motorcycling to Taos and to Raton (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: hotel, closing, safest)

[dogdude]

Anyone out there who might be able to tell me what to expect on a ride through New Mexico > Socorro to Santa Fe, to Taos and up through Raton and out the other end to Boise City Ok. best time to travel with no rain? Safest place to stay over night and not worry about my scoot? How long of a trip in hours from SF to Raton? Is it boring? It is my first solo ride and I'm a tad nervous. Going from Phx to Springfield Mo. Anyone wanna tag along. leaving 8/11/08 from Phoenix. First stop Socorro. 2nd Raton, 3rd ? Time is no trouble thanks for any input out there.
Greg > dogdude

[ziaAirmac]

The dash up I-25 is less than stellar on a bike. It's a fast highway so you end up pouring the coals on and between watching whatever you can see behind you in your vibrating mirrors and the wind blast, it's hard to take in the scenery sometimes. Try to plan your travel for the mornings, as many of the larger showers and storms will build up over the mountains in the afternoons. If time really isn't an issue, I'd consider one of the back routes between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. They're semi twisty two-laners better suited to traveling on two wheels. If you were stopping in Santa Fe for a layover, you could park your bike in the hotel's covered parking at the La Fonda or the Eldorado. There's not much in Raton, so you talking about just trying to avoid leaving your bike in a quiet, dark corner.

[GregW]

Once upon a time in a land far, far away I rode a motorcycle (1973 BMW R-75 with 100 k miles) from Tucson, Arizona to San Francisco, California. It was an amazing experience that included a rear tire coming partially off the rim at 70+ mph in the 7th lane of a 10 lane freeway in LA. I kept the bike upright and replaced the tube but that is another adventure.

The next part of that journey was the trip from SF to NYC. This part passed through New Mexico. I left SF at noon and 36 hours later after a “rest” stops under picnic tables in Barstow, California and Grants, NM, I stopped at an old motel in Espanola. The next day I rode up to Los Alamos (actually Fenton Hill near Jemez springs) for a social visit, to a geothermal project that was being canceled, to just say hellow. That was a wonderful ride.

After the visit I continued on north using Route 285. Because I was somewhat in a hurry (that was really foolish and almost as foolish as the direction I was going. Should have just stopped in NM and gotten a new job. 20-20 hindsight is a btch) I missed seeing the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. I do remember watching the Sangre De Christos Mountains closing in from the East while the San Juan Mountains closed from the West. It was a spectacular ride that went on for another 5 days and 2500 miles.

You are going from Phoenix, Arizona to Springfield Missouri. I think using RT 60 for the first part will be really rewarding. I suggest taking I-25 north to Albuquerque then I-40 to the Turquoise Trail (Rt 14) to Santa Fe then the “High Road to Taos”. Then head west to Rt 285 and go north into Colorado until you intersect US RT 50. go East on Rt 50 until you get into Missouri and take Rt 54 into Springfield.

Take your time. If I was doing this, I would take a couple of days in New Mexico and southern Colorado before heading across the plains to Missouri. Good luck, wear appropriate clothing, including a helmet, and watch out for other cars! Motorcycles are effectively invisible so you have to stay alert to ride safely. Keep the rubber side down and enjoy your trip. All this is said with a bit of envy.

[dogdude]

thank you for the cool synopsis. I am excited by a tad apprehensive as there are still some F-ed up humans that are not cool. maybe you can join me someday bro. Friend of mine that I'm going to see in Springfield is a 42 year old biker who works on BlackHawks and is going to I R A Q in December to make 200K for a years work. Hope its not the last time I see him.