BajaNomad

M/C trip to Santa Fe

tripledigitken - 5-18-2011 at 05:30 PM

Last month I took a ride to Santa Fe the long way. Visited with Nomad friends in Lake Havasu, stopped at the Grand Canyon, rode through Hopiland and on to Santa Fe. Came home via Silver City, NM.

Stopped at Grand Canyon midday after spending the night at Lake Havasu.




Drove through Hopiland on my way to Window Rock to spend the night. This is of First Mesa.




This is at the turnoff to Chaco Canyon (a muddy, rutted road). A mind-blowing place to visit!!!! But not on a sport touring M/C.




I got a performance award from New Mexico's finest before stopping in Cuba for lunch (72 in a 55). Stopped here for a lunch of green chili pork stew with sopapillas.




I met a couple from New York while eating lunch, they were touring on a rental M/C and were headed the same way as I was. So we hooked up to ride to Abiquiu. Georgia O'Keefe lived here during her time in New Mexico.




even the graffiti is kinda of artsy in Northern New Mexico




typical architecture found in Santa Fe




a must stop while in Taos, drank some local Ale.




Native Artists showing their wares in the plaza


David K - 5-18-2011 at 08:33 PM

Outstanding photos Ken!

Natalie Ann - 5-18-2011 at 09:06 PM

Fun trip, Ken. You've traveled some of my favorite haunts and recorded them beautifully.

nena

capt. mike - 5-19-2011 at 06:12 AM

sweet Ken, and it was nice of you to join us for happy hour in havasu.

i've ridden most of that going to four corners rally or seeing my brother in Socorro. great roads and riddin'
so sometime i'll join you, my LV buddy has a bike i can borrow anytime.

tripledigitken - 5-19-2011 at 08:02 AM

Thanks for the comments.

Anytime Mike on a ride up there, I'm craving some more blue corn tortilla enchiladas and green chile.

Ken

capt. mike - 5-19-2011 at 12:56 PM

ken my 2 riding buddies have a ride to the tip planned late may or june - one is having trouble with a title issue on his restored beemer dual sport and can't get the mex entry yet.
so - i can't go even tho one of em has extra road tourer for me - due to the project here taking all my time, no breaks yet.
they'll take 2 weeks i think.
so one day i'll get it off the list.

Barbarosa - 5-19-2011 at 01:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
Last month I took a ride to Santa Fe the long way. Visited with Nomad friends in Lake Havasu, stopped at the Grand Canyon, rode through Hopiland and on to Santa Fe. Came home via Silver City, NM.


Oh, waaayyyy cool. Some of my favorite stompin grounds. I wuz just thru there m'self late Apr / early May. I just love a bunch of US 64 (like Chama to Taos) but this time didn't have the luxury. I got kind of unlucky with pretty wintery weather, so opted to stay south.

So i did a bunch of US 60 instead. Salt River Canyon in AZ and past the VLA. Hooked up with one of my buddies (who was on the Baja Run with me) who's now house hunting in ABQ.

Came home US 395 through Bishop and all and then over Monitor Pass (CA 89) recently opened for the season and Carson Pass. That last day was really outstanding.

Gas in Bridgeport: $5.099 for reg! (I didn't need any.)

BajaBlanca - 5-19-2011 at 01:38 PM

those are some beautiful shots .... the only time I went to the Grand Canyon, it was cloudy and rainy and very gray - I see that I must go back again ...

Oso - 5-19-2011 at 01:38 PM

Ken,
I guess you didn't know and I'm sure you didn't mean to offend, but the Hopi don't like people taking pictures on their rez. As it looks like this was from the highway below First Mesa, you probably didn't see any of the signs asking tourists not to do this.

Great pictures, though.

tripledigitken - 5-19-2011 at 01:49 PM

Barbarosa,

We could have crossed paths. I went through Socorro and Bosque Del Apache on my way to Silver City. Great county to ride through.

I was on 60 from Globe to Florence Junction.


Ken

Barbarosa - 5-19-2011 at 02:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
Barbarosa,

We could have crossed paths. I went through Socorro and Bosque Del Apache on my way to Silver City. Great county to ride through.

I was on 60 from Globe to Florence Junction.

Ken


... and I was partying in Superior. That is really a beautiful river canyon between there and Globe.

Rode from there out to ABQ (US 60 for as long as I could) just as that *really* nasty wintery cold front went thru (must have been early May by then).

tripledigitken - 5-19-2011 at 02:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Oso
Ken,
I guess you didn't know and I'm sure you didn't mean to offend, but the Hopi don't like people taking pictures on their rez. As it looks like this was from the highway below First Mesa, you probably didn't see any of the signs asking tourists not to do this.

Great pictures, though.


I've seen the signs entering the Villages on the three mesas, not outside of them. You are right I was just off the highway.

Glad you liked the pictures.

Ken

Oso - 5-19-2011 at 02:45 PM

From that distance I guess it was OK then. Just don't try to photograph their religious ceremonies. That really ticks them off. They don't even like people drawing sketches.

BTW, did you stop at Old Oraibi?

[Edited on 5-19-2011 by Oso]

Frank - 5-19-2011 at 02:58 PM

Great post Ken. How long was the trip?

tripledigitken - 5-19-2011 at 04:05 PM

Oso,

I only stopped to take the picture this trip. I have toured both 2nd and 1st mesa's on previous trips.

Frank,

It was a 7 day trip, 2100 miles. Stayed 2 days in Santa Fe, the rest of the time it was wheeling down the road.

Ken

Marc - 5-20-2011 at 10:44 PM

Wonderful pics. I drove through The Escalante in Utah this week will post some shots when I find my camera.

taoswheat - 5-21-2011 at 07:51 AM

I wish I had known you were in the Taos area- would have bought you a beer. I live a few miles north of Taos and work winters at the Ski Valley. One of my friends at the Ski Valley just returned from a M/C trip through BCS and Copper Canyon via two trips on the ferry.
JohnW

[Edited on 5-21-2011 by taoswheat]