At the end of October, 3 of us met in Van Horn, TX, all riding GS or GSA fully loaded we set out to ride the first 3 legs of the NMBDR. We spent 4 nights camping with night temps hitting the low of 28 F with the elevation varying from 6-8K feet, brrrr. The first 2 legs were easy riding and we had no traffic other than free range horses, cows and the occasional pronghorn antelope. We were using the Butler map and it indicated that the 3rd leg is recommended for intermediate to expert as the riding will get technical and they were not kidding. Most of the time the road was easy to follow but in places it seemed to disappear into a stream bed, sometimes dry and other times wet. Lots of rocks and loose material made riding heavy bikes a real workout. We got stuck on one uphill section were a rider took the wrong line and could not get traction due to so much loose debris, we eventually pushed him out, it turns out the correct line was to ride up a series of rocky ledges or steps. I was the only one to go down and did it twice, once when I mistook a stream bed for the road and another when the front washed out trying to make a turn, nothing new for me here. We ended our ride in Mogollon, NM where we went our separate ways. We are looking forward to going back when the temps at night warm up next year.
My apologies for screwing up the pictures so let me try this less elegant way for you to see them.
This is the section of the NMBDR we rode.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vt00aau4yj8qrqa/map-route-newmex.jpg?dl=0
They were not fooling.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sf7jzkw54wi8g6r/DSCF1275.JPG?dl=0
We got stuck going up this slope and had to push the lead rider out of the rut he was stuck in.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/77v5ruicw284etc/DSC01632 c1b.jpg?dl=0
Sometimes the stream bed is the road.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s7rxx68ljwus0f2/chloride creek-road.jpg?dl=0
Lots of open range the first couple of days.https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgxp7x9z3rhpm8w/DSC01443 c2.jpg?dl=0
This is where the road got interesting.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f198m07v1pn299c/IMG_3098 2.JPG?dl=0
Plenty of rock to avoid.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdkaqredi1n68gl/IMG_3103 2.JPG?dl=0
Taking a rest in the shade.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nb5lduzn8odhlnk/DSC01575.JPG?dl=0
My apologies for screwing up the pictures so let me try this less elegant way for you to see them.
This is the section of the NMBDR we rode.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vt00aau4yj8qrqa/map-route-newmex.jpg?dl=0
They were not fooling.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sf7jzkw54wi8g6r/DSCF1275.JPG?dl=0
We got stuck going up this slope and had to push the lead rider out of the rut he was stuck in.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/77v5ruicw284etc/DSC01632 c1b.jpg?dl=0
Sometimes the stream bed is the road.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s7rxx68ljwus0f2/chloride creek-road.jpg?dl=0
Lots of open range the first couple of days.https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgxp7x9z3rhpm8w/DSC01443 c2.jpg?dl=0
This is where the road got interesting.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f198m07v1pn299c/IMG_3098 2.JPG?dl=0
Plenty of rock to avoid.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdkaqredi1n68gl/IMG_3103 2.JPG?dl=0
Taking a rest in the shade.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nb5lduzn8odhlnk/DSC01575.JPG?dl=0