Holy carp, that was fun! *
I was absolutely right about that stretch of Route 82. It took me 90 miles from leaving Artesia to get from 4,000 feet up to about 9,000 feet. The trip down the other side was only 15 miles.
And the twists and turns...Oh, the lovely twists and turns. I'm so glad I didn't chicken out due to the cold. It was quite chilly when I arrived at the top in a small town of Cloudcroft...where I was promptly pulled over by the local sheriff for going 10mph over. But seriously, no one, I mean no one at all, could have kept it down to 45 on those mountain turns with a motorcycle. He was really cool and we had a nice chat about my trip as well as what I thought of the area. He ended up just giving me a warning.
But what a beautiful town, and the view from the top was fantastic! I don't know how well you can see them, but those are other mountains in the far background, with the white sands valley in between.
Here's another shot from 9 miles down the mountain.
This portion of the trip was, hands down, the best stretch of road I have encountered.
After that it was all normal road and getting back to I-10 in Las Cruces. I stopped for the evening in Lordsburg, my pop's hometown. The way he described it, I was thinking it would be a small village with a few stores and a local motel, but it actually rates 3 exits off the highway. Shoot, Cheyenne, way back in Wyoming, a largish town by all accounts, only rated 6. Lordsburg is a fairly small town, but I was really expecting a bit smaller than this.
On the plus, if you ever do stop here, you need to check out Kranberry's. They served me up a delicious bacon, swiss, and pineapple burger.
More on Photobucket.
*Yes, I did just invoke the deity of fish
4 comments:
A burger with pineapple on it??! That is different! I sure am glad you are having fun.
How old WERE you when we took you there? We spent the day, but your Mom was soooo anxious to be OUT of there! I don't remember telling you it was little. 2,500 when I was living there. And more motels and gas stations than you could shake a stick at. (or a speare?) I am glad you are having so much fun. Keep on keepin on.
I must have been pretty young, because I don't even remember it. And you never said it was small or large. that's just the impression I got from the way you spoke of it. You're right about the hotels and gas stations, though, Which would explain why its not a smaller town. Gotta have residents to run said places.
6 exits for Cheyenne? Hell, Joliet has 7 on I-80 and 5 on I-55, ranking in at an impressive 12.
It's actually kind of crazy.
Where I grew up, you could hop on I-80 at the first exit, take 80 for about 20 minutes, jump on 55 for about another 20 minutes... and after driving on the interstate for approximately forty minutes straight.... you're STILL in Joliet.
Gorgeous pix though.
Totally jealous....
*quells the sudden urge to bail from work and go hiking*
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