| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
A January Ride through central New Mexico Thought it's about time I finally post the pictures from this ride of A Civilized Temperature This Time After my ill-fated attempt earlier when it was 21º F, the weather gods were on my side this time.  The temp would never get above 50º F, but it never went below 40º F either. Plenty good, and a relief. Southeast to Lincoln, New Mexico I headed E on I-40 out of Albuquerque, and shortly turned S on NM 337 (aka "south 14") which has a few nice curves; fortunately I had a clear road (though a little damp). It was on this road (in dry weather, and coming the other way) that I got ticked off by a SuperMoto bike tailgating me, so I wicked it up and dropped him in the twisties, side cases and all Hah! Proof that he didn't know how to ride! There had been snow recently (and a lot more to come)  Somewhere just before Tajique, NM. A gorgeous day.  Self-Portrait and my "Custom Sunshade" Between Mountainair and Carrizozo on NM 55 there isn't much.  Got bored enough to attempt a self-portrait while riding.  Note my cool sunshade on the face shield---installed at a custom angle so it comes out straight---my neck is permanently "crooked" after a horrible bicycle crash in 1972 (killed my best friend).  BTW, my sunshade is made out of this stuff. You can buy a shade like this from Aerostich for about $10 or so, or you can buy this whole "Cling Vinyl" pack for $5 and make a few hundred for yourself (a dab of double-sticky tape on each end keeps it tacked into place).  About halfway to Carrizozo there is the tiny village of Claunch, NM. I always liked the little church (looks tidy but unoccupied this Sunday morning)  Looks like the Claunch Community Windmill (circa 1937) has suffered since then.  Where Texas goes to Ski Leaving Carrizozo there is a view of Sierra Blanca (12,003 ft) to the south. This is where the state of Texas comes to ski in the winter, and to cool off in summer (well, there and Red River, NM).  Just heard on the radio that there is SIX FEET of snow on Sierra Blanca right now. El Nino is really in high gear... Capitan, New Mexico Shortly before Lincoln is the little town of Capitan, which had its part to play in the "Lincoln County War."  Lincoln and the "Lincoln County War"   Here's the old Lincoln County Courthouse...  ...and here's the renovated LC Courthouse (now a museum; these were all photos inside the museum):   Sounds like Lincoln was quite the place...  Billy the Kid  This is apparently the only photo of The Kid; this is a lifesize print.   This monument stone is set in the lawn in back of the Lincoln County Courthouse.   This is Sheriff Pat Garrett who shot "The Kid"...   By the way, I perused this website about Billy the Kid; quite interesting. There are many other sites, of course. The Ride Back Home. The shadows were beginning to lengthen as I swung around towards Ruidoso (pronounced RIA-DOSA by the Texans) and pointed the Uly towards the northwest.  Although the photo below doesn't do it justice, the grand sweep of the Carrizozo Plain was evident as I dropped out of the foothills.  Some of the road was just as straight heading home...  Any Cyclists in the Audience? If so, I'm sure you'll recognize the photo below as the legendary Estancia-to-Moriarty time trial course on which virtually all of the U.S. cycling time trial records have been set.  At 6,200 feet, flat as a billiard table, and a good road surface...if you can't ride fast here, you can't ride fast anywhere. Home Again Another great day on Uly secundus. It turns out that the weekend of January 10 was about the last good weekend to ride around here for a while. There has been a succession of winter storms: no snow in Albuquerque (typical), but snow to the north and south. I've been itching to do my loop ride down through Silver City, but there will probably be ice in the Black Range for a few weeks after the last winter storm. Oh well, time to sit by the fire and figure out where the heck to mount my two "operator" tubes...  You amigos all take care of yourselves this winter. Before we know it June'll be here and we'll be at the HOMECOMING!! --Doc P.S. Whaddya think of my cool new threads?  | ||
| Tootal |
Threads? All I could see was a good stock of Sierra Nevada! Thanks for the report, looked good sitting here with snow on the ground! See you in June!  | ||
| Paralegalpete |
Great pics and story, thanks and don't forget to let us know what you do with the tubes, (I have two on order) | ||
| Eulysses |
What tubes? Got the Uly here in Yuma for a month...nicest weather in USA from what I can tell. Staying in RV parks with old people :-), not too many riders around but did meet an exceptional one at Starbucks. Came in on a nice road bike (Trek) with quads like a linebacker. When he came out I mentioned the beauty of his white bicycle. Said he had just ridden 100 miles that day...half in incredible winds from the west. Road up to Martinez Lake and back. Face covered with salt. I had my Larue Tactical hat on...said he was a Navy SEAL for 22 years and working for army now (counter sniper). Says "everybody" is in AFGH. Everybody. Whole new concept of high tech SF gear bleeding down to the regulars. Guy had to be 45 or so...what a machine. Said he sure loves Buells. Said it twice. Anyway...great riding around here. Bring the RV and camp and ride a few days. Dr. Greg...you inspire the adventurer in me. (Message edited by Eulysses on February 08, 2010) | ||
| Bculy |
Thanks for the report and history lesson, Doc. Always like to hear about your adventures. Well done. | ||
| Desert_bird |
Hey Doc, Is that Lemond on the poster behind you? Hell ya, I know the E to M course. Every painful meter: I was twice NM State Junior TT Champion, and my best friend set the (then) national Junior TT record.  We'd flog our little v-twins as fast as they'd go, spinning along with first generation 6 KG Mavic disks. Thanks for the photos! ... so much easier on a Uly! (Message edited by desert_bird on February 09, 2010) | ||
| Hooper |
The threads match the headers! | ||
| Dr_greg |
That was my next step after posing for the pic  These tubes HERE I don't wanna mount mine so I can't set the side cases on the ground; looks like best choice is on the inside somewheres...like the guy posted in that thread. Not quite as much room in there on the Uly, though. Yippur on that! Back when I was in high school (1962-65) I lived in rural SoCal in a village full of dune buggy crazies. I built a Corvair buggy myself, and we'd all go down to the sand dunes ("Buttercup Valley") a ways northwest of Yuma over Christmas/New Year's. Good times...drivin'/ridin' in sand is almost 3-dimensional...lotsa fun. That was LOOONG before ATV's when you had to build it yerself. Yippur again...a sharp eye!  Can't see it too well in this pic, but I love the way "the Badger" is giving LeMond the "evil eye"... Wow, REAL cyclists! My hat's off to you guys; cycling is a brutal sport. At 137 lb (um, that was in 1972) the only thing I was remotely good at was climbing. I like this poster too...1975 was the year Eddy Merckx (the Cannibal) got his ticket (and his body) punched on the Puy de Dome climb and Bernard Thevenet (shown here) won Le Tour.  OK, no more pushbike pictures... By grab, you're right! I KNEW there was a reason I chose that garish color (mail order jumpsuit)... --Doc | ||
| Eulysses |
Tubes. That link didn't open for me but I think you mean those ag tubes for tools etc on the tractor. I have a set to mount meself...thinking under the Journeys is fine because they can lay down when off...which is rare. HOWEVER...adding a little weight forward is preferred. Thinking I would mount to the Memphis Shades mount and use them to block more wind (shades a little small). Or somewhere on the forks, suspended weight of course. Couple of bottles of gas would be real comforting. That what you are thinking? BTW...yellow is the fast color...ask Greg Lemond. | ||
| Tootal |
Yellow isn't fast, it's just so the deer can see you coming and get out of the way!!  |
