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New Mexico Touring
by Curt Marsh
October 1998 - New Mexico touring
This is going to be my first long ride on the Dragon (XS11G). I have been doing some short rides of about 100 to 150 miles, as tune ups. My scheduled first day is 650 miles with 53 on the second day. I arranged a check point with Jean in Bloomfield, N. M. just in case it was to much.
Bikes is loaded. I used an internal frame backpack for the tent and sleeping bag and strapped it on to the trunk for a backrest. I had planned to be on the road by 6, but got started at 7. The first few miles are nice little twists headed up to Woodland Park on #24. I noticed immediately that someone had forgot to turn on the heater. By the time I reached Divide the sun was up and things had started to warm up. I stopped in Lake George at the Mtn. Shadows (a favorite place) for biscuits & gravy. Then head west on #24 to #285, then south to #17 and Antonito.
This area is mostly high plains with few towns, so I should have been able to make up some time, except for the wind. I had to keep it down to about 70 mph. Bike is running great, but having adjusted the carbs (all sync.) my mileage has dropped to about 36 mpg from 42. Antonito is the end of the Chama RR, but the train was at Chama this morning. Took #17 thru the pass to Chama. Nice little twists to the pass and then up. I got to the east side of the pass at just the right time. The Aspen had turned and the gold intermixed with the pine was beautiful (as good a mix as I have ever seen). On the west side of the pass the aspen was still green with almost no gold. As I was riding down I found the train it was just leaving the Mtn. Station for Antonito winding through the valley (very pretty).
Chama hasn't changed much in the last ten years was just about the same, but they do have an ATM. Headed west on #64 to the Jicarilla Apache Rez. at Dulce. West of Dulce there is a lot of canyon riding, so this was a fun part of the ride, almost all the way to Bloomfield. At Bloomfield I discovered that the City Market had been bought out, but I was doing good and didn't have to stop at Chaco, so on to Farmington. At Farminton I turned south on #371 down to Crownpoint. This road has no towns and no cops (N.M. doesn't patrol it and the Navajos have 3 dozen cops for an area the size of Maine. They don't do speed traps, except for around Window Rock). Time to crank it up, except for the wind. I stopped at a gas station in Crownpoint to check on Silver and Kachinas. There is an old Medicine man, who take them for services, then trades for gas and propane.
Nothing interesting, so took Navajo #9 to #666 and Gallup. Stopped in Gallup to see some traders. Joe was closed. He works on Tanner Time, just a little(?) slower, then Navajo Time (I've been waiting 7 years for a sand cast). His cousin didn't have any interesting pawn or rugs. Took #602 (road construction for 8 miles) to #53 and Zuni, then stopped for gas (rez. price $0.90, no state taxes). It was getting late, so didn't do any shopping for silver. West of Zuni I was to pick up #666 down to Lyman Lake, but surprise - #666 has become #191 (cute, the '98 Official Arizona State Map still thinks its 666). I missed the turn at St. Johns because I was looking for #666 and went to Concho. Back to St. Johns (14 miles) and down to Lyman Lake. It is now 9:30 pm, and the Ranger Station is closed, but that is OK because so is the tent camping area. I wondered around and found the residence. He put me in a R.V. site with lights, electric (had nothing to plug into it), and a cabana for the tent site price. Waited up until midnight for Jean, but they didn't show. I waited until 10 am and left a message with the ranger and headed for Show Low. (They spent the night in Gallup at a motel, missed the road to Lyman Lake, and ended up in Show Low. Then, instead of calling the park office drove back to Lyman Lake to find out I went to Show Low and it was all my fault.) I took #61 to Show Low. West of Concho I hit the Winds from Hell. They can over the left handle bar at 40 to 45 mph, but shifted from front to side with gust from 60 to 70 mph. Plus, there were channels through the Juniper bushes for extra fun. I was running between 35 and 40 in 3rd. to keep it upright (took one left hand curve with the bike leaning to the right) and stopped every 5 to 8 miles for a break. It took over an hour and a half to go 30 miles. Got camp sat up and waited, again. At 2:30 they showed up and I found out it was all my fault (did I spend the night in a motel?).
I found out some very interesting things in Show Low. (Any of you wanting to speculate in real estate E- mail me privately.) Saw a lot of Gold Wings (new) and the guy next to me at camp had a GL1100. One group of 6 Gold Wings you could tell went down to the dealership and said we want matching bikes ($150,000 on wheels) in different colors. I found a 79 (?) XS11 Special that has been not moved this year (parts bike?). A friend is moving there soon, so I will make an offer, once I have somewhere to put it. There are 3 custom Harley shops in the area at Show Low, Lakeside, and Snowflake. In 6 days I saw 2 Harleys. It must be hard to make a living with 3 shops servicing 2 bikes!!
On the way back I reversed my route with one exception. East of Zuni the road was closed, so I was detoured onto the road east of Gallup. It was, also, being repaired. (5 1/2 miles of crushed rock and rutted clay - joy, joy). Because I didn't get started until 10 am I stopped in Chama for the night. I ended up at the RR camp grounds (good showers), instead of a motel because of all the elk hunters in town.. The leaves still hadn't turned on the west side of the pass and about half of them on the east side were gone. About half way to Lake George my cornering went all to hell. I don't know what happened, but I had to drive thru them. By the time I got to Lake George I was just beat. On the way down I could have ridden for 15 hours. I, seriously, considered calling for a pickup or motel (39 miles from home) I took an hour break and had lunch (don't order their Mtn. Man steak sandwich, unless you are really hungry). After I left Lake George my cornering came back and I made it into the Springs with no problems by mid- afternoon. It was a great trip and a lot of fun!!
Notes:
Tkat - you were right, your foot pegs worked well to stretch out, but the regular ones are much better for riding. I'll leave them on the bike for trips.
Bart - with the backpack, as a backrest, my lower back (bad) held up well for a 653 mile day, but I am going to have to work on a seat pad.
JP & Steve - let me understand this - you guys ride 24 hours for fun??
October 1998 - New Mexico touring
This is going to be my first long ride on the Dragon (XS11G). I have been doing some short rides of about 100 to 150 miles, as tune ups. My scheduled first day is 650 miles with 53 on the second day. I arranged a check point with Jean in Bloomfield, N. M. just in case it was to much.
Bikes is loaded. I used an internal frame backpack for the tent and sleeping bag and strapped it on to the trunk for a backrest. I had planned to be on the road by 6, but got started at 7. The first few miles are nice little twists headed up to Woodland Park on #24. I noticed immediately that someone had forgot to turn on the heater. By the time I reached Divide the sun was up and things had started to warm up. I stopped in Lake George at the Mtn. Shadows (a favorite place) for biscuits & gravy. Then head west on #24 to #285, then south to #17 and Antonito.
This area is mostly high plains with few towns, so I should have been able to make up some time, except for the wind. I had to keep it down to about 70 mph. Bike is running great, but having adjusted the carbs (all sync.) my mileage has dropped to about 36 mpg from 42. Antonito is the end of the Chama RR, but the train was at Chama this morning. Took #17 thru the pass to Chama. Nice little twists to the pass and then up. I got to the east side of the pass at just the right time. The Aspen had turned and the gold intermixed with the pine was beautiful (as good a mix as I have ever seen). On the west side of the pass the aspen was still green with almost no gold. As I was riding down I found the train it was just leaving the Mtn. Station for Antonito winding through the valley (very pretty).
Chama hasn't changed much in the last ten years was just about the same, but they do have an ATM. Headed west on #64 to the Jicarilla Apache Rez. at Dulce. West of Dulce there is a lot of canyon riding, so this was a fun part of the ride, almost all the way to Bloomfield. At Bloomfield I discovered that the City Market had been bought out, but I was doing good and didn't have to stop at Chaco, so on to Farmington. At Farminton I turned south on #371 down to Crownpoint. This road has no towns and no cops (N.M. doesn't patrol it and the Navajos have 3 dozen cops for an area the size of Maine. They don't do speed traps, except for around Window Rock). Time to crank it up, except for the wind. I stopped at a gas station in Crownpoint to check on Silver and Kachinas. There is an old Medicine man, who take them for services, then trades for gas and propane.
Nothing interesting, so took Navajo #9 to #666 and Gallup. Stopped in Gallup to see some traders. Joe was closed. He works on Tanner Time, just a little(?) slower, then Navajo Time (I've been waiting 7 years for a sand cast). His cousin didn't have any interesting pawn or rugs. Took #602 (road construction for 8 miles) to #53 and Zuni, then stopped for gas (rez. price $0.90, no state taxes). It was getting late, so didn't do any shopping for silver. West of Zuni I was to pick up #666 down to Lyman Lake, but surprise - #666 has become #191 (cute, the '98 Official Arizona State Map still thinks its 666). I missed the turn at St. Johns because I was looking for #666 and went to Concho. Back to St. Johns (14 miles) and down to Lyman Lake. It is now 9:30 pm, and the Ranger Station is closed, but that is OK because so is the tent camping area. I wondered around and found the residence. He put me in a R.V. site with lights, electric (had nothing to plug into it), and a cabana for the tent site price. Waited up until midnight for Jean, but they didn't show. I waited until 10 am and left a message with the ranger and headed for Show Low. (They spent the night in Gallup at a motel, missed the road to Lyman Lake, and ended up in Show Low. Then, instead of calling the park office drove back to Lyman Lake to find out I went to Show Low and it was all my fault.) I took #61 to Show Low. West of Concho I hit the Winds from Hell. They can over the left handle bar at 40 to 45 mph, but shifted from front to side with gust from 60 to 70 mph. Plus, there were channels through the Juniper bushes for extra fun. I was running between 35 and 40 in 3rd. to keep it upright (took one left hand curve with the bike leaning to the right) and stopped every 5 to 8 miles for a break. It took over an hour and a half to go 30 miles. Got camp sat up and waited, again. At 2:30 they showed up and I found out it was all my fault (did I spend the night in a motel?).
I found out some very interesting things in Show Low. (Any of you wanting to speculate in real estate E- mail me privately.) Saw a lot of Gold Wings (new) and the guy next to me at camp had a GL1100. One group of 6 Gold Wings you could tell went down to the dealership and said we want matching bikes ($150,000 on wheels) in different colors. I found a 79 (?) XS11 Special that has been not moved this year (parts bike?). A friend is moving there soon, so I will make an offer, once I have somewhere to put it. There are 3 custom Harley shops in the area at Show Low, Lakeside, and Snowflake. In 6 days I saw 2 Harleys. It must be hard to make a living with 3 shops servicing 2 bikes!!
On the way back I reversed my route with one exception. East of Zuni the road was closed, so I was detoured onto the road east of Gallup. It was, also, being repaired. (5 1/2 miles of crushed rock and rutted clay - joy, joy). Because I didn't get started until 10 am I stopped in Chama for the night. I ended up at the RR camp grounds (good showers), instead of a motel because of all the elk hunters in town.. The leaves still hadn't turned on the west side of the pass and about half of them on the east side were gone. About half way to Lake George my cornering went all to hell. I don't know what happened, but I had to drive thru them. By the time I got to Lake George I was just beat. On the way down I could have ridden for 15 hours. I, seriously, considered calling for a pickup or motel (39 miles from home) I took an hour break and had lunch (don't order their Mtn. Man steak sandwich, unless you are really hungry). After I left Lake George my cornering came back and I made it into the Springs with no problems by mid- afternoon. It was a great trip and a lot of fun!!
Notes:
Tkat - you were right, your foot pegs worked well to stretch out, but the regular ones are much better for riding. I'll leave them on the bike for trips.
Bart - with the backpack, as a backrest, my lower back (bad) held up well for a 653 mile day, but I am going to have to work on a seat pad.
JP & Steve - let me understand this - you guys ride 24 hours for fun??