John and I had been kicking around the idea of returning to New Mexico, we both fell in love with the state on two previous trips.
So when Trail Boss pitched the idea of a week's loop involving the BDR, we were IN!
As usual, you talk and hope and plan and talk some more and read ride reports and watch videos and ya manage to get the time off of work and it just seems that departure day will NEVER arrive…
And then, omg, we leave next weekend! Where’s my camelbak? How cold will it be at night? In the morning? Should I pack my thick fleece or will the old thin one do?
And of course, what riding attire? Apparently, others are having the same debate: Textile jacket or armored shirt is a topic of discussion on the TWT thread leading up to departure day.
We are planning on camping half the nights. Because of the pandemic, we aren’t sure if stores will be open, or what they will have. So we pack non-perishable, heat and eat type foods. Enough food and water for 2 people for 2 days.
My right hip has been giving me increasing trouble. John and I worry whether I’ll get much sleep on the pads we have. We decide to double up the pads and hope for the best.
Camp gear includes the usual: tent, twice the number of sleep pads,an extra blanket, etc
The remoteness of some of the areas we will be traveling through prompts John to pack more than his usual assortment of tools and gadgets for “what-if” scenarios. He also throws in a couple of fuel bottles.
This all adds up to a LOT of weight.
As usual the day before departing on a big trip, work keeps me late. When I finally get home, John and I pack and arrange and re-arrange and finalize things until the wee hours of the morning.
We basically take a nap before getting up at 6am and trailering the bikes to our meet up point in Fredericksburg to meet KubotaMike. In FBG, we trans load the bikes and gear into Mike’s roomy, enclosed trailer and FINALLY are on our way to a week of riding the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route!
Mike’s powerful truck isn’t bothered by the load at all, cruising at 80 without so much as a single groan (or downshift.)
I am thrilled to have the spacious back seat all to myself and quickly set up camp; I’ve brought a pillow and a comfy blanket and snacks… I basically spend the entire journey alternating between napping, snacking, surfing the net, yacking with the boys and more snoozing. The drive went by fast for me! Thanks KubotaMike!!
Dramatic and rapidly moving thunder showers greet us as we cross into New Mexico...
We arrive Ruidoso, Mike drops us at our motel and proceeds to his motel. It is not until we are lugging all our gear up to our room that I attempt to lift John’s side cases. They weigh a ton. We get into the room and gaze at the mountain of bags. The room seems overly warm. The AC is running but …
We end up switching rooms that night. Yes, lugging all the gear to another room on another floor.
We also decide against camping. We both know there are deep sandy sections on the BDR, we don’t know how much ‘technical’ stuff there will be but attempting the route on heavily loaded ‘big’ bikes just doesn’t seem smart or very enjoyable.
We are reluctant to give up on camping and vow to devote some time and energy to figuring out how we can do an extended camp trip off the bikes “next time”.
Thank goodness for Mike’s trailer. Quickly, we rip thru all the bags, pulling out everything we now no longer need. John schleps it over to the trailer and secures everything inside.
We meet the group at KBob’s for dinner and prepare to leave in the morning.
So when Trail Boss pitched the idea of a week's loop involving the BDR, we were IN!
As usual, you talk and hope and plan and talk some more and read ride reports and watch videos and ya manage to get the time off of work and it just seems that departure day will NEVER arrive…
And then, omg, we leave next weekend! Where’s my camelbak? How cold will it be at night? In the morning? Should I pack my thick fleece or will the old thin one do?
And of course, what riding attire? Apparently, others are having the same debate: Textile jacket or armored shirt is a topic of discussion on the TWT thread leading up to departure day.
We are planning on camping half the nights. Because of the pandemic, we aren’t sure if stores will be open, or what they will have. So we pack non-perishable, heat and eat type foods. Enough food and water for 2 people for 2 days.
My right hip has been giving me increasing trouble. John and I worry whether I’ll get much sleep on the pads we have. We decide to double up the pads and hope for the best.
Camp gear includes the usual: tent, twice the number of sleep pads,an extra blanket, etc
The remoteness of some of the areas we will be traveling through prompts John to pack more than his usual assortment of tools and gadgets for “what-if” scenarios. He also throws in a couple of fuel bottles.
This all adds up to a LOT of weight.
As usual the day before departing on a big trip, work keeps me late. When I finally get home, John and I pack and arrange and re-arrange and finalize things until the wee hours of the morning.
We basically take a nap before getting up at 6am and trailering the bikes to our meet up point in Fredericksburg to meet KubotaMike. In FBG, we trans load the bikes and gear into Mike’s roomy, enclosed trailer and FINALLY are on our way to a week of riding the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route!
Mike’s powerful truck isn’t bothered by the load at all, cruising at 80 without so much as a single groan (or downshift.)
I am thrilled to have the spacious back seat all to myself and quickly set up camp; I’ve brought a pillow and a comfy blanket and snacks… I basically spend the entire journey alternating between napping, snacking, surfing the net, yacking with the boys and more snoozing. The drive went by fast for me! Thanks KubotaMike!!
Dramatic and rapidly moving thunder showers greet us as we cross into New Mexico...
We arrive Ruidoso, Mike drops us at our motel and proceeds to his motel. It is not until we are lugging all our gear up to our room that I attempt to lift John’s side cases. They weigh a ton. We get into the room and gaze at the mountain of bags. The room seems overly warm. The AC is running but …
We end up switching rooms that night. Yes, lugging all the gear to another room on another floor.
We also decide against camping. We both know there are deep sandy sections on the BDR, we don’t know how much ‘technical’ stuff there will be but attempting the route on heavily loaded ‘big’ bikes just doesn’t seem smart or very enjoyable.
We are reluctant to give up on camping and vow to devote some time and energy to figuring out how we can do an extended camp trip off the bikes “next time”.
Thank goodness for Mike’s trailer. Quickly, we rip thru all the bags, pulling out everything we now no longer need. John schleps it over to the trailer and secures everything inside.
We meet the group at KBob’s for dinner and prepare to leave in the morning.