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Tuesday

Heading home. We take 82 out thru Cloudcroft. A really pretty road with casual twisties. There is still snow on the ground on the north facing slopes!

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This eventually runs out into idillic canyons of agri and horses

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Approaching the Flats west of the scenic towns of Hope and Artesia

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Yep, that's it!!

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So we turn south and head for Carlsbad Caverns.

The junction outside the park

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A pretty ride up the hill

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WIth great views from the top

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We did our Griswold imitation here as we weren't set up for a long hike down into the caverns. Something for another, more focused trip.

A short time later we were back in Texas

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And on our way to Guadalupe National Park.

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One thing to be sure of, get gas before leaving Carlsbad junction! There's a sign just a few miles down the road on 180 that says "Next services 150 miles"! That's a stretch for a lot of bikes!

Guadalupe National Park

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And then back on the road towards tonights destination, Ozona!

Yep, back in Tejas!

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Sure a different view than the previous 12 days!

One thing of note on the way home. We had passed thru Austin on 290 and picked up a guy in full gear on an RT. He followed up all the way to Brenham and pulled into the same gas station as we did. We struck up a conversation, as we do, after filling up. Bambi mentioned something about work and we fast found out we had worked for the same outfit. Long story short, turns out he was the AV/camera guy for the same Big Oil company I worked for in the early '90's. He traveled around the world with our Big Dogs, filming their activities for the Company. I was the construction manager on a job there and he was the guy that filmed me for the local ABC news affiliate that was doing a story on the "Houston Russia Connection"! I was the guy who met the ABC crew with a frozen beard and a heavy parka! My fifteen minutes of fame! And here we are, 17 years later in a totally accidental meeting at a random gas station in Brenham......

Small world.....

Tire check: I put on a new set of PR3's just before leaving. They are spectacular! Not much wear, even two up, and the grip is fantastic. They do seem a little "twitchy" but that may also be interperted as "responsive".

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Final GPS

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Phew! A good run, we can't wait to do something similar soon!

Edit: I hope Carver doesn't see this, I could lose my CBA member in good standing status!

Whoops! Too late!

Woo-hoo!

More!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 
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Welcome back to the Texas lands.

Great pics, such short/long time ago I remember

chewing up some of the same pavement on my run out to the coast.

You guys made a long trip very fun....to follow on the forum.

 
Thanks for the comments guys, it was good fun!

An update on the side hack statue. Turns out it's in Santa Paula and a memorial to a couple of cops who saved the town from a major flood. Cool story detailed HERE

Correction: The story gets more interesting. Looks like it's two bikes, not a side hack. My mistake, couldn't tell from where we were sitting. Have you seen this guy in the movies?

Thornton Edwards

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Dude...That was cool. I can't believe I hadn't seen it until now.

I've been on all the roads you rode in NM. I have family in Silver City, and used to hunt the heck out of the Gila Wilderness. That curvy stretch of road you took into Hilsboro is called the Black Range. It is good for making 85% of the cager passengers that go through it car sick. Haha...

The road you took from Hilsboro to Las Cruces was Hwy 85. I used to patrol the **** out of that road and HWY70 back in the day...

It looks like you had a blast. That class really looks cool. I'd love to go to one of those and take my wife with me.

Thanks for the write-up and pics...Awesome trip!

 
Very nice report. Quite the diversity of scenery! My favs were the twistys of the Gila, followed by the twistys above PCH, and the sunrise on I-25. All awesome to see and read though, thanks for sharing. Have to see where I can pickup a class like that, seems like a great way to get real-world, real-time instruction.

 
Thanks for the comments!

Here's the link to the class. A little spendy at first glance but it includes first class accomidations and several meals. I've taken three now and I think it's worth the money. I'm pretty sure it's the only one like it in this country

Stayin' Safe

 
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