| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
I'm following Mrs. Greg's advice (almost always a good thing) and "ramping up" my riding after the DEER STRIKE... ...and this weekend went pretty well. A 90-mile ride on Saturday, and a 207.7-mile ride through central New Mexico on Sunday! Woo-hoo!  A few details... 1. NOT AGAIN... My route led south out of ABQ on NM 14, which---after some enjoyable curves---leads on through several small "villages." Proceeding through one such (Torreon) at a "safe 'n sane" 35 mph, I was SPOOKED by four horses (!)---OK, three horses and a mule---which came charging across the road right in front of me! Yes, NM is "open range" country, folks. Well, I hit the brakes and the quartet ran in front of me (right in the middle of the road) for a hundred yards, then finally drifted toward the left. I tentatively caught up, then finally overtook the bunch. Kind of cool to ride alongside a running horse a bit---even cooler to safely GET BY THEM! Sheesh. What next? 2. Can you spell IMPACT? As I continue to sort through stuff after "deer strike"...I found my thermometer in its metal case...shattered! Now this was in its metal case IN MY TANK BAG. Its condition is indicative of my poor 61-year old body...  OK, back to the Sunday ride. About halfway along, there's a turnout to the Abo (AH-bo) Pueblo ruins from 1600 or so...  These date from before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. New Mexico is an historical place indeed.  Yep, I was happy to be out in the beautiful New Mexico ("Land of Enchantment") landscape...  Inside the "maze" of the old pueblo...  These folks "had their day and ceased to be..." Us, too?  Further along, here's the view to the NW.  A closeup. See the snow on Mt. Taylor in the distance? That's one of the Navajo "four sacred mountains"...  Uly #564 seems a worthy successor to #044. Time will tell, but I'm optimistic. I DO like the "Barricade Orange" color better, gotta say. That's what I wanted in the first place. Next weekend maybe a 300-mile ride (Taos? too cold! Maybe Carrizozo and my "dirt loop"?) Stay tuned. Dr. Greg is once again on the prowl!  --Doc | ||
| Rotorhead |
All that new gear on you makes you got to feel good!! Hopefully you blew off all that new smell!! The orange does look good in the sands of NM. | ||
| 12x9sl |
Dr. Greg, how do you like that helmet? I'm very interested in that style of helmet, but am worried that the visor will cause more wind noise-is that a problem or not really? | ||
| Verdad |
Fantastic photos as well as scenery! I'm trying to do a ride like that here in the SoCal vicinity. | ||
| Kurbennett |
Great pics Doc, I have got to plan a trip out there to run around the state, beautiful scenery. Glad to see you are back in the saddle! | ||
| Court |
Cool pics ! . . . I wandered upon the same place and it's like entering a time machine. Glad to see you riding and eager for the next installment. | ||
| Olenuf2nobetter |
Glad to see you back, doc! I enjoy your posts and look forward to more. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Well, since the Shoei Hornet DS was the helmet I crashed in and I bought exactly the same thing as a replacement...I must like it! Actually, I LOVE it! No problems AT ALL with wind noise or "wind grabbing" from the "peak" (as they call it)...at least at the speeds I ride. Off-highway it is nice (depending on speed, of course) to flip up the face shield and "commune with nature" a bit (I also wear glasses with safety lenses so I still have eye protection). The peak also provides some sun shading. The Arai (XD, I believe) also gets good reviews. I will never go back to a pure "road" helmet on a bike like the Uly. --Doc | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
I've been considering both the Hornet and the XD3. My only hesitation is that everyone I know who has been caught in the rain in these helmets reports serious fogging. Tipsy | ||
| 4_pete_sake |
DOC- yeee haaa.... back in the saddle ... hahaha...couldn't resist after the horse/donkey encounter.... Question- Have you gotten excited after a pit stop thinking another Uly was at the same pit stop yet... or have you already gone over to the Orange side of thinking.....??? Glad to see the pics with the bike on two wheels .... Cheers-pete | ||
| Bculy |
Thanks for sharing Dr. Greg. I always enjoy your stories. Cool ride by the way. | ||
| Dnveloman |
J-E-A-L-O-U-S | ||
| Jumpinjewels |
Dr. Greg, it's been interesting following your adventures. Glad you're back in the saddle. My hubby and I went out for a short ride after work today and you were on my mind. We live in deer country and I kept thinking "watch out for deer", especially after seeing your deer on the ground. We did see a few but were going slow enough for it not to be a problem. Congrats on your new steed | ||
| Road_kill |
Hey Doc, great to hear your back at it and having fun. Love the trip reports and pictures from one of the most beautiful places around. Truly enchanting! P.S. I almost freaked out when I read of horses "charging across the road right in front of me!" NOT AGAIN - INDEED!! | ||
| Paul56 |
Doc: How great it must feel to be riding again! Congratulations and many more happy and safe miles to you! New Mexico has some beautiful scenery and lots of history that I want to investigate someday. I've only had a taste and I liked it! Re: "These folks "had their day and ceased to be..." Us, too? " I'm afraid the course this country is on puts us a lot closer to the end than the beginning. Very sad. | ||
| Rays |
Dr. Greg, well done - there have been some serious challenges for you over the past few months but the third picture says it all! Thanks for sharing the latest installment. | ||
| Sanjuro |
Thanks for sharing Doc. I can relate. Good to see you savoring the ride so soon. | ||
| Sleez |
great to see doc, keep on uly'n! | ||
| Mnrider |
 Heres some history from near Shiprock NM I went to visit a friend who teaches on Native American land. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Just move to New Mexico...it never rains here!  | ||
| Geezer |
dr greg, if you are ever in carrizozo again i would like to ride up and meet you. i am new to the website. and enjoy reading of your adventures. i also ride a barricade orange uly. and live 45 miles south of carrizozo. i have a friend who bought an 07 uly he lives in el paso. we ride around southern nm when he can get time off. i am retired and have a lot of time and ride a lot. | ||
| Wolffone2000 |
Hey Dr. Greg-- It sounds like you almost met the side of some horses at speed like I did doing the same route years ago. All of that scenery is great. I usually took the south 14 through Mountainair and connected with 47 to Belen. That is some great open area through there but filled with horses. I used to ride all through there with my streetbikes in the 80's (can you say Hurricane?) and early 90's and then dirt in the 'dig' just south of the airport. It has been many years since those moments. Do they still ride the arroyo when they are empty. Those were good times back then stationed at Kirtland AFB. It is good to see some scenery I recognize. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Yessir they do. The "dig" is still a-diggin' but the arroyos are quickly becoming someone's backyard. My boys and I used to go dirt-ridin' every weekend in those arroyos but these days they'd call the cops pronto. Sigh. --Doc |
