heard him talking about rating them for future TWT trips.
Just a little secret between you and me, :duck: if anyone tells you that T235 is a D/S trail, run, run as fast as you can. :nono: :wary:
Oh, the memories... :huh2:
But don't forget, the GCCB and GC pizza are very very good! :eat2:
 
:tab RG, is that tire a Pirelli MT16? It sure looks like Roger's tire after a few days of riding at BBRSP! My MT21, installed at the same time as his MT16 and ridden on all the same trips, is still going strong!

Tourmeister, that's a Stinko 500A...supposed to be for medium to hard surfaces. I fell in love with it at first ride...stuck like 80 grit sandpaper. Then the newness wore off...as did the knobs. I have one more in inventory to try out before passing judgment. Seems like it hasn't lasted as long as I'd like (do they ever?). *Truth in evaluating clause - It's been on an orange 530 and seen outright brutality. * :scratch:
 
Here's a few more photos from the trip.

Another shot of Uranus Base Camp
DSC00220.jpg


On the trail
DSC00222.jpg


Smokey Bear at Bluff Springs Falls
DSC00223.jpg


From somewhere on the Rim Trail
DSC00224.jpg


Another at a stop on the Rim Trail
DSC00226.jpg


Looks like Vinny was kind enough to fix RG's flat. (just looks like)
DSC00228.jpg


Weed Cafe (and Post Office) and our waitress, Era. (also Vinny's personal masseuse)
That's the Stig from Top Gear on the Right.
DSC00232.jpg


Sam on the Rim Trail. I think the look on his face speaks volumes.
DSC00234.jpg


Shower Tear-down Crew in action. They have spotted something unusual.
DSC00235.jpg


Mysterious Bottle found during Shower Tear Down (suspicions prevail that it is something Vinny forgot to pack) ;-)
DSC00236.jpg


Sunset from Sunspot Highway after Pizza at The Front Porch
DSC00233.jpg
 
My happy tire after day one. Outright brutality...Heart Attack Hill. Dry, loose rocks, steep and ugly. It won this round.

tire1.jpg

I wanna hear more about your Hear Attack Hill adventure......:eat:

That hill kicked my butt last year. Did you guys go up it or down it?

Great report guys!
 
I wanna hear more about your Hear Attack Hill adventure......:eat:

That hill kicked my butt last year. Did you guys go up it or down it?

Great report guys!

Tried to go up, made it about halfway. This was our first day and I had not rejetted yet. Between the lack of traction because it was so dry and the lack of power with the rich jetting, it was just too much work. Entirely too much wheezeing for air. Going back down was fun though. :) The others followed me down after I gave up.
 

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I wanna hear more about your Hear Attack Hill adventure......:eat:

That hill kicked my butt last year. Did you guys go up it or down it?

Great report guys!

It's my fault. I was the the one to choose the route . . . heh heh heh :trust: :rofl:

On our first day I took these poor, unsuspecting fellers on some interesting trails. It was a shake-down (shake-up?) run. :rider:

We began by going down the switchback from Alamo Peak Road, then up T110 and down T111 (a real pain) to find ourselves at the bottom of T235 (Heart Attack Hill) where we started the climb.

Our ascent was halted by the loose scree on some of the steeper sections. Sam had taken the lead and gotten up to a point where all he could do was spin the tire.

Being an experienced sufferer of these trails I shared a trick, getting him to back down to a point where the bike was more level, a little to the uphill side of the track, and take another go at it. This worked and he blasted on up another several hundred feet.

I followed suit and was able to get up to just past where he stopped to walk back down and assist the others get through that trouble spot.

Likewise, I started the walk back down as well. We walked a loooooooong way downhill and after the other two were headed up he and I started the uphill hike back to our bikes (which nearly wiped us out).

By the time we reached our bikes, huffing and puffing, RG and JT were calling on the radio about how the trail above was again too loose to climb and they were headed back down. We waited for them to pass and followed them back to West Side Road.

Looking at the GPS track I'm thinking they probably made it 3/4 of the way to the top. Possibly a little further.

If there had been some moisture I think we would have had a chance. This was the first time I had to turn around on this trail, but with the drought the traction was a lot less than on any of my prior visits.

This choice of trails was a good warm-up for the week, as it prepared us for all the other trails. :eek2:
 
Tried to go up, made it about halfway. This was our first day and I had not rejetted yet. Between the lack of traction because it was so dry and the lack of power with the rich jetting, it was just too much work. Entirely too much wheezeing for air. Going back down was fun though. :) The others followed me down after I gave up.

Looks like you guys had a great trip, I'm jealous! Totally understand about the wheezing, not sure if it was me or my bike that was wheezing most on that hill. We had about 5 or 6 riders go down it but only two of us were stupid enough to go back up.... Here's the video I took, the hard part starts about 3 1/2 minutes in.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSLDJxKLYwg"]Going Up Heart Attack Hill, Cloudcroft NM Oct 2011 - YouTube[/ame]
 
What radio set-up were ya'll using and how did it work out?
 
What radio set-up were ya'll using and how did it work out?

Hi RJ, I had brought a pair of cheap Midland FRS/GMRS walkie-talkies and RG bought 2 also. They worked pretty well at slower trail speeds without mics or headsets. Over about 30-35mph, you could tell someone was trying to talk, but you couldn't understand them unless you slowed down. Good enough for trail work though.
 

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Unfortunately videos don't do it justice. Hard to show how steep it really is, Stingray makes it look easy.

We had to break our way through the drowned tree (now cut) across the trail shown about 3:14 in on Stingray's video when my brother and I first rode Heart Attack in July of 2010. It was muddy coming down so it was break through or try to climb it wet.

Last July the tree was just like it was the year before. Good to see it was cut by October 2011.

CIMG2105.jpg


CIMG2107.jpg


CIMG2115.jpg


CIMG2116.jpg


 
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Thanks Scott, it was nice to see what was further up. MotoTex and I stopped somewhere around your 5:20 mark. We had walked back down and helped JT and RG get up the real bad part about your 3:30 mark. They went on up past where we parked the bikes in anticipation of getting to the top. By the time MotoTex and I walked back to our bikes we had to sit down for a few minutes.(lack of oxygen) Then they came back down saying it was worse further up. :eek2: :loco: As much energy as I had used just getting to that point, I just wanted to know how far it was back to the tent. :box: I was feeling beat up at that point. Sam
 
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