Adventure begins where plans fail... Cloudcroft, NM. Aug 2012

[Tourmeister]

Okay then... back to the business of riding!

It is now Wednesday morning, yet another spectacularly beautiful morning. Looks like a perfect day to tackle the rest of the Rim Trail. I confess I feel a real sense of excitement bubbling just under the surface of my normal morning sludgey feeling... We prep the bikes and head out right around 9:00am, running down the Sunspot Highway to Phil's house where we head back into the woods on Alamo Rd. Rather than run all the way to the trail head, we just cut back through the camp area to get on the trail where we dropped out the day before yesterday with James.

We reach the trail and start South, passing the area where James went off, climbing on up and around the mountain. It doesn't take long for me to start loosening up and relaxing. So much of how I ride is all in my head. Sure, my joints, muscles and reflexes protest that they are no longer twenty, but that is no where near as limiting as what the wrong mental attitude can do to my riding. Having completed the upper section of the trail, I now have a little more confidence in my abilities and less uncertainty about what might lay ahead of us. I guess its like many things in life, the second time around is usually easier and you are left wondering why it was such a big deal the first time

Roger has been leading - a nice "level" part of the trail

The dirt sections are more to my liking, not as rough and tiring as in the rocks

But the dirt stuff rarely stays dirt for any distance and soon becomes like this

Note the U shape of the trail, it catches and retains the rocks when rain runs through and makes riding on either side of them a challenge - not too bad right here

Even with the signs, sometimes finding the next piece of the trail is a little more difficult on the Southern section - We'll be checking out Heart Attack Canyon next time...

The only real mud we have seen so far...

The mud puddle is actually a forest road. It winds up and around the back side of the hill. The road and trail actually run together at this point. We putt along the road looking for where the trail might peel off back into the woods and find it maybe a mile or so down the road at another wooded intersection.

Off we go... I like this!

We come around the side of a hill, still on the nice smooth single track dirt like you see above, and a rafter of wild turkeys, maybe four or five big fat ones, scatter and run under a fence that is right next to this section of the trail. They stop about thirty feet away from us and watch us warily. At least they were on the ground running and not shooting out of a tree or some weeds on the side of the trail. I've had a few close calls on other rides with turkeys that had done that! Hitting one of those big things is not my idea of fun Just beyond the turkeys we come upon this...

Easy to get the bikes over the tree

But it still gets the heart pumping and we take a break - the turkeys are just beyond Roger and down the hill slightly

The ground here is really soft soil. It looks there have been some other riders through here very recently, maybe even this morning or perhaps late yesterday. The dirt at their tire marks is still damp looking. It will be interesting to see if we encounter anyone else on the trail today. Other than the guy with the two dogs, we saw no one else on the trail the first day.

Into the unknown...

I don't know if we are getting used to the altitude, getting more used to the riding and are relaxing more, or both. However, we seem to be taking fewer breaks, running a slightly faster pace, and not taking as long to recover when we do stop as we had been doing the first day. I am certainly feeling better. Of course, as soon as that thought enters my head, I notice Roger disappearing up a pretty steep climb. I stand up, drop a gear, lean forward and get on the gas. From here it doesn't look like the climb is real long, but it is STEEP and ROCKY, winding through some trees as it makes its way to the top of the hill. There are several nasty roots as well. All we need now is some rain and this would make for a REALLY challenging climb! As it is, I just bounce my way to the top, relying on the lugging power of the 530, and trying to keep my weight as far forward as I can. The front end really wants to come up whenever I hit a good rock or try to accelerate over something. A few times it feels like I might lose my momentum and have to stop... not something I really want to do on such a steep incline I just tell myself in my helmet, "NO WAY!!" and will myself on up to where the trail levels out. Here I see that we are right next to the highway but quite high above it, running along the edge of a ledge. The trail curves back into the woods away from the road and passes through a gate in a fence.

A good place to take another break

Right where the trail vanishes, it goes back left a few yards and then DROPS down the side of the hill

I grab the camera and walk back a bit, the view South from the ledge over the highway

Cool flower pic time - gotta stop and smell the roses... so to speak

The loose bits near the top of the climb

I don't bother with trying to get a picture looking back down the hill. Standing there, only a part of it is even visible and I KNOW it will look like a nice smooth, flat, and wide road if I try to take a picture of it I head back up to where Roger is sitting and join him for a few minutes before we saddle up and keep moving. Once again the squishy sweaty helmet going over the head is just sooo... well... Worth it...?

It is not long before the trail drops us out into a parking lot area. Across the far side is the continuation of the trail. We hop the curb and keep going. We're getting close to the Sunspot Observatory.

In a very short distance, we pop out into an open area and the trail starts looking more like a two track dirt road. It bends back to the East and then we come upon a big wide gate. We have arrived at a paved road, not the main highway, but the road from the highway into the observatory.

Looking back the way we came

This sign can be seem in several places along the highway and at the observatory. Where each planet's orbit crosses the highway, there is a road side sign marking it.

We decide to head over to the observatory to take a break. They have restrooms, drinks, a place to sit in the shade, etc... Once there, I head inside to check out the gift shop to see if they have anything cool I might get as take home gifts for my kids. As expected, the place has all manner of cool nerdy stuff! The problem is that I have no where to carry it on the KTM, so I'll have to get back by here tomorrow or Friday, either on the BMW or in the truck. While inside, I also check out a nice map on the wall. It is black and white and MUCH easier to read than the fancy color map the Forest Service sells. Unfortunately, they are expensive. But I am able to figure out where the trail continues from here. So after a good break and quick snack, we get back on the bikes and go off in search of the rest of the trail.

The "Rim" which the trail follows is pretty well defined. In many places it drops about 1000 feet in the space of a 1/4 to 1/2 mile. At the bottom of that steep slope is the West Side Road that we rode yesterday with Phil. In some places we can see it down below us. The section of the trail just below the Sunspot Observatory runs right along the edge of this rim, affording some great riding and vistas!

The tops of the trees just a short distance away give an indication of how fast the slope falls away, steep enough that walking down it would be challenging

Content to be in their element...

White Sands in the far distance

Mr. "I'm so happy to be here... I want to thank my Mom, God, and KTM... Oh, and I wish for swirled peas!"

We continue heading South and the trail stays pretty rocky and rough. It is not real difficult. It is just rough. So the arms and legs get a good workout absorbing what the suspension does not absorb. Most of this section is fairly level, running along right around 9000 feet with some short drops or climbs here and there. At one spot in particular, it drops down a bit, to about 8700 feet and then makes a sharp bend East. We stop here to take in another great view.

Nice and rocky, something that doesn't change much from this point on...

(I'm not narcissistic, Roger took them, I just post them ).

Looking back to the North

Looking back to the South

Looking good

We head on, but a short way down the trail, I spot something cool.

Don't ask me why, I just think it's cool looking. Maybe it's a contrast thing

I think Roger just likes taking pictures of me

From the turn in the trail that heads East, it is about three miles down to where the trail crosses the West Side Road. It drops down a few hundred feet in elevation, running RIGHT on the edge of the rim. It's really very cool. I love the piney woods. The smells are very strong and fresh. There is a nice cool breeze that blows through my mesh riding suit when we are moving and when we stop. Most of the trail is narrow single track, virtually impossible for an ATV to navigate. However, I noticed at that last overlook stop that the trail had begun to look more like two track and like some ATVs had been in the area. Now it is unmistakable.

The trail continues dropping and we soon drop out into a small "parking" area. This is where we stopped yesterday on our ride with Phil. It is where the West Side Road crests over the rim and head back down to the Sunspot Highway.

Looking back North from the parking area

While we are standing in the shade taking a nice break, a big truck hauling a huge RV comes chugging up the East side of the rim and pulls into the parking area behind us. Behind him comes another big truck hauling a trailer loaded with ATVs. I guess they are getting an early jump on staking out their claim for the coming holiday weekend. This is a great spot with a great view, but I would think it will see a lot of traffic over the course of the weekend. Still, watching the sun set on the Western horizon from here would be pretty cool in the evenings! We visit with the guys briefly before gearing back up. We're kind of tired, but it is still early in the day and there are only 2-3/4 miles of the trail left. How bad can it be...?

Right off the bat, the trail starts with a steep rocky climb. This would not be so bad in and of itself, except... Well... There is a downed tree over most of the width of the trail. It is not laying on the ground, but instead sits up about shoulder high off the ground. There is a narrow spot cut out of the trunk to the left side of the trail, right about where the side of the trail kind of slopes upward and is covered with loose rocks. Slip here and go the wrong way and hitting that tree is a real possibility... Don't ask me why I don't get the camera out to get a shot it Roger going up it. Maybe I am a bit dismayed that he IS going up it, because that means I have to go up it

Sitting there watching Roger's dust blow away from the trail as he bounces up the hill and out of sight, I am thinking, "Well... it's just another short climb. It won't be like this the whole way..." I study the hill side for a moment, steel myself, and get on the gas. This one is steep and keeping the momentum is critical.

I grind up through the rocks, keeping my eyes glued to the gap between the two sections of the tree trunk and trying HARD not to stare at the tree itself. The bike is sliding and I keep nudging it toward the gap, almost... there... almost... The bike slides some more, the rear stepping out a bit, putting me slightly off line and on course for my shoulder to smack the end of the trunk. I shove the bike over, shift my weight and body away from the trunk and slip on through. I MADE IT!! HAHAHA... uh.. wait a second...

I got so focused on clearing the tree without hitting it that I forgot to keep scanning on beyond the tree and there is still a LOT more of this hill to be conquered! Right away there are big rocks resting on some rock ledges (bigger rocks embedded in the ground). Countless smaller rocks lay scattered everywhere like a spilled bag of ball bearings. I gather my wits, scan for a line, and get on the gas!! Things are going pretty well until I get about two thirds of the way up and hit a BIG rock that kills my momentum. I have to stab a foot down to keep from tipping over and I grab a fist full of front brake...

And start sliding backward...

I can get both feet down when sitting on this bike... when I am on level ground. Right now the ground is anything BUT level! Not only does it slope down behind me, it also slopes away to my right so there is no chance of getting a foot down over there without the bike just going right on over. I lean hard left to get the weight of myself and the bike on the left leg. I imagine I must look kind of silly because I have my left foot dancing and dodging around rocks as fast as I can, all by feel, until I can get it to something that feels remotely solid. Meanwhile I am leaning as far forward as I can and the front tire is still sliding. My right foot is mashing the rear brake pedal as far as it will go... and the rear is sliding... About the time I am thinking this isn't going to be pretty, the back tire catches a big rock behind me and I come to an abrupt stop, my heart pounding and me panting HARD to catch my breath.

Great. I'm not on the ground, which is always a good thing. I can sit here a minute or so and catch my breath. I look ahead, pondering how I'm gonna get this thing moving again... Here is where the 13/52 gearing really pays off! The hard thing about restarting a climb if you can't abort and make another attempt is getting up enough speed so you can get back up on the pegs, get your weight forward, and let your legs work like shock absorbers as the bike bounces around under you. Starting in first means having to shift right away while trying to do all the other stuff needed to keep me upright. The low gearing allows me to start in second and reach a good speed without having to worry about shifting.

I pick my line, steady myself and the bike, rev up the engine and start putting power to the ground...

And... I'm not moving...

A quick glance down and I spot a big rock RIGHT in front of my back tire! Apparently I kicked this one with my left foot while flailing around and it rolled right down under the bike, nestling under the tire like a wheel chock I wiggle the bike while putting down some power, hoping to get it moved out of the way.... Nothing doing... I try using my right foot to reach under the bike and dislodge it... Nothing doing... I really don't want to try getting on/off the bike while perched in this precarious position, so my only choice is to shift my weight to the right and hope I can kick it out with my left foot. Once again I am REALLY glad the KTM does not weigh as much as the KLR!! VERRRY slowly I lean the bike to the right, making sure I have my foot where I can hold the weight. A few of the smaller rocks roll under my foot. I kick them away and feel for solid purchase on the ground, then lean a little further, juuuust enough to tip the bike to the right so I can get my left foot off the ground. Then I very gingerly start swinging my boot heel against the rock while gently rocking the bike back and forth a tiny bit. I manage to time a kick with the bike rolling back and before the rock can roll down under the tire further, I smack it hard, sending it rolling out to the right enough that the tire can clear it.

Okay... Let's try that again!

I take a few deep breaths to relax my body and clear my mind. I set my sight as far up the trail as I can see, rev motor and start feeding in the clutch. Sometimes you have to do this gently or you just spin the tire. Other times you just have to get it on!! As soon as I can feel the tire biting into the rock and not slipping, I get on it and the bike leaps up and takes off!! I haul myself up onto the pegs and lean as far forward as I can. The bike is kicking from side to side as the front end deflects of some of the larger rocks. I can see what looks like the top of the hill just ahead. And then I see the familiar site of Rogers white helmet just over the crest where he's sitting and probably wondering what on Earth has happened to me I made it!! HAHAHA!!!

Yeah, I'm kind of starting to get a bit crazy out here... It must be the thin air... yeah... that's it

When I reach the top Roger is looking at me like, "Everything okay?" I nod that I am fine and just need to rest a minute.

"Dude... That was tough!"

"No kidding, but its probably not going to be like that the rest of the way. I'd sure hate to have to go back down that..."

Me, "Amen!"

After I catch my breath, we head off down the trail. The next few minutes aren't so bad. We just kind of bump along, gently winding back and forth. BUT... and there's always a BUT... right? BUT, we soon come to another rough looking climb of unknown length because the the trail curves out of sight as it climbs. We stop and ponder it for a moment. This time I DO get out the camera and set it to video mode so I can catch Roger heading up. He waits for a moment... obviously looking for something that resembles a good line, then takes off!

Right after he vanishes around the corner in a cloud of dust, I hear him really getting on the gas... Hmmm... That can't be good...

I last saw him going left and still pointed up when he got to the top of what I can see here.

You can see those big rocks down in the lower left of the shot above. Yes. There are more of them further up the trail. I put the camera way, move down to the start of the hill, pause for a moment to check my sanity... nope not there, and get on the gas!

This climb is rough and the bike is kicking around pretty good, but there is no tree to dodge and I can keep my eyes on the trail this time. I motor to the top, make the turn, keep climbing a bit further and then find Roger waiting at the top. Okay... I can deal with this, but I am getting kind of tired about now. This kind of riding really takes a lot of energy!

Now, I have absolutely NO REASON for thinking this, but for whatever reason, call it denial maybe, I keep telling myself the worst is probably over. I really need to learn to just stop that silly habit We ride on and soon come to this...

... a spot where I have to question our sanity... again...

I am not real wild about the idea of going back the way we just came and trying to get down that last hill or the first hill, BUT... and there it is again... This hill is STEEP!! It drops well over a hundred feet in about the same horizontal distance. No, I am not kidding... I am serious!! We both sit there for a moment, looking at the hill... looking at each other... looking at the hill...

Roger nudges up to the left side, apparently thinking this side won't be as bad as the right side, then he rolls over the edge. Right away his back tire is sliding and I can see him working the front brake, releasing the rear to keep it from sliding on around in a sadistic attempt to take the lead. He has a couple serious moments where he looks like he might go over or start picking up way to much speed, but he stays on top of it and keeps going. After a few tense minutes he finally rolls out to the bottom, pulls into the shade, dismounts, and waits to see what I am going to do...

Awww dang! Now I have to do it!

Well, the left side worked for him... So left side it is!

What you can't really see in the picture is that this section is basically a wash, with that typical V shape to it and all the big rocks laying in the bottom of the V. The sides of the V are loose dry dirt, so steep that the tires want to just slide right down them. Also, if you notice that first shady spot that covers most of the width of the trail, there is a rock ledge just in front of it. The trail drops pretty good right there!

I don't do the down thing as well as I do the up. So I am not real confident about this whole process. I get nervous when the bike starts picking up speed and I can't slow it down without the front end sliding out or the back end trying to play band leader. I know I should probably just stand up and go, but my brain insists that I sit and put out the legs, easing my way down from rock to rock, stopping and looking for the next few feet and planning where I want to stop next. This works pretty good until I get to that ledge. There is simply no way for me to let the front end go over while still keeping my legs out, so I stand up. Immediately the bike starts accelerating. The back tire locks and slides, dragging the bike down into the V. The front slides down with it and when it hits bottom, the momentum of the bike just carries us both right on over. The side of the V is high enough that I basically just step off the bike on the right side and let it lay on over. Fortunately, it does not start sliding down the hill without me. I end up just this side of that tall tree in the middle of the trail in the shot above.

Okay... no big deal. This bike is light, just pick it up and find a way to get back on it. I reach down, grab the handle bar, lift it up and at the same time lose my footing a little bit in the loose gravel. While doing the dirt boot shuffle on the slope while standing in some tangled undergrowth and attempting to keep myself upright, I manage to toss the bike right on over to its left side...

I take a moment to stop and remind myself that I AM having fun!

I walk around to the other side of the bike, make sure of my footing, then lift it upright. I carefully swing a leg over, get myself situated and take stock of the rest of the trail. It is still steep and rough, but I AM going to do it standing up! I just head right on through the rocks in the bottom of the V, counting on the suspension to just do it's thing and for the V shape of the trail to throw me back on line if I veer off to one side. I start picking up speed right away, hitting some pretty good rocks on the way down, but to my great relief I manage to get to where the trail starts to roll out and get smoother. I pull up next to Roger in the shade.

"Dude!! I sure hope this is the worst of it because I don't know that I can get myself back up that hill!!"

There I go again!

"Me too... that was kind of wild!"

Checking the GPS, it turns out that this was about a 150-200 foot drop in about the same horizontal distance We rest a while longer. Both of us are getting tired and hot. I have been hitting the Camel-Bak pretty hard. Looking at the GPS again, it seems like the worst should be over because we are getting close to the highway and the topo lines don't look too close to each other... at least not when I am zoomed wayyy in.

But if you look at that picture above again, you'll notice that big hill in the background... and that the trail starts to go up... That's right, another good climb! This climb is long. It is not quite as rocky and loose, being more dirt and roots, but it just keeps going and going. I can feel my forearms starting to burn after a few minutes of climbing. About the time I start thinking I might have to find a place where I can stop and rest, I see the top and press on to find Roger waiting. This climb comes right back up the 200 feet or so we just came down. We've reached the far side of a small pass. The trail goes right over the top of peak and then curves back to the Northeast as it starts down again.

This descent is not as hairy as that last one, but it still drops pretty fast, almost 300 feet in less than a half mile. Just before we reach the very bottom, Roger stops. There is a pretty good wash with a steep entry, a tight switchback in the bottom, and a steep climb out on the far side. The trail makes almost a 90 degree turn to the left at the edge, dropping down into the wash. Roger heads down, makes the turn, then powers up the far side into another switch back that continues up the hill.

The view from the edge - you can see Roger on the far side after the second switchback - the first is out of the shot below and left

The good thing about this wash is that it is mostly just dirt and roots. What rocks there are along the trail are relatively small. So traction is not really an issue. I head on down, make the first turn, power up the hill to the next one, crank the bike around because it is pretty sharp, and then chase Roger on up the hill. Once again, looking at the GPS I keep thinking, we have to be getting close to the end... The highway is just sooo close... as the birds fly... But the trail is not done with us yet...

Not far from the wash, we come to another. There are downed trees and branches everywhere. Again, there is a sharp switchback right at the point where a good steep climb starts, but this time it is rocky. It is also where I catch a glimpse of something I rarely see... Roger's bike on the ground! I fumble to get my camera out as fast as I can, but Roger is quick!!

He almost gets it righted before I can snap off a hasty shot...

He didn't "crash", he just couldn't get a foot on the ground when he stopped. I got the pic... it happened!!

Since I already have the camera out, I switch it on over to video mode so I can catch Roger's attempt at the climb. You never know... dropping his bike like that might have rattled him a bit I might catch something good on the video

You can really see in this video just how steep the hill is. Getting started and getting his momentum to the point where he can stand up is tough. Near the end it starts looking easy. What you don't see is that the trail makes a sharp turn to the left and then gets REALLY steep and nasty. I suspect something is up when I am putting my camera away and suddenly hear Roger's engine roar for a few seconds and then go silent... I wait a few moments to see if he refires it... nothing... Well... I guess I have to get on up there to make sure he's okay and not in need of help.

Having seen Roger's "issue" with making the switchback at the base of the climb, I make sure to run as wide as I can going through it so I can carry as much speed as possible going into the climb. I get through the first section you see Roger doing in the video without any problems. Then, right about where the video ends and the trail turns, the going gets pretty rough. Not only that, the trail goes off camber, sloping with the hill. I am trying hard to stay relaxed and focused, hoping the bike will do all the work. I'm starting to feel pretty good about this climb when I come around the corner... and...

I don't know for sure if he dropped it, and since I didn't get a picture, there is "plausible deniability"...

I did a bit of backsliding, not in the moral sense but in the gravel sense, before I was able to come to a stop and get the shot above. Although, given some of the words that were going through my head when I was going backward... I guess you could say I was also doing it in the moral sense

Look at those rocks... I've got to thread between those babies to get moving again.

Roger gives me a thumbs up to let me know everything is good. We just hang out for a few moments, catching our breath and just soaking in the feeling of being out in such a fantastic place having soooo much "fun". But dang... I am really starting to wear out! Roger is ready so he takes off again. I wait a bit to let him get ahead of me. Then it's time to see if I can get moving again. Deep breath... Focus on the line... Ease on the power... Rock back and forth because ANOTHER rock has rolled in front of my back tire! Fortunately, just rocking back and forth a bit allows me to get up just enough speed to roll over the rock so I don't have to repeat the same process as I did on the first hill climb. I manage to get on around the side of the hill and make it to the top, where we decided to take another break, which are coming much more often and lasting a bit longer now than earlier in the day.

Looking back down from the top - it turns hard right and goes down right where it vanishes between the trees

I tell Roger that I can feel my cheeks, the tip of my nose, and my arms tingling. I've experienced that feeling before in Colorado at higher altitudes. We decide to just sit for a while. There is no need to rush and get ourselves killed, especially way out here where it would be VERY difficult for someone to retrieve one of us if we were unable to ride out. ATVs would not be able to get in here. I would later ask a ranger about this and was told they would actually hike in with a stretcher, carry you out until they could get you to a point where either an ATV or helicopter could be used. That's NOT a bill I want to pay... So we rest, and I focus on deep and slow breathing until the tingling goes away in a few more minutes. We've got to be getting close...!!

The trail continues up from where we are resting. We are REALLY hoping it peaks soon and the rest of the trail will be down hill. We're both getting pretty tired. Roger fires up his bike and starts up the trail. I thumb the starter and...

Nothing...

I try again... I hear the starter gear click against the crank... Nothing...

All this starting and stopping, low speed riding, the radiator cooling fan kicking on and off, and my battery seems to have gone dead. Now, if I were on the KLR, I'd be in a real pickle... Trying to push start it going up hill would be impossible and the only alternative would be to attempt a bump start going DOWN the hill we just came up, riding ALL THE WAY to the other side of the wash, turning around and having to do it all over again All that with Roger already up the trail and out of site... Right, so I am thrilled that the KTM has a kick start The only problem is I'm in a tight spot with regard to being able to get the kick stand down so I can really get up on the lever and give it a good kick. I decide to just put out the lever and try to kick it while sitting. It's a bit awkward, but on the first attempt the bike kind of sputters. The second try I push just a little bit harder... and it fires!! Thank you!! Satisfied the bike is going to keep running, I start up the trail after Roger.

I reach the high point of the trail and it turns to the Southeast, dropping down into another small pass. Here's what I see...

A stick forest... and Roger working his way down what looks like a steep trail section

Really strange how the trees have all just been "topped", leaving nothing but the trunks standing - not really something I would expect as the result of a fire, but rather from a tornado... but not over such a wide area!?

Now we are back to rocky with lots of downed trees/branches...

At first it looks like the trail might keep going on up the next hill, but I saw Roger take a left turn somewhere down there.

So I head on down the trail to see what I might find. And what I find is a section so washed out, rough, steep, and nasty that Roger has decided to get off his bike and walk it down! I don't think I have EVER seen him do that and we've ridden some pretty nasty stuff.

You can just see his helmet there left of center about to vanish behind the dense undergrowth.

We haven't seen much that makes us think anyone has been back here in a long time. With all the downed trees everywhere I am REALLY worried that we might come upon one that we can't get over or around... because... that would mean turning around... If I really really HAD TO, I am sure I could ride all the way back, but the thought of it makes me kind of numb... Roger disappears down the hill. I pause for a moment, asking myself if I am having fun...? In moments like these, it's hard to say. I've been in enough moments like these to know that if I get through it, I will look back on it and think it was a great time!! If I get through it... I like to call this "retroactive fun". It might suck in the moment, but when you look back on it retroactively, it becomes fun after the fact. Sometimes it's later that night over dinner when this happens and we're all telling stories about the days ride... and sometimes it is when the bruising and swelling go away or a cast finally comes off

Down I go...

If you look carefully at the above picture, you'll see a downed tree right next that tall tree where the trail turns left and disappears. That is my first objective. Get there, use it to stop and prop myself up, scan ahead and decide on the next course of action. Getting to the tree is not too bad. Stopping is dicey as the front is already trying to slide a bit and the back is sliding. I manage to get the bike over, wobble a bit and catch it, then plant my right foot on the trunk and come to a nice complete stop.

What I see below makes me stay stopped for a few minutes to gather my strength and my breath. It gets steeper. Now I see why Roger was off the bike and walking it. The trail has that familiar V shape, but in the bottom of the V it is trenched, about the width of a tire, and maybe 6-10 inches deep. Moreover, there are a series of steps or ledges. It looks like water collects in the narrow trenches, flows over the ledge and forms the next trench, filling it and continuing down the side of the mountain. Of course there are assorted scattered rocks and branches along the way as well.

I decide to stay on the bike. Rather than try to ride the side of the V and risking an uncontrolled slide into the trench, I just point right into it and GO. The trail is narrow enough now and the sides high enough that I can put both feet out, place them at the top of the sides, and hold the bike upright. That's great for side to side, but it doesn't help a whole lot with keeping me from trucking right on down the hill. Fortunately, I can use each ledge as a "speed bump", knocking off enough speed before the harsh drop off the ledge into the next trench, and repeating until I get most of the way down. Almost to the bottom, there is a BIG tree down across the trail. I can see Roger on the far side and he's waving/pointing for me to go around it. A quick glance and I can see where Roger had to go off the trail a few yards to clear the base of the trunk. It's nasty looking and I can see where his rear tire was sliding and kicking out some dirt as he got on the gas. I turn and follow his track, have a pretty good wobble as I try to make the sharp turn toward the trail while on a down slope, and then make my way back to the trail.

I join Roger on the trail. He's looking like I feel. I think we're both ready for the fun to be over. We haven't had any lunch. Granola bars and peanut butter crackers only last so long... But we HAVE to be getting close to the end of the trail!!

We make our way down the rest of the hill without too much trouble. The trail goes back into some woods, the kind where the trees have tops on them, and the shade is welcome. I approach the crest of a slight hill and can see that the trail turns hard right and drops on down the hill. Roger is already out of sight. I approach the turn and there is a BIG pine tree RIGHT in the inside corner. I move a bit wide to make sure my bars clear it and the next thing I know the bike is going down!! It just slides right out from under me. I've got next to no speed at all, so I just step off and to the side. But now it is pointing down hill and the wrong direction.

I move over to lift the bike and then I see the problem. There is a small tree trunk, maybe 2" in diameter, laying along the outside edge of the turn. It has no bark at all on it. I was braking and trying to turn right when the tire hit that trunk. I was looking through the turn and down the hill. I never saw it. Without the bark on it, it is super smooth and slick. I can see the rubber marks on the wood where the tire slid. I get the bike picked up, but like I said, the front end is pointing down hill and about 120 degrees from the direction of the trail. I try pulling it backward up on to the trail... Not happening. Well... time to just drag the thing. I lay it over to the right at about a 45 degree angle, letting it rest on the hip/thigh of my left leg. The big tree is close enough that I can brace against it with the right side of my body, pulling against it and the bike so that I can pull the bike toward the big tree and back onto the trail. It is at this point where I really just close my eyes and PULL!!! The KTM is light compared to the KLR, but it is still a couple hundred pounds... I manage to get it where I want it, get it stood back upright, and get on it. At that point, all I can do is just sit there. My heart is POUNDING! I am breathing HARD. I am ready for this to be OVER!!

CLICK!

Awww dang!!

The battery is dead again!

CLICK!

CLICK!

Hmmm... Guess I'll have to kick start it again...

There is only one problem... I am leaning up against a tree on my right side and the trail slopes away fairly steep on the left side, so there is no way to get a foot down or to put the bike on its kickstand. Nor do I have the energy to drag it around any more to get it where I might be able to put it on the kickstand. I try kicking from the seated position again, but without at least being able to get my left foot on the ground, it is pointless. I stop for a moment just to laugh at the absurdity of the moment.

I spot Roger down through the woods standing at what appears to be the end of the trail at the bottom of a good steep hill. He's looking up to see what is going on with me and the bike. Realizing I am FINALLY near the end, I pull in the clutch, pop into neutral and just give the bike a hard shove. I start down the hill, slowly at first and then start picking up some speed. I ease on the back brake a bit and a little on the front to keep things from getting out of hand. I don't want to make the mistake of prematurely thinking I made it only to wipe out in the last thirty feet after surviving all the stuff before this point. I soon reach the bottom and roll out into some shade next to Roger's bike. As I go to dismount, I realize just how tired I am as I feel like all my energy has been completely drained. Standing next to the bike removing my helmet and jacket, I realize my hands are shaking. Time for a good break!

The trail goes between the two big trees behind the bikes, then turns hard right up the hill above Roger's head

Well... We did it! We're still in one piece. There's no serious damage to either bike. We both decide it's just time to roll back up the Sunspot highway and call it a day... I can now say I have ridden the entire Rim Trail and survived it. I can't wait to do it again! Never mind the fact that I have so little energy right now I can hardly walk in a straight line

We finally muster up enough energy to get serious about riding back.

CLICK!

Well, I thought I might get lucky

I try kick starting the bike, but the ground is pretty soft and the kick stand starts sinking into the ground before I can get the bike fired. There is a nice big gentle hill rolling down from where I am parked to the shoulder of the highway. Roger suggests I just bump start it using the hill. Sounds good. I pop it into second gear, coast down the hill and dump the clutch... VROOM!!

Sweet!

I keep it revving, Roger joins me, and we head North. Now... I may be tired and I might think I have had enough riding for one day... BUT... and there is always a BUT... The Sunspot Highway just seems to pump energy right back into me. Once we get rolling and hit a few corners, it's like I just did a shot of some kind of energy drink or something. The combination of the road, the bike, the beautiful day, the cool breeze, the fact that it won't be getting any harder between here and town... Well... It just feels great!!

A few miles down the road I notice that the fairing on the right side of my gas tank is kind of flapping in the wind... Hmmm... I hold it with my right knee and keep it from flapping, but that is not real comfy and I don't want to do it for the next twenty miles or so. I pull over at a roadside parking spot for the trail head of a different trail and have a look. Apparently, that drop on the really steep hill, where I dumped it right after picking it up, did a number on it. The initial hit on the right side pulled the screw holding the fairing to the gas tank right through the plastic tab on the backside of the fairing. A zip tie or two and it is good as new!
We cruise on back to town, reach the hotel, take off the gear, and have a well earned beer!! Thank goodness tomorrow is a big bike day. I don't think I could do two days like today back to back. Like the high from an energy drink, my high from the Sunspot Highway faded almost as soon as it was over We go grab dinner and call it an another early day. I spend part of the evening looking over the maps, checking the trail guide book, and thinking about where we might go tomorrow...

 

[Jbay]

well done gentlemen

 

[Rsquared]

At the end of that trail I was so tired my hands were shakey, and that's never happened to me before...

"Retroactive Fun"....... Yeah, I'd say that sums it up!

Great report as usual, by the way.

 

[John Dirt]

Awesome.

 

[TOE JAM]

Great report Scott. Enjoyed riding with you guys. Maybe next time I'll have time for the good stuff.
Phil

 

[Tourmeister]

Four days down... two to go...

 

[Vinny]

You described it very well, specially that last day. The area of the downed trees looks greener than when we passed thru there.
I can't wait to hit that area again....now that I know what is in there

 

[Gravel Guy]

"I did a bit of backsliding; not in the moral sense but in the gravel sense."

That, sir, is signature material! Well said!

 

[MotoTex]

You described it very well, specially that last day. The area of the downed trees looks greener than when we passed thru there.
I can't wait to hit that area again....now that I know what is in there

The descriptions of it you guys gave painted the picture pretty well, after I bailed at West Side Road to make my fuel run to Timberon. Gotta go back and pick up that section.

A fine report, looking forward to reading more! Nice to see some photos and added commentary on the section I missed.

 

[Tourmeister]

Okay, got all the remaining pics resized, cropped, and uploaded. Will try to get the last two days cranked out over the next couple of days. I should have a wee bit more time to work on the report now that Dad is back from vacation and we usually aren't busy at the beginning of the month.

 

[sodapop]

:beer::beer:

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tourmeister]

Day Five: Thursday

So today is going to be another big bike day, Roger on his KTM 990 Adv and me on my 1200 GS. My plan for today is to head East. When we were riding with Phil the other day I noticed some roads East of Hwy 24 that looked like they would be interesting. Our mission today is to ride them and find out if they are worth recommending to anyone else that visits the area. The plan is to get East quickly, ride them, then start working our way back West by whatever route looks good at the time.

It is yet another beautiful day. I don't think we could be getting any better weather As soon as I walk out the door of the motel, the weather just creates this intense urge to go ride... anywhere... just so long as I go ride! We head down the Southwest side of town on HWY 130 and then it bends back to the Southeast, running in the general direction of Weed. It follows a long valley, with numerous little "canyons" off each side. It is all paved and quite fun! The pavement is of pretty good quality, many of the corners are just fast sweepers, but there are enough sections with tighter corners strung together to break things up and keep it fun. Much of the road in the shadows and so it is a bit cool, but that does not last long s the sun is fast rising into the morning sky. The road continues to the Southeast until the it and stream in the valley meet the Rio Penasco river. Here it turns due East.

A few miles down the road, we make the turn South on Hwy 24. The section of 24 between Hwy 130 and Weed is a lot of fun. It climbs up over a good sized ridge and has some great twisty bits along the way. I run a nice relaxed pace, just enjoying the feeling of being out here. I find that more and more, I like to ride like this rather than really having to push all the time to go as fast as I can on the road. I still get the fun lean angles and the zooming out of the corners, but I just don't race between the corners. I just keep coming back to that rhythm thing and the desire to be smooth. I think it may also have to do with having family at home that I really want to see again

Where 24 meets Agua Chiquita Rd, there is a little gas station, and Weed is just around the corner. We pass it by and keep heading South. I am looking for Miller Flats road. There were two other roads further North that branch off of 24 and cut across to Miller Flats, Prather Canyon and McEwan Canyon, but I think we'll save those for next time. As we are zooming down the road, I suddenly realize I just blew right past the turn for Miller Flats. I'm not zoomed in far enough on the GPS to realize that there is a fork where the road runs REAL close to 24 for a bit before it turns away to the East, making the point where it turns away look like an intersection when not zoomed in We get turned around and head back to the turn.

The road is wide and well graded, initially lined with short trees and cedar. The ground in this area is quite rocky. We quickly reach the turn to the East and the view opens up as we round the end of a hill. A few minutes later we come up behind a rancher and his dog, enjoying a leisurely cruise in his Kawasaki Mule. It would not surprise me if he had ridden it all the way into Weed. He's doesn't realize right away that we are behind him and since he is kind of wandering back and forth in the road, I just settle in behind him rather than trying to pass and risk surprising him. Soon enough we reach a spot where he does finally notice us and we are able to get around easily. Of course, barely a few minutes later I stop for a picture, and he comes cruising on by us.

That's him up ahead right where the curve in the road starts... and we do pass him again...

We get around the rancher again, but not even a few hundred yards later I blow past another turn So we stop, wait for him to go by again... and then turn around. Miller Flats is not an exciting road, but it is very nice ride nonetheless. I really enjoy the scenery. The map shows the road continuing on around to the North and Northwest, looping back to US 82 just Southwest of Mayhill. It looks like it would be fun, but it takes us the wrong way. We're heading down McDonald Flats to the South and East. It might be possible in the future though to run up to Mayhill, cut East on 82, then back South on Mule Canyon Rd., which eventually runs back into McDonald Flats. Here at the intersection of Miller Flats and McDonald Flats, there are a few homes and the road seems like it actually runs through their front yards. So I keep the pace and dust down and wait until we get beyond them to pick up the pace again.

McDonald Flats is much like Miller Flats, but the trees come in a little closer and there is a bit more change in elevation. We only run it a short distance before we head South on Angel Canyon Rd. The first half of the road is pretty much like McDonald Flats, mostly straight but with more trees.

However, the lower half of the road gets kind of fun. And of course that means I don't stop and take pictures The "Flats" which make up part of the road names refers to the fact that there is a bit of a plateau in this area. However, the lower half of Angel Canyon road drops down off that plateau and thus follows a wash/creek to the bottom. The road gets a little bit narrower, becoming more of a nice two track instead of a wide graded road. It is not rough by any stretch of the imagination, but it rises and falls, twisting around the small edges of the canyon until it reaches the bottom, a drop of about 500 feet in elevation. This is where Blue Water Creek runs. Somewhere before the bottom, my maps show Angel Canyon becoming Cuevo Canyon or CR-10. At the bottom, it intersections Chimney Canyon Rd or CR-6. We turn here and head to the Southwest. The road follows the gently winding creek canyon. It is wider and obviously more heavily traveled than Angel Canyon Rd.

A few miles down the road we come to another intersection. Chimney Canyon continues on to the Southwest, but Dog Canyon runs off to the West and looks a bit more squiggly. They both drop out on Hwy 24 not far from each other. I want to run both sections, so there really isn't much to do other than run one of them twice.

The start of Dog Canyon Rd.

Dog Canyon is a fun road right off the start. There are numerous low spots where there is still standing water and mud. There are fresh cow patties here and there, as well as those cows that hide behind bushes... The road surface is very nice, making a fun pace possible without beating the bike to death. The vegetation changes back to more pine and a mix of cedar instead of just the cedar. The smells are quite strong, especially on some of those puddle crossings... The cows apparently like to hang out around the water puddles and do... well... what cows doo... Of course this only occurs to me after blasting through a few and wondering that that odd smell is... Still, the road is a lot of fun, with lots of twists, turns and fast elevation changes.

Eventually the twisty bits of Dog Canyon open up into a much wider valley. Right at this point, we pass through a gate and past a few ranch houses where ranchers look up to see us zooming down the road. The road becomes wider and graded. It is a really hard pack with lots of loose gravel on it. Over the course of the last 10-15 miles, I have really loosened up and relaxed, feeling really good on the GS. The tires are really hooking up nicely, I seem to have a good sense of balance today, and in general everything is just clicking! The run out the rest of the road to Hwy 24 is fast and fun!

At Hwy 24, we turn South and head a short way down to the start of Chimney Canyon Rd.

The end of Dog Canyon was much the same as the start of Chimney Canyon which is seen here

Most of Chimney Canyon is fast and open. There are a lot of fun sweepers that go around the sides of some hills. Near the Northeast end, the last few miles start getting more like Dog Canyon, having some tighter corners and fast elevation changes. It doesn't take real long to reach the intersection where we started Dog Canyon. We turn and head down it again. This time it is even more fun because we know what to expect. I still keep my eyes peels for the Ninja Cows, but the pace is definitely more "upbeat" Since the bike is already a mess and since I already stink... Well... There's nothing to do but hit those mud puddles a little faster this time

Roger is a bit more sedate in his approach to the puddles
[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]9dBpdmvZkn4[/MEDIA]"]Dog Canyon Road - YouTube[/ame]

When I fire the bike back to life, the smell of cow pooh cooking on my headers is... uh... fresh? We finish the run back to 24 and then stop to decide where to go next. Just up 24 a short bit is a road that looks fun and cuts back to the West in the general direction I want to be going. So we run up to that. It looks kind of like a driveway at first because there is a fancy entrance, but there is no gate and nothing indicating this is a private road. It shows on my map as Avis Cemetery Rd., and it goes all the way through to some other roads. It's not real wide and obviously not real well maintained. We pass a gated entrance not far from the main road, but this road turns and keeps going. There are some erosion berms every now and then and I enjoy launching the GS off of them. About the time I am starting to think this is going to be a really fun road...

There is a nice looking home on top of that hill in the distance. I suspect this might have been open at one time but it is now private. So we turn around and head back to 24. But where now... Looking at the map I spot Pinon Draw or CR-E017, a nice wiggly road starting just South of us, but not quite as far down as the start of Chimney Canyon. It runs West and comes out about where this road would have come out. So off we go...

Pinon Draw is a great road. Most of it is a well maintained forest road. It heads back into the mountains and there are many more pine trees now. The elevation doesn't change much for the first few miles. The road just meanders along the draw winding back and forth. There are quite a few other forest roads in the area that all look interesting. Exploring all of them could take forever because it is like trying to unwind a plate of spaghetti. At Long Canyon, my map shows an intersection with NF-557A. This is the road I am wanting to take. However, I ride right past it without realizing it. It is not until we are about a 1/4 mile up the road that I realize we missed it. I never saw it even though I was actively looking for it. We pull over and Roger mentions that he thought he saw a road going off into the woods a short way back. So we turn around and go back to explore.

Coming from this direction, the road is easy to see. The grass/weeds along the side of the main road are high enough that it kind of hides the side road when coming from our original direction. This road does not look like it has seen any traffic in a while... COOL! I take point and we start working our way up and around the side of a hill. The road gets pretty narrow, but it is still two track and you could get a truck/jeep back in here without too much trouble, so long as you don't need to turn around. It starts out as hard packed rock/gravel and begins climbing up into the canyon.

The trees start closing in a bit and the road keeps getting narrower. At one point we drop out into a large meadow with a small dry creek running across the road. There are some pretty good ruts and deep dry puddle holes, but I am able to run wide around it all and get back on track on the far side. There are some pretty good sized rocks hiding in the grass and I have to dodge a few of them on the way. On the far side of the meadow the road continues to climb up into the woods. We soon come to another, larger and much deeper creek crossing. It is dry but is looks like part of the road has been washing away. I have to hug the left side against the hill, ride the off camber slope down to the bottom, then climb out the far side. Just beyond I stop at a relatively level place.

Looking back, there is a steep drop just after the shade spot in the foreground. The washed out area is behind the trees in the center of the shot.

Looking on ahead

Looking back

The spot where we are sitting is nice and wide. Just ahead and around the next curve we can see the road gets steeper and much narrower. We're thinking this is about as far as most folks come, maybe to camp and then ride ATVs further on up the road. Also, looking at my GPS, the road and the map have diverged. So we are not 100% sure we are even on the right road anymore. When you ride in places like this, the maps are not always up to date with the reality on the ground. After a short deliberation, we decide to turn around. Perhaps we'll save further exploration of this road for the small bikes, which are MUCH easier to get turned around if the going gets nasty. On the way back I notice that the GPS track intersects the road on the map where we crossed the meadow. Thinking we might have missed a turn I look around real hard in that direction. However, all I can see is the creek itself and a LOT of big rocks. Maybe there is a road somewhere back up in there, but we are not really in the mood to find out on these bikes. So we run back to Pinon Draw and continue running it to the West.

Pinon Draw runs a bit further North than the road we were trying to take, and it roughly parallels it to the far side of a ridge. On the far side there is a ranch. Just beyond this ranch the road starts to get noticeably rougher, having large rocks embedded in the surface. It is wide, but given how rough it is and the presence of grass growing in the tracks, I don't think it gets much traffic. As it curves around to the South, it starts to climb as well. Also, the color of the ground changes to orange/reddish dirt. The going is slower now. The suspension on the GS doesn't absorb this stuff quite like the KTM's does. I stand up and focus on picking a good line. Within a half mile or so, we've climbed almost 500 feet up onto the end of a small ridge. Here the road makes a sharp S-turn and then runs along the top of the ridge for a short way. The road is still very rough and rocky. I feel like I am taking a beating. We eventually drop down a fairly steep hill, the road twisting back and forth as it drops, until we dead end into Bluewater Canyon Rd. We've been here before on our previous trip.

Looking back East up Pinon Draw from Bluewater Canyon Rd., the road curves up and climbs the backside of the hill

The sign says, "Bluewater Canyon"

The rocks and orange/red dirt give way to good old brown dirt

Now, there are TONS of places where I could stop along Blue Water Canyon Rd., to take cool pictures. I don't. The problem is I'm starting to get hungry and this road leads to lunch in Weed at the Weed Cafe. Moreover, I am REALLY feeling my groove on the GS like never before. To top if off, this road is just a real hoot to ride and the traction is superb!! It follows a long valley, dropping around 1100 feet as it runs Northeast from our current location. It is narrow, rutted, and the trees come right up to the edge of the road, keeping us in the shadows most of the time and the overhanging branches make it feel like I am zooming through a tunnel. It has a TON of the erosion berms, which I make the most of...

The berms can be nasty. Sometimes, there is a nasty bit of puddles and holes on the approach, not to mention criss-crossing ruts. There is still usually a line that is relatively smooth between all this and that allows a fairly clean approach. The other problem is the backside of the berms, which can have more of the same extending out for 3-4 feet from the base of the berm. These can't always be seen beforehand though. So deciding what speed to carry over the berms can be a real dilemma. Go to slow and the bike is not real stable in the rough stuff. Go a little faster and the approach is more stable, but it could be ugly on the far side. So the solution is to take as fast an approach as conditions allow and just sail over the far side, clearing potential nastiness

Well, the GS is a big ol heavy bike. Even with the Ohlins suspension on the front and back... well... it's a big ol heavy bike! But it flies well I settle into a nice rhythm, carving through the corners, avoiding the ruts, gauging my approach for the berms, hitting the gas, shifting my weight once airborne, absorbing the impact with my knees on the far side as I roll back into the gas for the next corner or berm. A couple of times the GS lands pretty hard. One time I think I hear a rock smack the underside of the bash plate and I might have bottomed out. I should probably stop and add a bit of damping and preload, but it just seems to be handling so well for the other 99% of the time that I don't want to mess with it.

Further to the North, the soft brown dirt begins to give way to the hard rocks again. The road rises and falls over some small ridges. Once again I feel like I am taking a beating. The GS's suspension doesn't handle the short sharp hits from the rocks as well as it does the longer flowing strokes to the suspension. I wish I had hi/lo speed damping controls!

A smooth part of some of the rougher stuff

We soon reach the point where Bluewater Canyon intersects NF 171 or Weed Road. This is a well maintained gravel road, graded and pretty smooth. It does have a good bit of loose gravel on it though, so there is no shortage of tire spin going through the corners.

The purple flowers are like carpet in some places, covering entire hill sides

The road gets real smooooth

The rest of the run on up into Weed goes pretty quick. We soon find our way to the Cafe.

They don't look too busy. We head inside and they are surprisingly busy. We wind up sharing a long table with a few local guys, but they are finishing up and about to leave anyway. Another ham & cheese and an ice cream and I am all right with the world again...

[time to go home, more tomorrow]

 

[DoctorXRR]

Awesome ride and report! You all did a lot of hard work on this adventure. Ive not yet ridden in this area, but hope to make it soon! I have a little plot of dirt and a small old cafe I bought in Dell City TX, a good jumping off point for this whole area!

Respect for riding that tough Rim Trail!

 

[_RG_]

Just got caught up on this report...day four is a classic if there ever was. I could smell the pines and feel the backend bouncing though the whole story. That tree Roger is sitting under at the end of the trail is the same one JT and I collapsed under with the tingly hands thing going on. Think I sucked the fumes outa my camelback right there.

 

[Tourmeister]

Continuing day five...

After lunch I start looking at the GPS and try to figure out where to go next. I want to work my way over to the Sunspot Observatory so I can pick up some stuff for the kids. We've already done Agua Chiquita several times this week, so I decide to head for Seep Canyon and run it West. It will hit Hughes Canyon and then we'll drop down to the gravel part of Agua Chiquita.

First we have to top off the bikes - nothing but 86 octane here...

We head back down Weed Rd., to the start of Seep Canyon then cut West. This is a nice easy road, graded and well maintained.

The pinkish stuff on the hills are the flowers shown a few shots back up in the report. They cover the mountainsides wherever the fires have burned through.

We soon hook back up with the end of Hughes Canyon for the run down the side of the ridge to Agua Chiquita. Back on Agua Chiquita we pick up the pace and just have fun.

Lots of views like this on Agua Chiquita

At Scott Able Canyon we cut over to the main highway.

Roger at a steep twisty bit on Scott Able

There are some good sized rocks in the road, so we do have to pay attention...

A very nice ride through the woods

We make a quick run up to the Observatory once we reach the highway. I grab some cool nerdy T-shirts for the kids. Sitting outside we discuss what to do next. It's early and it seems a shame to just head up the highway to town and call it a day. I suggest we head back down to the South end of West Side Rd., and running it from South to North. Roger agrees so off we go.

Looking North from high on the South end

I settle into a nice pace, quick but not crazy. I'm feeling good on the GS but it is still a big heavy bike that likes to slide around in the loose gravel. I always like to say that running the same road in the opposite direction is like a whole new road. I stand by that claim. Even though I have done this road several times now, it has always been from North to South. Heading North now makes it feel like a different road. It's hard to explain, but if you've experienced it, you know what I mean.

Great views abound on the West Side Rd.

We finish up the day by hitting US 82 and running back up into Cloudcroft. Back at the hotel we are soon joined by Ernie (username?). He's also a TWT member and happens to have a home here in Cloudcroft. He showed up on his WR250R shortly after we arrived. We decide to head to the BBQ place for dinner. Once there, he tells us that he got a message from some other TWT members that just rolled into town and they will be joining us for dinner. So before long it is me, Roger, Ernie, Dan "Bastrop", Mike "O-matic" and Tim (has no username as of this time). We get to know each other over a good dinner and make plans for tomorrow. Ernie won't be riding with us, so there will be five of us.

Back at the hotel after dinner, I get out the trail guide book, the GPS maps, and the big paper Forest Service map. Soon I have a good route laid out that will include some trails we've already done, like Willie White, but also some stuff we haven't done. Then we'll work our way East for lunch in Weed and figure out something from there depending on the pace we're running and what looks like fun.

I am soon fast asleep... dreaming of rocks and roots...

 

[Tourmeister]

And finally... the last day, Friday.

When I come down in the morning, Dan, Tim and Mike are already here.

Dan is riding a WR250R, Tim a Honda 230 of some kind, and Mike a KLX 400 I think. We suit up and head South on the Sunspot Highway. The start of our ride will be on some roads/trails in the Benson Ridge area. Ideally, they will drop us out near the start of Willie White. Benson Ridge Road starts right across the street from Phil's house.

We start in the upper left corner. The solid black line running down the West side is the Sunspot highway. The road slowly climbs onto the ridge and we pass numerous camp sites. It is well maintained gravel. There are now RVs and ATVs everywhere it seems. The holiday weekend is upon us! I make a note to keep that in mind as we ride today because there are likely to be a LOT more people on the roads and trails than we have been seeing all week. At 5007, we cut South.

Taylor Canyon trail, T5007, is rated as a moderate trail. It is really an easy two track trail. It is rocky in places and there are a few short sections that are steep. We run 5007 down to 5007A, the Schofield Canyon trail. It is also rated as moderate but is easy.

Taking a break on 5007A

We run 5007A around and eventually come to a spot where 5007 A, B, and C all intersect. We head South on C, the Schofield/Benson Canyon trail. This loops around a small peak and bends back to the East, intersecting the lower section of 5007 A. As I start up a small climb, I spot some movement further up the trail near the top of the climb. There is a bear! He was sitting on the trail and the sound of the bikes has startled him. As I approach, he jumps up and starts running down the trail, occasionally looking back. Once he realizes we are still coming, he dives down into the woods a ways below the trail and glares back up the hill at us as we roll on past him. His back looks like it is about 24-28" off the ground, a bit higher than the top of the front wheel of the bike. He might weigh around 100-150 lbs, but it hard to tell how much of his "bulk" is just hair, so I could be way off on that guess. Anyway, we continue on and the last bit of 5007 C drops quite steeply to a T intersection with 5007 A. The descent kind of sneaks up on me and I really have to haul down on the brakes to get the bike stopped for the intersection We turn left and head down the South end of 5007 A and drop out on Rio Penasco Rd. None of this was hard, but it is a good warm up for Willie White, which comes up next.

After everyone reaches the road, we head East to the start of Willie White, T113. This is the one we did the first day we got here. I've never ridden with Dan, Mike or Tim (at least not that I can remember... ), so Willie White will give us a good idea of what they consider hard/easy and I can adjust the route as needed from here. At the start of the trail, the low point between the road and where the trail turns to go up the side of the hill has dried out almost completely. I was pretty nasty and muddy on Sunday. So we get through that no problem. Roger takes the lead and we head up the ledge, make the turn up into the steep narrow valley and begin the climb. Roger keeps on going and I try to hang behind him. Most of the climb is going really well. I guess a week of riding has improved my confidence and skill, and maybe even my endurance. It doesn't seem as difficult this time as it did Sunday, and especially like it did the first time I was here on the KLR... There is this one section though...

I think it may be about two thirds of the way up, there is a good long rocky section where the rocks are really big and embedded in the ground. They are like steps. There are other big rocks scattered about on top of those. The bike really gets to bouncing around on these and I have to work pretty hard at hanging on, staying on the gas, and keeping my momentum going. By the time I clear it, I am breathing pretty hard and ready for a break. I crest a small rise and find the spot where the trail slightly levels out to find Roger waiting. Good. I need a break!

Great rocky fun just down around that corner...

Roger and Dan, waiting for Tim and Mike

Tim and Mike - Mike looking a bit winded...

Last night, Dan, Mike and Tim went for a "quick" ride before dinner. Apparently Mike had a bit of a get off and was not wearing his leg protection. So one of his knees is pretty tender and is giving him some problems. So we take a nice long break and let everyone catch their breath before tackling the rest of the climb.

The rest of the run to the top goes pretty quick. We take another break at the top before deciding that we will take the long way around, on T 5008.

At the intersection in the middle of the map, we continue East on T113, until it reaches T5008. I take the lead and we start down the canyon. The first half of the trail before the start of T5008 is pretty steep and twisty. I am cruising along at a nice pace, engine braking mostly, in second and sometimes first gear. I come around a corner at one spot that is pretty steep and clip a rock with the front tire. I don't hit it dead on enough for the tire to just roll on over it. Instead it cranks my bars hard right and before I can even react, I am eating the side of the mountain. My helmet is dragging along the dirt and my left arm is pinned back behind me. I can feel the shoulder extending and I try to twist my body as much as possible to take the strain off of it. My right hand is still on the gas and as I slide to a stop the engine is revving pretty good. Once I snap that I am still holding it I let off the throttle and pull myself out from under the bike. Dan pulls up behind me to make sure I am good. The shoulder will be tender from getting stretched, but otherwise I am fine. The bike looks good as well... but... when I get on it, it is immediately obvious that something is not right with the front end We hold the front tire straight and the forks look fine. I don't think they twisted in the triple clamps. Hmmm... The bar doesn't look bent, at least not in any way that is obvious. Sitting on the bike though, my left hand is definitely sitting further back than might right hand when the front wheel is pointing straight. It looks like the bar risers might be whacked, but again, it is hard to tell. Well... nothing to do but ride it.

Now, if you have never ridden a bike with a bent or twisted handle bar, let me tell you that it really messes with your head! You probably don't give it much conscious thought, but your brain is keeping track of where your hands are at all times. It develops a "feel" for where things should be when you are riding. If you are going in a straight line and one had is extended further from your body than the other, your brain is going to be sending messages to you consciousness telling you that something is wrong! Needless to say, this can be rather disconcerting. There is only so much mental attention available for riding and I like keeping as much of it as possible on the trail. The whacky front end takes a good deal of my attention away from focusing on more important matters to focusing on telling my brain to shut up and get with the program! I manage to get down the second half of this trail section to the intersection with T5008 without too much trouble. Now it is decision time. Do I bail here and head back to the road, call it a week, and pack my bags? Or... do I just keep on riding and suck it up, hoping to enjoy the rest of the day without getting hurt? I keep going of course...

You can see on the map that T5008 is fairly squiggly. The reality is a bit more squiggly than the map. Here we also meet our first traffic, some folks on ATVs and in Polaris Razors. Fortunately, we meet them in a spot where there is plenty of room for everyone to get by each other without any problems. The trail is not real steep. It just winds along the side of the mountains, going in and out with the ridges. In many places the trees come right down on the trail and it feels like we are riding in tunnels. When we reach that last loop on the South end, the trail starts to drop down to where it meets the Hubbell Canyon trail, T9277. By now though, my brain has agreed to go with the flow and has reprogrammed itself to allow for one hand being out of whack with the other and I can shift my attention fully back to the tasks of navigating and reading the trail.

Taking a break - Dan, Tim and Mike (sitting)

I think Mike's brain is sending him LOTS of messages about his knee...

Tim's bike

When we were here Sunday, we were already pretty whopped and were looking for a quick way back to the main road West of here. So we opted to run Upper Wills Canyon T9278 over to FR64. Today we plan to take the longer route along Hubbell Canyon Trail.

Where the trail crosses the creek just below the upper intersection above, there is a cool little wooden bridge. Then the trail runs across the little valley and starts climbing up the side of the mountain. We encounter a little more traffic here and again everyone gets past each other without any problems. The trail continues to climb as it winds up into the canyon, rising from about 8700 feet to around 9300 feet by the time we reach FR 64. It is a really nice ride, even with my hands fighting each other for control over the handle bars in their competing efforts to be in the neutral position when going straight.

Once we hit FR 64, we head South. I want to run up to the Sacramento lookout tower. I don't know if the tower will be open, but we should still get some good views and the run up and back should be fun. We reach the turn off and the road makes a gradual twisting climb to the top. It is narrower than the main roads but still well maintained. It also has quite a few of the erosion humps in it, which are always fun It doesn't take long to reach the top and the ride is worth it.

White Sands in the distance, and just beyond that the faint outlines of the next mountain range

My boot is coming apart and now works as a fauna sampler...

After everyone finishes taking their pictures, we mount up and set off to find the next trail, Apple Tree Canyon trail, one I've never ridden before. We head back to FR 64 and continue South. The forest service website doesn't show a map for this trail. The paper map is not real easy to read so I can't pinpoint the exact start point. It doesn't show up on the GPS at all. So I am just cruising down the road looking for anything that looks like a trail in the general area.

The first place we come to looks questionable. I can see tracks going off in the right direction. But I don't think we are far enough South yet. Also, there is no sign. I motion for the group to stay put and I run down the road a bit further, round a hill, see a sign saying something about the road ending and a big berm. Just before the berm there is another trail on the far side of the narrow valley we're in but it doesn't look like it is in the right place and there is no sign. Hmmm... I head back up to the group and decide to explore this first road.

The road starts out clearly as a two track. It runs West as I would expect, into a high canyon that gets narrower and narrower as we go. It is also getting progressively steeper. Soon the tracks start to peter out. I run up a bit further and there are still some tracks, but now I am thinking this might just lead to someone's favorite camping spot. A few of us kind of wander around looking for any evidence of a trail or sign, but we come up empty. Time to turn around and head back to the main road. We'll head South and check out that next trail.

We get down to the next trail and it looks more promising. It too bends off to the West as it climbs, which is what I am expecting from what I saw of the trail in the guide book. It is a nice two track wandering through the trees. There are a lot of cows up here too. The trail crests a ridge and makes a sharp turn to the South. Now it is much fainter, still two track, but it does not look like anyone has been up here in a long time. I keep following the "track", but now it is getting rougher and much more technical. I am dodging trees and hopping over small logs. It has also become more of a single track than two track... Then we reach a log I won't be hopping, right where the trail starts doing down a steep hill. About this time I start thinking we may have been following a cow trail instead of an actual forest service trail

Mike, probably thinking I have taken leave of my senses... or maybe he has...

I walk down past the first tree, way up at the top of this shot, to find another... - Roger is coming down to check to see if I HAVE taken leave of my senses

We quickly agree that even if this is the right trail, it is not passable and we should turn around. Easier said than done on such a steep incline I wind up having to just lean my bike over and drag the front end around. Needless to say this leaves me huffing and puffing like a starved big bad wolf outside a houseful of pigs...

Mike's bike is getting tired and cranky...

Can't use the kickstand here, so I use the next best thing...

I help mike get his bike righted and get him under way again. We work our way back through the underbrush, around the trees and up to the crest of the ridge. Mike's bike decides to take another nap right before we get to the group, hehe. The front end just washed out in the loose dirt. He gets it picked up and soldiers on. I imagine that knee must be screaming at him about now... Back with the group, we take a breather before heading back down the mountain to the main road.

We decide to go on over the berm and continue down the road. There are no signs indicating the road is closed and the berm looks well traveled. Just around the next corner what do we see...? Yes, that's right, a nice pretty sign indicating the start of the trail, T5601 Oh well, the other stuff was fun too!

Apple Tree Canyon trail starts out with a gentle climb from 9000 to about 9350 feet. It has some fun twisty sections with short steep climbs. Then it runs in a Southwesterly direction across the wide top of the same ridge on which the previous trail crosses and on which the watch tower sits. On the far side, it makes a sharp turn North and then loops back South, where the real fun begins. Interestingly, the dead end we just explored ended about 500 feet from this Northernmost section of the Apple Tree Canyon trail. If it had not been for those few downed trees, we might have found our way here even coming the hard way.

Lots of this on Apple Tree Canyon

Tim and Dan

Dan resting after a short but particularly steep and rooted climb

The trail starts to drop away from where we are resting, waiting on Mike and Roger

Looking back, it gets steep just around the corner to the right

Roger and Mike come chugging up to where we are resting. It seems Mike is starting to have some trouble. He's getting tired and the leg is really bugging him. At this point, he is ready to just get off the trail and do some easy riding. But first we have to get down... The rest of the trail is not real long, but it drops almost 1300 feet in about two miles and has some nice rugged sections, which are basically nothing more than the washes where water comes flowing down off the mountain during storms. So there are lots of branches, logs, rocks, and exposed roots along the way. I mostly run it in second gear and do a lot of coasting with engine braking as I pick my way down through it. By the time I reach the bottom, I am glad for a chance to rest!

Dan rolling out at the end of the trail

Tim

The Southern trail head sign

A few minutes later Mike and Roger roll down to the parking lot and we take another nice break in the shade. I decide to cut a few trails off the route and just start working our way East on the main roads. Mike agrees wholeheartedly. To be honest though, I am ready for some easy riding too

It's been a rough day for the TWT sticker on Mike's bike

[time to go home... more later]

 

[o_matic]

Last night, Dan, Mike and Tim went for a "quick" ride before dinner. Apparently Mike had a bit of a get off and was not wearing his leg protection. So one of his knees is pretty tender and is giving him some problems. So we take a nice long break and let everyone catch their breath before tackling the rest of the climb.

Yup, and it was all downhill from there. A quick ride up some fire roads with no knee guards led to a fairly high speed get off, knee-first into a nice pile of rocks.

It didn't stop me from riding, it just stopped me from riding well. Thanks for waiting up for the gimpy guy all day!

 

[Tourmeister]

Having completed the Apple Tree Canyon trail, I decide to forgo the Scott Able trail and instead just run Scott Able road over to Agua Chiquita and head for Weed. Scott Able road is fun because it climbs up onto a ridge, rising over 1000 feet in a few short miles. It meets Agua Chiquita just beyond the crest of the ridge. Here Agua Chiquita starts its winding descent down toward Weed, dropping about 2000 feet. It never ceases to amaze me what a difference a few thousand feet can make in terms of air temperature. As we drop down I can feel the air getting progressively warmer. Dan and Tim are right behind me as we run down through all the big sweepers and occasional tight corners. The run to Weed is non stop and just really fun.

Upon our arrival at the Weed Cafe, we see a lot of other DS bikes parked outside. When I walk inside I find a group of maybe 8-9 TWT members all having lunch. They are refugees from Hurricane Issac which washed out the EPIC ride in Arkansas that was supposed to take place this weekend. We compare notes on where we've been and I tell them about the Apple Tree Canyon trail which they have yet to run. They are on a mix of bikes, KLRs, KTMs, etc,... I show them the trail on the maps and they decide it will be their after lunch goal. Our group grabs a table and places our order.

While we are visiting I notice what sounds like honky tonk piano music coming from the back room of the cafe. This is a big room that might be used for large events and it has a band stage at one end. There is an old upright piano there that I noticed on one of our previous visits. I peek around the corner and there is little old lady jamming away on the thing and obviously enjoying herself. The group she is with is eating at one of the large tables in this room. I get up behind her and shoot some video with my iPhone, but only catch the tail end of the song. When she finishes and realizes I am videoing her, she gets a bit embarrassed, but she does play another piece at my request. The piano could use some tuning, but it doesn't matter. What really matters is the energy of the piece and she's putting a LOT into it When she is done, I thank her and head back to our table for lunch.

Mike has decided that the better part of wisdom is to call it a day and ride back to Cloudcroft after lunch. It's a smart but hard choice to make. I've been there myself and the thought of missing out makes it hard to do, but sometimes it is what it is and pushing on will only get you hurt worse. So after lunch he heads back and we decide to run down Blue Water Canyon, backtracking our route from yesterday, and maybe trying to find the other end of the road where we turned around on the big bikes.

We head South on Weed Rd., and eventually pick up the start of Blue Water Canyon. Roger is leading now, Dan and Tim following, and I am bringing up the rear. I hang back because the dust has gotten worse as the week has gone on and the ground has dried out. Yesterday, on the big GS, I was blasting down this road and totally feeling in the groove. Today, on a bike that I would expect to make the ride even better, I am just not feeling it. Well... I guess that is not technically true. The real problem is that I am feeling EVERYTHING. Maybe it is just because it's the end of the week and I am getting tired after five straight days of riding. Maybe it's the out of whack handle bar bugging me on a subconscious level. Whatever the reason, I just have to back my pace down a bit and get through it. Don't get me wrong though. I am still having fun, but it's just not the same kind of fun as I was having yesterday. The other guys seem not to be having the same issue and they are booking!!

We reach the end of Blue Water Canyon and turn East on Pinon Draw. We make the short climb up over a small ridge and then start down the backside. The road is rough and rocky with some big puddle sections, a few with water still in them, and large enough to cover the entire width of the road. I've long since given up the craziness of just blasting right through the middle of them without knowing what is under the water and instead just putt around the edges. I catch up to the guys at a point where the road makes a sharp U turn. After some discussion, we decide to explore what looks like the Western end of NF-557 A. I take point as we drop down into the valley.

At the start of the road, there is a ranch and the road cuts East through one of the pastures and starts heading up into a narrow canyon. We don't get far before I see trucks, trailers and what looks like a small hunting lodge. I stop and talk with some of hunters, explain what we are trying to do and ask if any of them have ever explored the road on their ATVs. Amazingly, even though they have been coming here for several years, none of them have ever explored back behind the lodge, which is where the road appears to lead. They don't object to use checking it out so I lead the way on around behind the lodge.

Maybe a hundred yards or so behind the lodge, the road quickly becomes much more of a trail. It is still two tracks... barely... and the tree branches come right over it. There are lots of fallen branches and good sized rocks scattered about on the ground. The canyon becomes quite V shaped and the trail follows the bottom of the V. We get back maybe another couple hundred yards into the woods and all traces of the trail vanish. I check the topo and CitySelect maps on my GPS and they both show a road, but our track is off where the road should be. So we turn around and I carefully make my way back to where our track coincides with the road on the map. I look in the direction where the map shows the road going and don't see any obvious tracks, but a short way up the hill side I do see what looks like a road grade cut into the side of the hill. It is not uncommon for the map and reality on the ground to be slightly off from each other. While the others wait, I make my way up the hill, dodging tree branches, loose rocks, downed logs, etc,... and finally reach the grade. No road. No hint of tracks. There may have been a road here a LONG time ago, but it was obviously abandoned and has become so overgrown that attempting to ride it would be pointless. I slowly and carefully make my way back down to the guys and let them know what I have found. As we head back through the hunting lodge area I tell the hunters what we found, just in case they actually care

We reach Pinon Draw Rd., again and stop for a discussion. It is decided that we'll run Pinon Draw all the way back over to Hwy 24, then run Chimney Lake and Dog Canyon again. They were fun on the big bikes and should be even more fun on the small bikes. So we take off down Pinon Draw, which is maintained and is a mix of dirt and gravel. For whatever reason, somewhere along this stretch of road, I fall back into my groove I start feeling much more relaxed on the bike, I don't feel every little bump and rut in the road. The fun factor really starts to go back up for me.

We quickly reach Hwy 24, cut over to the start of Chimney Lake and continue our pace. There are times where I get into a groove and it doesn't even occur to me to get out the camera and take pictures. This is one of them. It is not that I am riding particularly fast. I am just riding in that zone where my speed, reactions, and the bike, all seems to merge into a seamless whole resulting in a smooth ride. I am not flying through corners, or creeping into them at a snail's pace. I'm just rolling though them in a way that feels right. We soon reach Dog Canyon and cut back to the Northwest.

Where there had been large puddles in the road the day before, there are now just somewhat muddy spots. Having been down the road twice yesterday, I know a little better what to expect and run a pace that is more fun, but still cognizant of the presence of the cows... always the cows... At the low spots that still have water in them, I lean back and hammer on the gas. The spray shoots up and out like a giant wave and amazingly very little gets on me compared to my less enthusiastic crossings yesterday on the GS. The smell is certainly not as bad... We make quick work of Dog Canyon and reach Hwy 24 once again.

Here we turn North and head back up toward Weed. Because of the low gearing on my KTM, I keep the pace around 55-60mph. Any more than that is not real fun. At Weed we head West on Agua Chiquita. Instead of running it all the way back to the Sunspot highway, we turn Northwest at Hay Canyon and climb up the mountain to Prestridge Hill Rd., which turns back a little to the Northeast, running up over a high ridge and dropping back down to Hwy 130.

Prestridge Hill is a fun road. It is well maintained gravel, big chunks of gravel, so the bike is really sliding around in the corners and under acceleration. Many of the corners are pretty tight. As suddenly as I had relaxed and slipped into a groove earlier, I now just as suddenly slip right out that groove and start tensing up again It doesn't help that I have a few close calls with trucks coming the other way and are hogging the whole road I still enjoy the run down the side of the mountain to Hwy 130 and as soon as we hit the highway, I slip right back into a groove. Go figure...

We get back to Cloudcroft pretty quick, stop at the hotel for a bit, and then decide to go get dinner. We try an Italian place across the main highway where Roger and I ate one night. It was pretty good, but this evening it is packed and there is a long wait. So we walk down the road and try a different BBQ place. Ernie and Mike show up and join us for dinner. Mike even buys dinner for everyone! Thanks Mike!

Back at the hotel Roger and I start loading bikes. Mike hangs around and visits for a bit. Dan and Tim hit the road because they are staying down in Alamogordo and want to get back before it starts getting dark. Ernie hangs out a bit and then he heads home. Roger and I have gotten pretty good at getting the bikes on the trailer and strapped down, so it does not take us long. Our plan is to get up REALLY early and get a good start on getting home. After reaching Huntsville, Roger will still have another hour or two before he gets home because of unloading the bikes from the trailer, getting them into his truck, and then driving down to Tomball. So we call it an early evening and hit the sack.

The drive back is uneventful. As always, Roger and I have some interesting conversations, which I really enjoy. Roger may not say much when there is a group around, but he is a very thoughtful and insightful person. We reach Huntsville by early evening and I help Roger get his stuff moved over to his truck so he can get rolling.

Another great trip in the books. The Rim Trail was definitely a highlight, but all the rest was great too. I really like the Cloudcroft area. For me, it is about a 13 hour drive from Huntsville, not much worse than going to Big Bend, and only about two hours more than NW Arkansas. It is still within a single day of driving so it would even be worth doing for a four day weekend, which is how I often do Big Bend and Arkansas. The nice thing is that it is not as hot as Big Bend nor as humid as Arkansas in the summer! Also, I think the riding is better too So I will be going back as the opportunity arises

 

[Bastrop]

Tim and I really enjoyed meeting everyone. The riding was incredible and we cant wait to go again. Unfortunately Tim already left for his next big adventure overseas.

Nothing could have been any better that trip. The weather, the riding, the people, food, etc. All amazing!

 

[Irishcoffee]

My vote is that this trip be repeated next season. Period! To be supplemented of course by the Ozark Rally that started the whole thing.

 

[TallGears]

Awesome Report, I'd love to take my Tenere riding up there to the places you took your GS...

 

[Tourmeister]

Awesome Report, I'd love to take my Tenere riding up there to the places you took your GS...

Thanks.

I would definitely recommend installing a set of TKC 80s for that trip. They just make a world of difference in how a heavy bike feels in the loose stuff...

 

[TallGears]

Thanks.

I would definitely recommend installing a set of TKC 80s for that trip. They just make a world of difference in how a heavy bike feels in the loose stuff...

The TKC 80's do look great on your GS. Currently I have a set of Heidenau K60's mounted up and I LOVE them. I do not wish to hyjack you're awesome Ride Report but I will recommend them to you if you ever get tired of your TKC80's wearing out so quickly.

On a different note, I've been to NM several times for vacations and have always wanted to ride around while I was there. I'll make it up there some day!!

 

[Jbay]

here is a slideshow of mostly Scott's photos

2 days in Cloudcroft is plenty of riding!!!

 

[Rsquared]

2 days in Cloudcroft is Just Not Enough riding!!!

(Fixed it for ya James)

Well done on the video editing!

After watching that, I'm ready to go back...