Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Daniel Kalal on March 20, 2016, 07:45:29 PM
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(http://www.dankalal.net/2016trip6/map.jpg)
Organ Barrel Cactus National Monument is in the Ajo Mountains of southern Arizona along the Mexico border. I've not seen much of that part of the country, and this looked like a good time to visit.
(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateNM.png) New Mexico
I've been up and down US-54 through New Mexico countless times and have often noticed the sign for the town of Middle Water. This time I stopped.
I walked out to the tracks, looking for any signs of a town. That old wood shack (below) seems to be the extent of it. Likely the name refers to a water stop on the Santa Fe Railroad; I'm sure there never really was much of a town here. The question is: why is there still a highway sign?
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Tucumcari, New Mexico. Before the Interstate Highway, everybody on Route-66 had to stop for the night in Tucumcari. There really wasn't any other choice east or west. Not all the motels on the old highway through town remain in business, even if their sign still invites you to stop.
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I stayed at the historic Blue Swallow Motel. Not often will you have an attached garage with a rolling door to keep your car (or motorcycle) covered overnight. This motel has been here since 1939. That Hudson sedan (below)? It belongs to the owner of the motel and was originally purchased at the Hudson dealership a few blocks east of here.
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But, of course... Chicken-fried-steak is a featured item on the menu at Del's Restaurant (since 1956).
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I always try to ride roads I've not been on. This is NM-337; it runs from Tijeras (on I-40) south to Mountainair (on US-60) just into the mountains that are east of Albuquerque. This is the view looking east to the high plains while dropping down from the higher elevations.
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Torreon, New Mexico. This road traces part of the old Spanish salt trading route. Salt is largely why the Spanish stayed after those first explorations through this area.
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Manzano, New Mexico.
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That's an interesting angel that's been carved from a single stump.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/LogoNationalParkService.png) Quarai-Salinas Missions National Monument
This was a Franciscan mission built in the 1600s. It didn't last long before a number of events (weather, people) came together forcing the abandonment of the area. This place was a long way from Spain; you have to wonder what a soldier (or priest) would have thought when given his travel orders.
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Abo Canyon was first used in 1908 by the Santa Fe Railroad as a replacement for the original 1879 route of Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass on the transcontinental route. Just a few years ago, the Santa Fe completed the addition of a second line through the canyon, eliminating what had long been a bottle-neck on one of the most heavily used rail lines in the country. These days, only Amtrak uses Raton Pass.
Guess which line is new and which one dates from 1908...
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US-60. The highway does not go through Abo Canyon--the railroad has dibs on that route. Of course, most cars are north of here on I-40 (a route that has always been unsuitable for trains).
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It's pretty clear which is the newer track.
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Belen rail yard (south of Albuquerque) is busy.
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I-25. If you want to follow the Rio Grande south from Albuquerque, you'll be riding the freeway, like it or not.
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Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Main Street through town is a pairing of two one-way streets. This isn't the busy direction.
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NM-152. I'm figuring out where to go, on the fly. Right now I'm heading west towards Silver City, up out of the long, flat, Rio Grande Valley.
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Hillsboro, New Mexico.
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NM-35. Turn north to visit Gila Cliff Dwellings.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/LogoNationalParkService.png) Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
The West Fork Gila River. Incidentally, Geronimo was born near the headwaters of this river.
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It's a steep climb to the dwellings, but not too far to walk.
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The earliest people would have just used the open cave. Later, walls were built making for more substantial dwellings. But, the ones who built the walls didn't stay long before scattering.
Think on that soot on the ceiling and the people thousands of years ago sitting by the open fire...
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I believe much of the structure we see is a reconstruction done after the time the national monument was created.
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The return trail follows the creek.
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NM-15 is not as developed as the other road to the park and is sometimes not quite wide enough for two cars driven by people not used to mountain driving. This is the road to Silver City.
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Drop a wheel off the edge of the pavement and your car (or trailer) might suffer some damage.
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Silver City, New Mexico.
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I stayed at the Palace Hotel. It's been here since the boom years of 19th century mining. I had a bedroom and separate living room for well less than the price of a room out on the main highway in one of the nationwide chains.
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Silver mining and copper mining. Over that last 150 years, there's been quite a bit of ore pulled out of these mountains.
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US-180 dropping out of the mountains to a broad, flat desert.
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Lordsburg, New Mexico faces the railroad tracks--because that was important when the town was built. Today, I-10 bypasses Lordsburg, so there's not much traffic to fill four lanes.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateAZ.png) Arizona
Benson, Arizona.
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Tombstone, Arizona. I wavered as to the need to even come here. My turnoff to AZ-82 was a few miles north of the town, but I thought I'd take a quick look, just the same.
The place was crowded. This is just a side-street to the main tourist area. I rode past some sort of fenced arena that appeared to be the OK-corral. A shoot-out was in progress and the stands were full of spectators. Perhaps there are multiple shoot-outs each day?
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Back north on the Tombstone highway and turn west on AZ-82.
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Riding all the way to Nogales and the border.
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But, that's as far south as I'd go. I turned north on I-19 to pick up the much smaller Arivaca Road, which turned out to be a remarkably curvy and hilly little road that ran for many miles across an anything-but-flat desert.
Advice: make sure you have a full tank.
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I stopped for these photographs and saw this cross and marker for Michael Blank. It's not next to the road; I don't know if he's buried here (probably not), or if perhaps he just liked this spot (probably so).
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Arivaca, Arizona.
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NM-86. There's a reason my intended route is such a zigzag. There are steep mountain ranges that are not crossed by any roads. You've got to go north or south if you want to go east or west.
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Kitt Peak National Observatory. This site has the largest collection in the world (and includes some 24 optical telescopes)
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Ajo, Arizona. Yes; I'm here, but I won't visit the National Monument until tomorrow morning. I think this motel might not survive a serious Kansas storm (well, I didn't pay much). Evidently, they do a much bigger business with the transient RVers parked out back.
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It's a pretty little town. Copper mining was once big--the town is surrounded by mountains of debris.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/LogoNationalParkService.png) Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
This is a large park with several options for off-road exploring. Actually, without going on at least some of these roads (or the hiking trails) you really won't be seeing much.
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The visitor center is named for Kris Eggle, who was killed in 2002 while on duty in the park. Considering its location, there are postings explaining the danger from smugglers (both people and drugs) and how to minimize the risk to you. I saw nothing.
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The cactus on the left is the Organ Pipe cactus. It's not rare in the world, but this is its most northerly habitat, and one of the few places in the United States where it can be found.
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In general, try not to touch anything. And, that thing on the left? Don't even get close--it's not called “jumping cactus” for nothing.
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Ajo Mountain Drive. This is a 21 mile one-way dual-track loop at the end of a couple miles of two-way graded dirt road.
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The graded section (below) was particularly annoying as it had some serious wash-boarding, which makes riding very uncomfortable. Mostly wash-boarding is caused by cars braking, so I made sure to go downhill on the left side of the road, and uphill on the right side. There's hardly anybody out here, so not to worry about oncoming cars.
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The motorcycle was clean up to this point. But, from here out, I'd get questions about where I might have been to get so dirty.
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Some sections were paved. That's good as without it any water runoff would quickly create deep gullies across the road. In general, every place that had a water crossing also had a bit of concrete (as you can see in the first photograph).
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The Stelvio did fine, but a smaller and lighter motorcycle with real off-road knobby tires would do even better. Parts were very choppy with large rocks and deep holes. Cars were ok if they were careful and drove slowly in these places. If not, you could easily drag something on the bottom. Signs recommended high-clearance vehicles.
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An arch! Neat.
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Visibility is limited only by the curvature of the earth. What an amazing place!
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Twenty miles, or so, of this isn't too far, but I was also glad to be back on mostly smooth pavement.
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There's only one way out--return through Ajo. I stopped for lunch. at the plaza.
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Incidentally this was the only day of the trip that I did not wear my heated vest or my heavier gloves. It was mid-seventies by noon--an excellent day for my visit.
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Salome, Arizona. More zigs and zags to get around mountain ranges.
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NM-71.
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NM-89.
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It would have been smart to put that heated vest on around this time. It's dropping to the mid-fifties and getting colder.
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Prescott, Arizona and time to park the bike at the courthouse plaza and look around for a hotel.
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The Hotel St. Michael faces the plaza and will be just fine. It's a good one.
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Dinner on the left and breakfast on the right.
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I'm keeping track of the weather to make sure I don't get trapped here for too many days. Things are looking pretty good, though. The Colorado passes are still in play, but riding as far north as Wyoming is definitely off the table.
NM-260. My plan is to cut directly northeast towards Winslow.
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Evidence of some serious volcanic activity a long time ago.
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NM-87. I'm above 7,000 feet and it's cold. Mid-thirties cold. But, the sky is blue and I have hope for lower altitude and warmer temperatures.
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Just now leaving the forest behind me and reaching the higher plateau.
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And, now dropping all the way into the high desert floor.
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Winslow, Arizona.
“Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me” - Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey.
It's amazing what a town can do with a song that was popular in 1972 (it hit number 12 on the Billboard chart).
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I still have a few new roads in Navaho Country to ride. I love this part of the country. NM-87. Traffic is never a problem.
Repeat advice: make sure you have a full tank.
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BIA-15. I notice that road-cuts aren't nearly as much used as I would have expected. If the hills are steep, expect the road to be steep, too.
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BIA-15 into BIA-6 at Bidahochi where I'll turn north.
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The towns often aren't so much towns as scattered collections of houses. In any case, just because a town is listed on a map, you should not expect to find fuel (or a restaurant or a hotel).
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US-191. Yes; the dirt is very red.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateNM.png) New Mexico
Decision: Do I head north into Colorado at four-corners? No; the weather doesn't look good for that. I'll keep to the high desert and slash diagonally southeast across New Mexico.
Shiprock rising nearly 1,600 feet above the desert floor. It's cold and blowing hard and I'm walking out into the open prairie while the sun is setting. What an amazing place.
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US-550 at Jicarilla Apache Casino. My fingers are too cold, and after a couple stops to warm them on my valve covers (which are surprisingly not very warm, either), it's nice to be able to stop for soup--some sort of red chili and vegetable affair that was perfect for what I needed.
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I'd first though of crossing the mountains at Taos--it's a really nice road. But, I haven't been on the road to Mora in several years. I'll go that way, instead. And, it won't be quite so cold.
NM-503.
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NM-518. This is a terrific road.
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Mora, New Mexico.
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Las Vegas, New Mexico.
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The Plaza Hotel is a restored old place (it was once a Harvey House) that I've stayed at before. If you've seen the television show “Longmire”, you'll recognize both the hotel and the carved statue in the plaza (standing-in for a fictional Wyoming town).
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It's another lava field. It's flat, but quite difficult to walk as it is littered with loose lava rocks and outcroppings that are not loose at all (so you'd better not casually hit one with the tow of your boot because it might not move).
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Capulin Volcano Mountain is one of several cones in the area. This one is classically shaped.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/LogoNationalParkService.png) Capulin Volcano National Monument.
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There's a road that circles a full 360 to the lower part of the rim. You'll walk the rest of the way if you want the best view.
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The rim is not wide. It drops down both left and right. I'm at 7,000 feet and feel it.
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The view looking southeast. That volcanic peak out there is even taller, but doesn't have the less-weathered nice cone shape as the one I'm on. That one was once a much larger volcano.
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Folsom, New Mexico. I'm not sure, but there might be more buildings than people in Folsom.
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NM-456. The finger of the Rocky Mountains that points east is quite diminished here, and not much trouble to climb. Keep in mind that this is the same range that Raton Pass takes you over (west of here).
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateCO.png) Colorado
CO-389. Out of the last part of the Rocky Mountains, and down to the Great Plains that will extend all the way to the Ozark Mountains.
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Branson, Colorado.
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If you look for Branson, Colorado on a map, you'll see that it's not going to be visited very often. I had just ridden through the small town when I saw dozens of people walking and running on the highway. Both lanes. I pulled up next to a man who was trailing them (walking) and asked what was going on. He was evidently the coach and said he was exercising his track team. By the spread of ages on the road (K-12) I'm guessing that every student in the school is on the track team. And no, he said, there isn't much traffic on the road for them to worry about. All of them waved at me as I rode slowly ahead--none bothered to move off the road, though.
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US-160. This is one of the best ways to cross eastern Colorado.
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A cut-stone house. Where did they find the stones and how much trouble was it to build this?
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Kim, Colorado. Fuel is available in Kim. I'm guessing you might need to walk around to scare up somebody to open the pump, but fuel is available.
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Pritchett, Colorado.
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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateKS.png) Kansas
US-160. I'm standing in Kansas, looking at the Colorado border. The Rocky Mountains are far over the horizon.
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It can be a risk traveling in March, but it worked just fine. It snowed the day after I returned.
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Fantastic pictures,
I have been fortunate enough to travel much of these roads on two wheels but you have shown me some spots I have missed.
Inspiration for my retirement.
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:thumb:again!
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Excellent ride report as always! Good job.
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Fabulous. I'm headed to Phoenix tomorrow for work on Tuesday. Now I'm all amped up!!!
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Kim Colorado is a cultural hub for Eastern Colorado :shocked:
Thanks Deke :bow:
Dusty
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Nice! Just came back from a trip to Carlsbad, Rosewell, Mountainair, and Albuquerque myself...thanks for the great pics reminding why I love NM/CO/AZ!
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:1:
Arivaca Road....a riding buddy low sided his Duck on a cow grate coming out of a curve on that road.
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Abo Canyon was first used in 1908 by the Santa Fe Railroad as a replacement for the original 1879 route of Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass on the transcontinental route. Just a few years ago, the Santa Fe completed the addition of a second line through the canyon, eliminating what had long been a bottle-neck on one of the most heavily used rail lines in the country. These days, only Amtrak uses Raton Pass.
Guess which line is new and which one dates from 1908...
(http://www.dankalal.net/2016trip6/photo0027.JPG)
Abo is on the Belen Cutoff of The Southern Transcon. The older roadbed is the curvier one on the north (right) in your pic.
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:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Thanks again Daniel. You photo essays are the closest I will ever get to visiting the USA, so I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to post them.
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Yeah! Just looked through this thread again. Thanks Daniel! :thumb:
We need more ride reports like this, here on WG.
And, I need to take more rides like this! I'm missing the west after scrolling through the pics again...
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Very nice. You rode on one of my Sunday ride roads, NM 337, and you were only 1mile from my house when you got off I40.
It highlights how many of us take for granted the scenery in our home area. I do love the desert areas.
Volcanic activity is easily seen almost everywhere out here. You rode around the Valle Caldera in northern NM whose crater is many miles across. The 'little' cones are everywhere and you can also see the opposite, volcanic 'plugs' which is the solidified lava after the rest of the cone has weathered away (Shiprock is one of those IIRC).
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Not so long ago I rode from Phoenix to Ajo Just a day excursions . I visited Mexican Town and the town center. Nice.
On the ride back many fighter jets were screaming over the highway doing their bombing runs on the Barry Goldwater bombing range. Cool!
N
And my wife and I honeymooned in Benson with side trips all around the area. This was in January so no mc.
Great story and pics btw.
Tom
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Thanks Daniel! Just what I needed on an unexpectedly snowy day. I think I need to move to the Southwest!
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Dang! Daring to ride in such cool weather. Do use heated pant liners too?
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Dang! Daring to ride in such cool weather. Do use heated pant liners too?
No; The Aerostich roadcrafter seems to do well enough for my legs. I wore a Cabela's medium weight long-crew baselayer under the heated vest, which worked well. I also own the Cabela's leggings, and I'm sure they would have been appreciated if I had only brought them on the ride...
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Arivaca Road....a riding buddy low sided his Duck on a cow grate coming out of a curve on that road.
You didn't say, but I hope your Ducati friend wasn't pushing it on that road. The shoulders are sand and there's plenty of sand on the road surface. The turns are often blind due to the many up-and-downs and there are multiple cattle crossings in turns that are sometime in poor shape. I rode pretty sedately. It's a beautiful road, but not one to be aggressive on.
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Vielen Dank, Daniel !
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Es ist fast, als ob man selbst dagewesen waere !
PS "Take it easy" is still one of my favorite tunes ! :cheesy:
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Arivaca road is called the 5 C's here in Green Valley.
cattle, curves, cars, cops and cracks! then the sand is like ball bearings soaked in KY jelly and the pot holes occasionally have a Ford 4x4 in them.
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Thank YOU Daniel!
What a wonderful travelog. I suspect it would take you have as long to ride if you weren't taking pictures. About how many miles did you average a day? What was the total mileage?
And can you give us a link to a more exploded version of the map of your travels? I just might follow in your tire tracks.
With gratitude, Spud
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About how many miles did you average a day? What was the total mileage?
This trip was around 3,100 miles over 9 days. It's a big loop; the point isn't to get it over with as quickly as possible.
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And can you give us a link to a more exploded version of the map of your travels?
here's a link to a much larger image of the route:
http://www.dankalal.net/wildgoose/Ajomap.jpg
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Was that a Flat bead Ford?
(http://www.dankalal.net/2016trip6/photo0223.JPG)
Great pictures and write-up as usual. Thanks for sharing.
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Great ride report. Thanks for posting it. After looking at your photos I realize how much I miss riding the west.
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Was that a Flat bed Ford?
(http://www.dankalal.net/2016trip6/photo0223.JPG)
Yes. I've seen it in a lot of photos of the corner of West 2nd and North Kinsley.
It's either always there, or there quite often.
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Wonderful photos! Thank you.
And Winslow isn't the only town you mentioned in Arizona to be immortalised in a song!
Bensen Arizona was the title song of the strange but great movie, "Dark Star" :thumb:
http://youtu.be/eTa2vXL7FI8
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Abo is on the Belen Cutoff...
Mike, it sound like you know this stuff (and you'll know why I stopped at the Belen yards), so you might have some information on the pronunciation of the canyon...
The nearby National Monument ranger says: ah-BO (accent on the second)
Some NM natives say: AH-bo (accent on the first)
The Santa Fe Railroad video on the construction project says: AY-bo (the Fonzie approach, I guess)
I was going to stop in the town of Abo, but it turns out that there really isn't a town of Abo (although it's on the map).
I give weight to the Santa Fe, but they seem to be in the minority. It could be that the word has no meaning (being something the Spanish mangled from the original native language), so perhaps anybody can pronounce it as they want.
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And Winslow isn't the only town you mentioned in Arizona to be immortalised in a song!
Bensen Arizona was the title song of the strange but great movie, "Dark Star" :thumb:
http://youtu.be/eTa2vXL7FI8
Ha! I'd never heard that. Thanks. Who knew?
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Not sure on pronunciation of Abo. I suspect some pronounce it following same rules as Ajo (AH-ho). But, if it is native American it might be the reverse, ah-BO.
I have to admit I've never paid it much mind. There are so many towns around here that are pronounced differently than they look, like many other native American places around the country.
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Partly solved I think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abo_(historic_place)
Note the different spelling... the hash mark above the o...that leads to ah-BO, if I remember correctly.
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ahBO . Although I think the locals would pronounce it Aho .
Dusty
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You didn't say, but I hope your Ducati friend wasn't pushing it on that road. The shoulders are sand and there's plenty of sand on the road surface. The turns are often blind due to the many up-and-downs and there are multiple cattle crossings in turns that are sometime in poor shape. I rode pretty sedately. It's a beautiful road, but not one to be aggressive on.
You're right..he and another in our group were getting after it when he took the spill. He was ok..but I learned a lesson I had only read about before. You ride where you look. With the scene unfolding in front of me, I was focused on my buddy who went down....until I realized I was going to run over him. A very conscious effort to shift my gaze elsewhere prevented me from adding insult to...non-injury. That was 20 years ago. Still remember that first hand experience of a lesson learned.
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Thanks for the RR!! it's been 8 years since I've been to the SW,I love being in that part of the country,I need to get back there!
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Many thanks for this pictorial post and all the others you do to help some of us relive memories.
Stayed at an old motel on route 66 that still had the original towels. Talk about thin!
As you are traveling on the lonely roads do you wonder what it was like in a covered wagon?
Some will ask me if I'm afraid when I ride the lonely backroads by myself. No, because the first vehicle to come along will stop. I was on a gravel road in Kansas just taking a break when the first vehicle to appear was a woman that stopped and wanted to know if everything was OK. If you broke down on the north loop in Houston, how long would it be before someone would stop?
This is an old story. A man has a flat tire on his pick-up on the Loop in Houston. He is removing it when a vehicle stops in front of him and raises the hood on his pickup. The pickup owner yelled, What ya doing"? The man in front said "I saw you stealing the spare tire and I thought I'd get the battery."
Tex
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:1:
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...because the first vehicle to come along will stop.
One of the challenges of taking photographs on the backroads of the Great Plains is that nearly every car that comes by will slow to a stop asking me if I need help.
I was once stopped on KS-96 (a fairly major two-lane) when the sheriff pulled up. It seems somebody had called in thinking I might need some help (it wasn't that I was a potentially bad person--it was that I might need some help).
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Mike, it sound like you know this stuff (and you'll know why I stopped at the Belen yards), so you might have some information on the pronunciation of the canyon...
The nearby National Monument ranger says: ah-BO (accent on the second)
Some NM natives say: AH-bo (accent on the first)
The Santa Fe Railroad video on the construction project says: AY-bo (the Fonzie approach, I guess)
I was going to stop in the town of Abo, but it turns out that there really isn't a town of Abo (although it's on the map).
I give weight to the Santa Fe, but they seem to be in the minority. It could be that the word has no meaning (being something the Spanish mangled from the original native language), so perhaps anybody can pronounce it as they want.
It's Spanish: Abó
Abó canyon and pass were named for the Abó pueblo which is near Mountainair New Mexico. It's an old time trade route that predates the Spanish, not to mention the AT&SF. So you're probably right, it's probably a corrupted native name.
As I understand it, Abó is pronounced ah-bo. Maybe a little more emphasis on the first syllable.
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Wonderful pics again! :thumb: :thumb:
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Yes. I've seen it in a lot of photos of the corner of West 2nd and North Kinsley.
It's either always there, or there quite often.
I have a picture of Dorcia and her sister there. At that time, there was a flat bed Ford in the building the girl is pointing at. We stayed at the Blue Swallow, too.
Thanks again, Daniel :smiley:
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This is so great, thanks! I have taken lots of notes because I am hoping next spring/summer to make an extended cross country trip. I wish you would write a book on how you plan and execute your trips. What sort of maps do you use, paper or digital (Google Earth/Google Maps?, individual state maps, Motorcycle Maps?). Do you use a routing app that let's you drop pins along the roads you want to travel? Do you use an atlas? Do you plan your daily rides in advance of starting the trip or the night before while staying in a hotel or do you not plan and just follow your nose to a destination? Do you select hotels and make reservations in advance or do you just start looking for a place when you get tired? How do you find such interesting hotels, is there an App or a method you have? Do you carry a tent or a hammock "just in case?". How many miles do you typically plan to ride in a day? Do you carry a jerry can of emergency gas? What sort of tools and supplies do you carry? What about clothes? What is the longest you have been on the road (days, weeks, months)? Do you have some recommended books/apps/supplies/etc for planning and taking these trips?
Sorry for so many questions. My future goal is to travel from New Orleans to Seattle then to San Diego then back, a trip my wife and I did in a car in 1974. I am slowly working on mapping out my route including places to stay so that is why I am interested. If you do write a "how to plan and execute a long distance motorcycle trip" book let me know and I will be the first to buy it.
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What sort of maps do you use, paper or digital (Google Earth/Google Maps?, individual state maps, Motorcycle Maps?)
I like Rand McNally laminated state maps. Good detail and they never get soggy. I also use a small battery-powered GPS--not for the routing, but for the detail mapping within towns which Rand McNally can't supply.
Do you use a routing app?
no
Do you use an atlas?
no
Do you plan your daily rides in advance of starting the trip or the night before while staying in a hotel or do you not plan and just follow your nose to a destination?
I'll have a general destination each morning, but that hardly ever happens. Be flexible. Watch the weather and go where it's not supposed to be bad. I keep track of roads I've been on and try as much as possible to ride all the other roads first.
Here's my map of New Mexico; it's getting trickier to find new roads, but there're always more. I'll never run out.
(http://www.dankalal.net/chapter_collections/collection_roads/map_roads_NM.jpg)
For some people, the pre-planning is a big part of the fun, including marking out the entire trip. For me, I prefer to wing it along the way with almost no planning. Do what you enjoy best!
Do you select hotels and make reservations in advance or do you just start looking for a place when you get tired?
No advanced reservations. This is America; it's quite easy to find a place if you don't regularly ride into the night (which I hardly do). Think a few hours ahead and don't find yourself in a position of having to sleep in an alley.
How do you find such interesting hotels, is there an App or a method you have?
You get a feel for which towns might have something worthwhile, and which towns you might as well just grab the first of the major chains out by the Interstate.
Do you carry a tent or a hammock "just in case?"
No. I used to do that, but now I don't.
How many miles do you typically plan to ride in a day?
between 300 and 400, but don't find yourself pushing just gathering miles. that way is dangerous.
Do you carry a jerry can of emergency gas?
A Stelvio holds 8.5 gallons.
What sort of tools and supplies do you carry?
Tire pump under the seat (plugs into the heated vest outlet), tire plugs and basic tools cable-tie to the bars.
What about clothes?
I wash every night--quick dry.
What is the longest you have been on the road (days, weeks, months)?
Four weeks (the same yellow bag works nearly indefinitely)
Do you have some recommended books/apps/supplies/etc for planning and taking these trips?
study maps, collect maps. Just head out and you'll figure it out. I'm a big believer in checklists, though--particularly for overseas trips where it's not so easy to just stop at a wal-mart to get what you've missed. Just try finding lithium batteries in Italy.
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Do you take interns? :grin:
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Wonderful pictures along with history and geography info . I've viewed your photo albums which are chronologically indexed with great interest .
I hope to venture down this way someday as is a real inspiration . Thanks and if these where in a book I'd buy it !
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Thanks again, all your suggestions are a great be lp!
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My only addition to Daniel's reply about route planning.
If you are traveling to popular places, especially in peak season, be prepared to make reservations and pay peak prices. I have been caught and had to pay $230 for a Best Western room outside Bryce Canyon NP (we only got a room because someone canceled while we were standing there). I did not realize that tourist season goes through September in the SW. Turns out that September and sometimes early October are very popular months for foreign tourists since it is still not too cold and kids are in school in the US.
If you are traveling on the back roads then there are other problems. You decide to pass that motel in the little town cause it is only 4pm. Then, an hour down the road you find that there is not actually a town where the map shows one. And the next town is another hour and it has neither a gas station or motel. Another hour or two and you finally find gas and a motel and are happy to get a room, until you open the door :)
I admit this does not happen often, but, have been 'caught' enough times (including sleeping in a car/on table) that I do plan stops. But, be flexible. If you see a cute little hotel in an interesting area then stop, even if it is early.
And I get gas frequently. If I am under half a tank and there is a nice gas station, I stop and fill up.
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If you are traveling to popular places, especially in peak season, be prepared to make reservations and pay peak prices. I have been caught and had to pay $230 for a Best Western room outside Bryce Canyon NP (we only got a room because someone canceled while we were standing there). I did not realize that tourist season goes through September in the SW. Turns out that September and sometimes early October are very popular months for foreign tourists since it is still not too cold and kids are in school in the US.
Charlie,
National Parks can be a problem any time of year. Bryce is a zoo. I've stopped at Ruby's in mid-September, and couldn't wait to get back on the road, and away from the huge crowd of people, tour buses, and RVs. I didn't even attempt to go into the park. Funny how the crowds were focused there. We saw almost no traffic from Torrey (where we overnighted) to Bryce, and then almost no traffic northward to our destination for the next night. But, Ruby's (at the entrance to Bryce) was a zoo!!!
I must say, though, even if a person skips Bryce Canyon, Utah Highway 12 is one of the best motorcycle roads in the land.
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Dang! 12 does look awesome on the map. Thanks for the tip! :bow:
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Dang! 12 does look awesome on the map. Thanks for the tip! :bow:
It's even better in person.
From Torrey to Boulder, it goes over Boulder Mountain with max elevation of about 9600 feet.
From Boulder through Escalante to Bryce Canyon is fantastic canyonlands.
Fantastic ride.
North out of Bryce, we rode UT-22 and UT-62, staying off of US-89. Light traffic and a nice ride.
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It is my policy never to leave town with half of a tank or less. ALWAYS fill up.
Tom
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Daniel,
Once again you have done a great job of capturing the essence of the roads you ride and of the unique places that you visit. When you report on old favorite rides of mine, you stir wonderful memories; thanks. For five years I commuted between Albuquerque and the Chiricahua Mts.; my favorite rout between them went through the Black Range and Hillsboro (rt. 152).
It's cool that you made it to Arivaca; it's on the way to nowhere, but it's a great little town, despite the problems surrounding immigration and drug trafficking. For two summers I lived in the nearby ghost town of Ruby; the only road to get to Ruby from Arivaca is very rugged; you need a real adventure bike to manage it. However, every once in a while I would encounter a rider there from Europe who had the goal of riding along the entire USA-Mexico border--quite a challenge, as much of the border road is as rough as they come in more ways than one.
Jon
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Charlie,
National Parks can be a problem any time of year. Bryce is a zoo. I've stopped at Ruby's in mid-September, and couldn't wait to get back on the road, and away from the huge crowd of people, tour buses, and RVs. I didn't even attempt to go into the park. Funny how the crowds were focused there. We saw almost no traffic from Torrey (where we overnighted) to Bryce, and then almost no traffic northward to our destination for the next night. But, Ruby's (at the entrance to Bryce) was a zoo!!!
I must say, though, even if a person skips Bryce Canyon, Utah Highway 12 is one of the best motorcycle roads in the land.
I totally agree. But, if someone has not seen Bryce it is worth a 30min stop. Don't bother with a hike, the views from the view points are the best part.
UT 12 to 24 and then down 95 is a beautiful run. Huge variety of scenery in a single day. Natural Bridges NM is pretty cool too.
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Thanks Daniel. Like Muzz your photo trip reports allow me to visit vicariously places I will never get to in person and I open them with some enthusiasm.
Your overseas trips now Daniel. You have been on many and I was wondering what's left on your wish list?
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Your overseas trips now Daniel. You have been on many and I was wondering what's left on your wish list?
John,
For awhile, now, I've been doing two trips to Europe every year. But, I'm a long ways from seeing what's there, so I'll keep doing that. This summer I'm planning on Southern Spain and Portugal (with perhaps a loop back into the Pyrenees) and then a couple of months later, I'll be riding to Iceland (a neat trick). But, I've hardly really touched eastern Europe so I need to start thinking more of the Baltics and Balkans
(http://www.dankalal.net/chapter_collections/collection_roads/map_roads_all_europe.jpg)
But, it's a return to India that I think about as much as any place. I did three free-form days riding an Enfield using the same approach as all my rides (just go, and it will somehow work out). I think spending three weeks on the road in southern India would be amazing.