Fooling around in NM...
Also posted on ADV...
Well friends,
I got out on a little mostly paved jaunt, last weekend, to NW New Mexico, when a good friend invited me up to check out his cabin in the Ramah, NM area.
Weather has still been a little warm down in Skunk Hollow, so the chance to escape to 7,700 ft elevation for a bit was quite appealing.
Outbound route, out through Globe, Salt River Canyon, Show Low, Zuni NM, then out around Ramah, NM.
Return route, looping back through Holbrook, Heber-Overgarde, Payson, with a delightful stop in the Emerald City @pmurat residence!
Trip out was uneventful, but quite pleasant. I still enjoy riding by myself and processing all the junk in my head... Didn't shoot many photos on the way out.
First gas stop in Globe, weather had cooled from 92 F (33 C) to about 88 F and was feeling good. Sat in the shade, drank plenty of water, and answered rig questions as passers by stopped to chat. (no it is not a Ural, BMW or Harley, in that order.)
Another water stop in "Witch Well" AZ, a few miles from the state line on Highway 61... shame the drive up Liquor operation seems to be closed, on the edge of the reservation. Plenty of blue sky and about 70 degrees F (21 C) at this point in the trip.
Speaking of Highway 61... this was running through my head for a bit:
Can't seem to make the youtube embedded code thing work, so here is a LINK: Highway 61
(Fixed by viajero!)
Things about Highway 61... there ain't much gas available between Show Low and Zuni (exactly none) for about a hunnerd miles. Didn't have to crack a rotopax open, but if I had of been lax in filling up at Globe, it could have been necessary.
The road is moderately scenic, in an open spaces sort of way. It is two lane black top with almost no traffic, on a Friday afternoon. What made it particularly memorable, though, was the grin that got stuck on my face at about 85 mph. The road is very smooth and in good shape, but they laid the asphalt over every ripple in the desert, so there are many, sequential "Whoop-dee-doos" that at just the right speed can simulate flying in turbulent air. I came to appreciate the "low speed" damping ability of the TFX shocks. It was a hoot!
Buddy's place was set in an absolutely gorgeous forest setting on about 10 acres. Skies were clear with no light pollution, so stars were highly visible at night. The sand stone cliffs were quite dramatic. He loaned me a quad to do a little more exploring with, and I had a blast. Few pic:
Note the clouds forming on the horizon...
Lots of mule deer...
Also a healthy prairie dog population...
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There was a small lake that needed exploration, as well:
Pioneer cemetery from the 1800's... not many made it past 40, with quite a few in their 20's.
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Got back to the cabin in time for a great lunch (well, all meals were fantastic), and time for the skies to open up. We got about 5 hours of solid rain that was not in the forecast, other than a 5% chance of showers... should have bought a lottery ticket!
We fooled around a little with some light construction projects and watched a movie or two..
We even got Claude to pilot Black Betty (that sweet girl) for a bit!
...while I tested the chair.
Stopped down at the community center, since it was the only place with wifi and any cell phone reception. It was kinda nice not being reachable!
Next morning, got ready to head back down the hill to the valley of the sun... There was a little frost on seat!
Weather warmed up to the high 50's, and I made a leisurely departure after another fine breakfast.
The rain had turned the few miles of dirt road into a mud fest, but it made the ride to pavement a little more interesting.
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Yeah, I'll wash her, someday...
Ride home was pleasant and drama free... temps were very nice until the descent from Payson, where they hit a high of 105F (40+ C)
Rode past the Petrified Forest National park; will explore that more on another trip. For now, a picture of a log at a gas station:
Obligatory water stop with Dinosaurs.
Rode home, via the Emerald City, with a very nice dinner at the @Prmurat residence. Sun went down and rode back to Skunk Hollow, quite pleased with the weekend, overall. Oh, and nothing broke or fell off!
Black Betty (that sweet girl) just rolled past 30,000 miles as a sidecar rig.
What a long, strange trip the past two years has been!
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