New Mexico trip mid-March

[JMD]

I don't want to interfere with Tony's Moab trip, but my boys and I have a tradition of making a trip to New Mexico every spring break to ride the desert for a week. This year, I'm planning to go March 16-22 or thereabouts, and anyone who can't make Tony's Moab trip, or who wants to do this in addition, would be welcome.

We camp out near Alamogordo and ride the desert from there to Las Cruces, and we usually get in a ride up near Cloudcroft. If you're interested, let me know. Right now, there are probably about six riders going for all or part of the week. We have a mix of rider skills from advanced beginner to fairly fast. The terrain isn't terribly difficult, though there is a lot of sand. Anyone interested, let me know.

 

[Danman]

March might be a bit early for Cloudcroft? Never been over to the desert. I would love to try it sometime. March is proably a good thing for that. I would love to, but with a our clubs enduro in early April it will definatly be out. This year we scored all new land. That means all new trail! There is a bunch of it too. Mucho stuff to be done.

 

[YZ165]

You got me interested.........but that race might fiddle with my head........ :think:

But, I think Cloudcroft will be perfect about then! Definitely clue me in if you plan on heading up there, and I'll head down for the day or something.

 

[Brian]

I'd really like to go this time. I'll talk to the boss(or at least Dad) and see what he thinks. I'd probably need some specific dates to get out of work, though. Always wanted to ride desert. I guess you just jet the two-strokes so rich they blubber so they don't sieze. Sounds like fun. I'll see what I can do.

 

[tx246]

jim,
are you still thinking the 23-29th? if so, im 80% in at this point. that week prior is spring break and need to spend some time with the kiddos.

 

[YZ165]

What altitude are you coming from Brian?

 

[Brian]

about 500'

 

[YZ165]

Hmmm, I'd prolly drop your main one, and leave the rest alone. That's the general rule of thumb for our elevation from stock jetting for sea level. It does take some fine tuning, but if you're only staying for afew days, that should do. Not to mention that a little rich in the desert is not always a bad thing. Hope that helps, YZ165

 

[Brian]

Yeah, I wasn't even factoring in the elevation changes. I've never done it, but I'm a little paranoid about sticking a two-stroke by running wide open in the sand for extended periods of time. I guess one must just be careful.

 

[Mudd Slinger]

Sounds interesting! I am not sure if I can take off that many days. I have girl graduating this year and will need some time off in may/june. My mom will be here so I need to take the time with her. She is getting up there in years. I will make one of these trips. I like it up in the Cloudcroft area.

I will see what happens when we get closer.

 

[Tony Eeds]

Jim:

Reno officially went in to the tank this morning for me, so I am in the mix for this trip as well.

I will have to get my dance card out of the truck when it stops raining and take a gander at it.

 

[YZ165]

Who's gonna tell VintageDirt that all of you are staying at his house?

 

[JMD]

The dates will probably be March 23-29th, as Gene said, as I had a trial scheduled for the prior week. It's a bonus that it works better for Gene. Wow! This thing could turn out to be big! That would be an amazing amount of fun.

Regarding jetting, we ride at 3,500 feet in Orogrande; for two-strokes I usually go down one main size and drop the needle one position (raise the clip). I don't fiddle with the pilot, though if you wanted it really clean, you could drop the pilot one size, too. When we go up toward Cloudcroft, we get up to 6,000 to 7,000 feet, so it wouldn't hurt to drop one more main jet size, but we usually just let them blubber a bit. Four strokes don't seem to need much fiddling, though for really clean running you could do the same, drop the main and the needle one size.

 

[evenslower]

Hmm, this is getting interesting now that I see its the end of March. Let me discuss with the little lady this evening..............

 

[Enduro_Nut]

The trip is allot of fun! Jim knows his stuff! :cool: A little rock, sand you name it. Jim knows a trail that I called a "chute", it's like riding on velcro(sp?), it has to be the best trail I've ridden in my life :yeehaw: !! Your bike sticks to the sand like well... velcro! Dry canyon is also allot of fun at speed :laugh: .

Wish I could go but it's hard to leave my company when I'm the only employee. :pissed:

 

[JMD]

Yeah, Rog, I call that trail the Pipeline, because it follows a small water line. It's sandy and fast, and it swoops around like a bobsled track. There are several fun, easy jumps, too. It's a really fun trail. One of my favorites anywhere.

Another trail near camp is the trail to the Red Sands. It's really fast, fifth- and sixth-gear stuff, with lots of whoops, some of them huge. There are some great jumps there, too. It's exhausting but really fun. Watch out for the mesquite bushes along the sides of the trail. They will bust your knuckles and tear up your forearms if you hit them.

Dry Canyon is a very rocky trail from the foothills up to Cloudcroft. Lots and lots of rocks. There are some places to get a great view of the valley floor; you can see the missile range and the White Sands, Alamogordo, and the Organ Mountains. Very nice.

A great day-long ride takes you from camp to Orogrande and back via some great desert trails. In Orogrande you can explore some abandoned gold mines. Just don't get off the trail, as the cactus will flatten your tires. And don't get off your bike and jump on the steel screens over the mine shafts, like a high school kid did a couple years ago. He was jumping and laughing when the screen broke and he plunged 300 feet to his death. There are some horizontal shafts you can walk into, though, and collect some rocks.

In the rock quarry where we camp, there's a great jump up a long hill into the quarry itself, if you have the guts to climb the hill fast enough to get air at the top.

And there is more. It's always great fun. Anyway, that's the end of this travelogue.

By the way, Rog: welcome back.

 

[penguin]

How long a drive is it? I can't make Tony's trip due to schedule conflict, but New Mexico might be an option. I ride a CRF250R with a stock tank, how long are the loops?

 

[YZ165]

Damn,......I live here and don't know about any of those trails.........when we going?

:yeehaw:

 

[JMD]

YZ165, the plan is March 24-29. I might leave the afternoon of the 23rd if I can get out early. We'll ride the 24th through the 28th, drive home the 29th.

Penguin: from Dallas, the drive is about 12 hours. We usually go through El Paso and up; a few more miles but less time than going the norther route through Lamesa and Cloudcroft, though that's a bit more scenic.

The loops are about 50 miles or more. But on the Orogrande/gold mine loop, there is gas available in the town of Orogrande. The other loops are longer, but there are options. Somebody with a huge tank like mine or Jim M.'s can give you some gas. Or we can strap an antifreeze bottle full of gas to your front number plate and stash it halfway up the trail for you. We'll make it work.

 

[YZ165]

Cool. That gives me a month to get my act together. A buddy and I might come down for a day or two just to hit some new trails/desert. Not sure about VintageDirt, or BEEF706. Hopefully they might join us too. YZ165

 

[Tony Eeds]

Wish I could go but it's hard to leave my company when I'm the only employee. :pissed:

Why ... I do it all the time!

Jim, I am going to try and make this trip, one way or another. Right now it depends on my new truck coming in. I am pushing 92K on my Sierra and I HAVE to move it before I hit 100K or I might as well drive it until the wheels fall off.

Since I am wrapping up a Cheverolet Dealership at the moment, I have a litlle pull, so I might as well use it.

 

[Enduro_Nut]

Why ... I do it all the time!

Trust me, I thought about it!! My problem would be several homebuyers would be pissed!

 

[JMD]

Tony, I really hope you can do it. We'll have a mixed crowd of varying skill levels, and that's fine with me. I don't care how fast or slow we ride, I just enjoy being out there and having fun with my pals. I can't wait. It's been the month from hell here at work.

 

[YZ165]

:yeehaw: Getting closer!

 

[Tony Eeds]

Tony, I really hope you can do it.

Well, I am officially out as I have a project due to be delivered to the City the 21st for permit.

I guess I shouldn't bitch as slow as the last few months have been on the income side. Lots of people wanting stuff, but nothing I could charge for ... :bang: