Riding the modified KLR 650 in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico...

[Wingnut]

Okey-dokey, I made it here to my thread... got some kick@$$ photos while riding today, and it wasn't a bad day either, lol, but sometimes I'm on the throttle and there really isn't a good place to stop and take a pic, ya know? The (dirt) road is too skinny & steep for starters, and the (sharp) rocks on the trail (directly in your path) are the size of friggin' Rhode Island, LOL. I ain't jokin' either, there's some TOUGH RIDIN' to be found in these hyar Sacramento Mountains, and that ain't no lie... gots some SE-WIOUS dirt biking & rocky trail action in this neck of the woods, mountains, whatever the heck ya wanna call 'em! Step from the trail into the forest and ya might take an ugly unroped fall, to splatter on the rocks below...

Meh, let's get started with today's AWESOME ACTION!!! I rode cool trails!!! Met cool folks!!! And riders too!!! I also saw multiple deer & elk, plus two ridiculously casual turkeys strolling across the dirt road ahead of me like there was NO sort of unnecessary rush whatsoever, despite the crazy fool (moi) sliding sideways around the nearest (dirt) bend on a modified KLR 650, lol. Now, whenever I meet wildlife on wilderness trails, I always back off the throttle a bit to figure out what the heck the critter(s) will do, aye? Especially with elk, lol. But I can't shake the nagging feeling I have that if these turkeys had pulled that supremely casual crossing in NYC, some wanker would've laid on the horn (against the light).
OKAY, HERE WE GO, STARTING WITH THE ELECTRIC CO-OP'S MAILED FLYER FOR THE COOKOUT...

Okay, more on those last two pics in the next set, aye? Gotta post these up before Bacpacker gives me grief, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Alright, I found that parking area or trailhead in the last two pics to be a very convenient place to park the monster thumper in the shade after some trail riding. Nobody around, nobody ever arrived from ANY direction, lol... my kinda place, YEAH? And it kept me on that paved road afterward, which led to cool encounters with Texan dirt bikers, some timely "beta" (or trail info) on a nearby fire tower with killer views (more on all that later). Anyway, it was a sweet ride today, a mixed bag since I'm exploring and I actually WANT to get LOST before I figure out where the heck I am, lol. Meh, let's continue our ride, and that Apple Tree Canyon Trail will be featured at a later date, lol.

Okay, that Apple Tree Canyon trailhead or parking area was great, it let me kick back for awhile after some serious trail riding, and I saw some flowers I've never seen before (or can't recall because I was drunk at the time, lol). Yo, Peanut!!! What the heck is that little flower that looks like a rocket with fins? Ever seen one of those before? I know I haven't... and see that rock wall behind my bike in one pic? If some ancient Greek or Roman were magically or scientifically teleported to that location, the guy would undoubtedly squawk: "DUDE, YER WALL LOOKS LIKE $___!!!" Next pic shows the Texan rig and bikes, those guys were cool... and they told me about the fire tower, which is coming up pronto, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Alright, let's see what's next on the photo agenda, lol... should be some fire tower shots coming up pronto! Check out this primo trail section leading toward the tower!

Okay, I have more shots from and of this tower, so bear with me... I'll tell ya what, that tower was 100' high or even higher, and I had a reality check with regard to former technical rock climbing experience, lol. I climbed up to a point where I told myself: "SON, BETTER WATCH YOUR STEP UP HERE!!!" An unroped fall from the tower would've led to an ugly all-out splattered scene down below, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I actually remember thinking: "GEE, I SURE HOPE THESE CHEESY CHINESE METAL MESH DECK PANELS ARE SECURE!!!" The same metal mesh panels under my Forma riding boots at the time, lol. Dang, that was one HIGH TOWER!!! Had me all GRIPPED for a moment, LOL.

P.S. Check Pic #8 in this set to see my monster thumper parked WAY DOWN THERE, lol. No lie, wouldn't wanna fall off this fire tower, I'm thinking it wouldn't end well, AYE?!? The cheesy "coat hanger wire rigging" does NOT inspire me with much confidence either, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[Wingnut]

More fire tower shots, I don't know the exact elevation of this tower or its observation platform (probably around 9000' easy, given the views), but one could see clear across the Tularosa Basin, clear to El Paso, clear to parts of West Texas including peaks, etc. It was one heckuva view, that's for sure, and I took a few more pics of the tower itself so y'all could check out this long tall drink o' water, lol...

See what I mean about the tower? Maybe the thing was enchanted... it sure FELT higher once you were up near the top, lol. And that cheesy wire & mesh rigging didn't exactly soothe my OSHA soul either, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Punch through THAT cr@p and it'd be an express elevator ride straight down to Splatter City, lol. Ugh, I HATE it when that happens!!! But never fear, I survived the 'Tower Trip' and made it back down to ground level in the Sacramento Mountains. Last two pics in this set show a trail which supposedly leads to a trestle overlook, I was thinking of Spikedriver at the time, but the trail dragged on and the "hot gear" was too much, so I turned back toward my bike.

P.S. Yo, Peanut, what the heck is that spear flower? It reminded me of my Alamogordo bud spears, but it was darned near TWICE the elevation, lol. Makes me wonder what bud spears would look like when grown at that elevation.

 

[Wingnut]

Okay, let's see, we gots the last few pics from today's ride...

Well, there ya have it, lol... first few shots were taken on the trestle overlook trail, never made it all the way to the lower end of the trail and the actual overlook, but that's just how it goes... the "hot gear" kicked my @$$ as I made my way back to where my bike was parked, lol. That armored riding gear is functional, but it's warm at times, yeah? I was hoping to catch another wooden railroad trestle shot for Spikedriver, but it didn't quite happen this time around, lol. Close, but no cigar, 10-4? Meh, I'll be riding up there till I leave this area or die, so to heck with it... I'll catch the trestle view later, lol. In the meantime, I'm here at the ol' hacienda, drinking beer and thinking about rodeo this weekend, WOOHOO!!!

I'M GONNA BE A RODEO FOOL THIS WEEKEND, WITH THE COUNTY FAIR & RODEO RIGHT HERE IN ALAMO!!!

P.S. Peanut, is that a young thistle plant in those last pics? Purple flower and all? Just curious... the bird trail board didn't come through very well, due to glare, but there are heaps of wild birds in these mountains. That one shot shows a 'Mountain Daddy Long Legs' spider crossing a rocky trail at something like 8000' elevation, lol... the little spider was making its way across a fairly broad trail, so I took that picture. I guess it made the forest on the other side, no vehicles came through to flatten the arachnid, lol. Nice beer break shot in the following pic, sometimes ya just gotta take a break, ya know? At my age, with the @$$-beatin' I take on these rides, occasional breaks are GOOD, lol. Cheers!!!

 

[Peanut]

View attachment 94811
View attachment 94812

Punch through THAT cr@p and it'd be an express elevator ride straight down to Splatter City, lol. Ugh, I HATE it when that happens!!!

P.S. Yo, Peanut, what the heck is that spear flower? It reminded me of my Alamogordo bud spears, but it was darned near TWICE the elevation, lol. Makes me wonder what bud spears would look like when grown at that elevation.

Now this is funny... the yellow fuzzy one at the bottom of the tower... good place for it to grow. It'll speed the healing of broken bones and align spinal injuries... Sounds like someone with a sense of humor carried seeds waaay up there!

No news on the spear flower. Your states resources are limited when it comes to botany data bases. I searched what was there. Didn't turn up an answer.

I can't see it's leaves clearly. The flower reminds me of something I've seen... I think I know its family... just need to see the leaves. I keep a playing card in my pocket when I'm out sometimes. Gives a good size reference to go by. Just toss it on the ground by a plant. Photo's can be tricky to id plants from.

 

[Peanut]

Verbascum thapsus aka Mullein, A powerful plant, all of it can be used. Powerful enough for bone but gentle enough for toddlers with ear aches. The bloom is used for ear aches. Even the root is great for incontinence with new moms or the elderly. It's been used for millennia by ancient peoples.

Was brought here from europe. Locally it grows wild, about 6ft. I see it everywhere. It's very easy to grow, just toss seeds on the ground. In most colder areas its biennial. Here it doesn't get cold enough most winters so it grows year round. Only blooms in late summer though.

It doesn't look like your little plant is doing well at that elevation. That's why I think people dropped seeds that high. Could be wrong, elevation isn't a concern here.

You need a new mexico plant person. I don't know mountain plants. Start at a herbal medicine shop. They might know the plants on your camera.

 

[Wingnut]

I just checked the tripmeter on the bike, and I did 143.2 miles this time around, but there was more trail riding involved, so maybe that's why I'm a little beat. I slept well, like a goldurned log, but that trail riding is tough in the Sacramento Mountains, lol. I had a blast though, and I met those riders from Texas... one of their relatives has a cabin near Cloudcroft, so they come up here to New Mexico twice a year. They live over near San Angelo, Texas. I'll hook up with 'em again to ride some trails in the future, I gave 'em my number so they can call and let me know when they're gonna visit again. I wouldn't mind doing some more difficult trails if I had some riding partners... tougher trails out in the middle of nowhere.

I kinda wanna watch the tire abuse though... some of those trails have sharp rocks, and this bike is heavy, so that means the rubber will take some abuse. I'd like to stick to trails with less rocks on 'em, but that's not always an option, not until I learn which trails are easier on the tires. One of those Texan riders got a flat yesterday, and he rode the bike as it was back to the truck... the flat tire was on the rear wheel, so he made it back okay. Those guys had tools, spare parts, and an air compressor in the truck, so no worries... I had a beer with them while they started to tackle the job, then left 'em a couple more beers as I rode down to the fire tower. By the time I returned, they were off riding again, lol.

Well, I guess I'd better water the essential plants & trees today, and refill the birdbaths & feeders... actually, I'm just dumping bird seed on those pavers by the baths, but at least the birds will have some food. After that, I need to get cleaned up so I can head out to the fairgrounds for the day. Might have to buy some of that good grub at the fair, I'm getting hungry... probably have a small snack here first, like a banana and some yogurt. Something to keep me going until I find the food stands at the fair, lol. Boy, I'm still moving slowly, it's already 10:20 here and I'm lagging hard... but I had a good time yesterday, so to heck with being a little stiff & sore. It'll pass, and I do wanna go to the fair...

 

[Bacpacker]

Wingnut, Some more great pics. Great views and nice trails to boot. I love the fire tower shots, both of it and the view from it. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. Sure does bring back memories

Growing up there was one on the mountain across from the house. The mountain was around 1900', but was by far the tallest peak in the county. Tower was probably 80-100' tall and you could see for miles from up there. The house looked nearly at it's feet. I used to hike up there when I was pre teen. The road my bikes all over the mountain after I got those.

Peanut I thought the yellow one was mullien. Blooms and leaves both seemed to be.

 

[Wingnut]

Well, I gave up sailing when I moved to the high desert, but on the flip side I have unlimited offroad action & trail riding here, so I intend to put the bike to good use. Trail riding is one of my remaining pleasures: I'm getting too old for extreme sports like skateboarding & rock climbing, but I can still ride a bike, aye? And even though this bike is heavier than I like for trail riding, I still have heaps of fun on it... just gotta ride it like a soul surfer, not some 'Crusty Demon o' Dirt!' That dirt road leading out to the fire tower had some whoops and jumps on it, and I actually got that KLR 650 airborne at one point, lol... it's a big bike for that sort of action, but it sailed over that jump and landed straight enough. It's a beast on the trail, so I'll have to be careful riding it, don't want things getting outta hand, lol. I'm out there to have fun, not to be injured or killed by a heavy bike out of control, lol.

 

[Chaosdawn]

I knew the mullein plant, it grows in my backyard sometimes. Flower stalk looked short to me but if it's at high elevation then that makes sense.

Love the pics, Wingnut! Glad you had a great time.

 

[Wingnut]

I'm thinking of riding over to the Organ Mountains this week, there's a campground of some sort below the range on this side, in the Tularosa Basin and not on the Las Cruces side. I think a rider might be able to access the range via trails leading out from that campground. I'll have to look it up later on the web... as a range, the Organ Mountains are nowhere near as broad or long as the Sacramento Mountains, but they are impressive! The rocky peaks jut up into the sky, and I think there's some good climbing there, maybe I'll meet some climbers if I ride over and pull a recon. The range is only about an hour away from my door, gotta pick up US70 heading SW outta town, get past Holloman AFB, then it's a straight shot across the high desert past White Sands. I just consulted my trucker's atlas and it shows the "Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument"---somebody thought the range was worth protecting. It's certainly very dramatic, the way the rock spires soar upward. During my 'trucking daze' I always wanted to stop and check out this range, but never got around to it.

P.S. You can see cool photos of the Organ Mountains if you search "Organ Mountains images." The 'back side' of the range (closest to me, not the Las Cruces side) has some very nice rock spires, and that side has less visitors too, from what I've heard. Sounds like a good place for a recon on the bike...

 

[hiwall]

What the heck is that little flower

One in your pics is called "Mexican Hat"

 

[Wingnut]

Haha, that "Mexican Hat" is a recurring theme in the Southwest... from peaks to flowers to actual sombreros! I'm looking forward to my next ride, gonna pull a recon of the Organ Mountains (this side of the range) and get some good photos... I heard there's a nice view of White Sands from this side of the range, once you're high enough under the crags. That nearby campground I mentioned earlier is Aguirre Spring(s), looks like a sweet place to camp for those into the wilderness. Won't be looking down at Las Cruces either, just the missile range and White Sands Nat'l Park, lol. Should be able to see the 'Jornada del Muerto' from that elevation as well, though the notorious stretch of desert will be miles away...

Edit: I checked my trucker's atlas and the web, and San Augustin Pass is 5719' in elevation, while Organ Needle (the highest peak in the range) soars to 8990'... I should be up around 6000' or possibly 7000' by the time I do that loop road in the campground, I read that it rises steeply in that loop section. It may cost me a $5 day use fee to access that road, but it sounds like it might be worth it, lol. I'll take a picnic lunch and a few beers as usual, might even throw some shorts and climbing shoes in one of the saddlebags... and my chalkbag with little farm tractors on it, lol.

P.S. There's my trusty Lowe Alpine climbing pack, two pairs of climbing shoes (Sportivas and Fires---Fee-rays), and my classic John Deere farm tractor chalkbag, lol. Gotta have chalk on the hands for smaller holds, it makes a huge difference. Same chalk that gymnasts use, really, but it comes in handy in the vertical world.

 

[Peanut]

One in your pics is called "Mexican Hat"

I was right!!! I was 98% sure this flower was an Asteraceae and one of the cone flowers. I knew I had a photo of it too. Darn it, couldn't find this photo! They got stuffed into an old folder for some reason.

It's one of the cone flowers closely related to Echinacea. It's no where near as potent and echinacea but if it were all I had to treat a rattlesnake bite I'd use it. Another cousin is the Blackeyed Susan that grows wild over much of the eastern US.

It's also known as one of the "Composite Flowers". Notoriously difficult to identify.

 

[Wingnut]

That's the one... good eye, both of ya, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Speaking of Mexican Hats, here's mine! It's a doozy, lol, so I only wear it for special occasions (or when I'm heller drunk, lol). My hand is closer to the camera lens in one pic, so it makes the hat look small, but it's actually full-sized and it fits my fat head perfectly, lol. I like the color combo too, purple and gold!

Look at those golden horseshoes, lol... but the ones up top are oriented the wrong way, they should be turned upward so the luck doesn't run out, aye? Oh, well, it's a Mexican Hat, bad luck probably goes with the territory, lol.

"AY, AY, AY, AY... I AM THE FRITO BANDITO!!!"

 

[Wingnut]

Okay, that was fun, though there wasn't much trail riding over there in the Organ Mountains, most of the trails are for hiking and horseback riding, but I had a good time just pulling a recon. Very scenic area, despite the mixed bag of weather: rain, sunshine, and everything in between. Some clouds blew up over the range before I even arrived, and I hung out at a covered picnic table near the campground while it sprinkled a bit. Aguirre Spring Campground is up near 5000' elevation, and the crags & spires tower above the campground, pushing 9000' elevation. Some pics were taken with zoom, some without, so you can see the slopes leading up to the base of the crags & spires. Pretty rugged approach, though I heard some trails on the Las Cruces side reach higher... dunno if I'll ever bother riding over there, too much traffic in that burg, lol. Anyway, here's today's little jaunt, 124.1 miles on the tripmeter:

That group of buildings that looks like a small town on the flats below is the White Sands Missile Range HQ... see Pic #3. White Sands National Park was NOT visible from these vantage points. You can see some actual clouds or mist in one or two shots, up around the peaks. I was surprised to see the sky cloud over so fast when it was blue earlier... meh, no big deal, the sun came out later. Back in a moment with more pics...

 

[Wingnut]

Round #2 of Organ Mountain pics:

Dunno what those yellow flowering bushes are, but there were plenty of 'em visible in every direction. That 'Hillbilly Hot Rod' belonged to a couple who recently moved to Las Cruces, they came over to this side of the range to hike around. Nice folks, I gave 'em my number in case they want to go explore Cloudcroft and the Sacramento Mountains sometime. I'm trying to meet folks who like doing outdoor stuff, ya know? Trail riding in particular, but I don't mind hiking if it's not too far, my banged-up knee won't let me hike too far nowadays.

 

[Wingnut]

Round #3 of Organ Mountain pics:

That distinctive conical dome that sorta stands alone is named Sugarloaf, it's pretty impressive from a climber's perspective. Check out the monster overhang in Pic #8, that would be a bear to climb, lol. Last two pics were taken from out by the White Sands Missile Range HQ, they show the mountain range from this side. The Las Cruces side is more dramatic with its fluted rock spires, hence the name Organ Mountains... from that side, the range really resembles a bunch of organ pipes, lol. This side doesn't quite have that effect, but the crags & spires are still impressive.

P.S. All of that area or habitat below the range is considered part of the Chihuahuan Desert.

 

[Peanut]

Round #2 of Organ Mountain pics:

View attachment 95207

Dunno what those yellow flowering bushes are, but there were plenty of 'em visible in every direction.

I think the yellow bush is Ericameria larcifolia : Turpentine Bush. run a search with the latin name for images. I can't see enough detail in the photos to give an id.

 

[Bacpacker]

Wingnut looks like another good ride. Great pics. Question for you, how far off is the mountain range behind White Sands missle range. I'd bet 40-50 miles. I love seeing the spires you got shots of.
I gotta say I am jealous of your time in the saddle

 

[Wingnut]

Well, the Tularosa Basin is pretty big... at least 40 miles across for much of its length, and 50 or so when I angle SW from Alamogordo to the Organ Mountains. There are also a few short miles from Alamo to the Sacramento Mountains on the east... but the real sense of open space comes from viewing the basin along its length, which is impressive. From the windows of my home south of Alamo, I can see the San Andres Mountains across the basin to the west, and they are roughly 40 miles away as the crow flies... I think there may be some excellent riding trails over there, but access will be tricky, since one can't simply ride across the missile range, it is verboten and all range roads have locked or manned gates. A rider probably has to go clear to Las Cruces, then head up I-25 until access roads can be found on the far side... and if I go THAT far, then I'll probably just ride to Elephant Butte Lake instead and go boating, lol. I'm still exploring this whole area, and so far, the nearby Sacramento Mountains seem to offer the most trail riding... there are hundreds of miles of trails up in those mountains, enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life, lol. Ruidoso and Lincoln aren't that far away either, so I'll mix it up a bit and visit those places when I get around to it.

The Organ Mountains are cool, and Aguirre Spring is a great place to hang out and have a picnic, hike, camp, whatever, but the Sacramento Mountains have 'em beat for trail riding... as a range, the Sacramento Mountains are much longer and broader, covering a much larger area, even though the Organ Mountains are NOT small, lol. I'll probably spend more time exploring the Sacramento Mountains, since there's SO MUCH up there in the way of trails, wildlife, etc. That last ride in the Sacramentos, I saw deer, elk, turkey, and a bunch of other wildlife... and I like seeing those critters, so that's where I'll spend a good amount of my recreational time. I never did get to Silver Lake, at least not yet, those Mescalero Apaches keep odd hours and one never knows if the place will actually be open, lol. I've rolled up on a locked entrance gate several times now, despite the so-called "schedule" for visitation. Meh, I reckon I'll get to it sooner or later, there are enough other places to see in the meantime. I believe in "natural progression"---which means things happen or don't happen for a reason, even if we don't understand that reason right away. And Silver Lake isn't going anywhere, not in my lifetime, lol, so I'll enjoy a picnic lunch on the lakeshore sooner or later, aye? Just a matter of time...

 

[Wingnut]

Okay, youse dirt sledding & road biking heroes, we gots some primo pics tonight of the ride I took today... and boy, did I ever have a GOOD TIME on this ride, meeting some VERY COOL FOLKS and sharing quality time, AYE? Instead of yakkin' for decades like I usually do in my posts---I'm a long-winded b@stard once I get started, the trick is to NOT get me started, LOL---instead of yakkin', I'm just gonna GET TO POSTIN' and maybe, just MAYBE, explain $h!t LATER, lol. Meh, a picture is worth a thousand words! Just know that I had a F#%NG BLAST riding my bike in the mountains today, I am SO JACKED and on a NATURAL HIGH right now (well, perhaps an ENHANCED natural high, lol), I'm just a HAPPY CAMPER now that I'm back at the ol' hacienda, showered up & beer in hand! Got some SPECIAL PICS for one or two site members, I'll try to mention those while posting, AYE? Alright, here we go on a primo ride... what a day! Fall colors are going off in the blessed Sacramento Mountains, ENJOY THE COLORS!!!

Oh, yeah, you former or active MILITARY PERSONNEL & OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS, check out the tracked vehicle used by some gubmint agency to access towers or perform rescues, during winter when many trails will be even more difficult to negotiate, lol. I'll be posting multiple rounds of pics, so check the first two rounds for pics of this tracked rig I saw today. Is this the military version of a Sno-Cat Gama Goat? I reckon the agency which recently parked it (from off a trailer) in this location has a specific mission in mind, and the location is right near that "log cabin" home seen in earlier rounds of pics, the one Curmudgeon liked, I think? You can see the same home through the trees in following pics, but I was farther away and I was NOT about to hike over to take a pic of the place in autumn, not in the hot gear of that riding suit, which performed well today in all other ways, it just isn't suitable for hiking or Infantry road marches, lol. Too damned hot, that's all there is to it, lol. Alright, lemme get started or we'll be here all night, lol. Here we go:

 

[Wingnut]

Round #2 of pics for today's ride:

Nice Baja rack on that Arctic Gama Goat, lol... last few pics were from a shop yard in Timberon, New Mexico.

 

[Wingnut]

Round #3 o' pics, we gots a "Poor Man's Harley" (Honda Shadow) and a Timberon Volunteer Fire Department rig (Chevy, no less) which reminded me of Peanut, lol. "PEANUT, I STILL LUV YA, MAN!!!" Pics of "downtown Timberon"---and OMFG, is THAT an actual PHONE BOOTH from BACK IN THE DAY?!?

Yesiree, it sure is, lol... "CALL CNN!!!" Lol. Check out the 'TIMBERON PLAZA!' The pic which follows the redneck sign shot shows the actual 'plaza'---meh, it ain't Rodeo Drive, so get used to it, lol. And a merchant can DREAM, yeah? So shelve your bad thoughts, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Last pic is of a nice spread north of Timberon, it was pretty sweet!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #4 o' pics, this is a good round! Remember that spot where the Rim Trail meets Trail #90, the one I was talking about earlier? When I only had the cheesed!ck 3G flip-phone camera? No Canon 'Power Shot' ELPH 360 HS to save the day? Well, I went BACK to that overlook to bag more shots... didn't ride the trail down the grade and north to High Rolls, New Mexico, I just rode to the edge or rim and took these shots, lol. PRETTY AWESOME VIEW, AYE? You can see clear down through West Texas into Old Mexico, lol... on a clear day, anyway. Last few shots show Trail #90 as it drops off the rim and meanders down until it cuts north and eventually leads to High Rolls, a good 30-mile ride from the rim, or darned near that distance. I didn't wanna do the downgrade again today, my knee was still a tad sore from all the yard work the other day (friggin' weeding), so I just rode to the rim, and that was it, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Round #5 o' pics, including a shot of my bike where that trail intersection & those signs are, aye? Howzabout that blue mountain sky? Lemme tell ya, it didn't suck, and the air was fresh & clean too! Damn, I like riding at elevation in the good ol' Sacramentos... not a bad place to be, believe me, I've seen much worse in my time, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Check out the cows I had to circumnavigate on my way BACK from the overlook to the pavement... it was like RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE 405, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Hey, at least there was no BULL in the lot, wouldn't wanna play MATADOR while riding the big ol' thumper on some dirt & gravel road, AYE??? "OLE! TORO! OLE!"

 

[Wingnut]

Round #6 o' pics, to include downtown Cloudcroft, lol. Another HIGH TRAFFIC AREA, don'tcha know?

Spikedriver, that spot overlooking the meadow or mountain valley where a trestle used to exist is the first party spot I discovered while riding in the Sacramento Mountains, lol. Not far below Cloudcroft on Hwy. 82, that spot is JUST off the highway but round a bend a short distance away, so nobody knows you're there UNLESS they take the dirt road, lol.

There are a couple more pics of that signboard coming up, I can't be bothered to shuffle photos as I post shots of today's MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE, lol. I ain't jokin' either, I had a GOOD TIME today, sure beat friggin' yard work & weeding hands down, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No weeding involved today, except with the big ol' Dunlop knobbies, lol...

 

[Wingnut]

Round #7 o' pics, there are the other signboard shots, and my bike's fog light action which I can't shut off, and I don't mind either, as the additional lights only make me more visible to oncoming traffic in daylight hours, especially on those skinny little two-lane blacktop roads winding through shade patches in the mountains, lol. Nice fall colors in the last few shots... but we still have a few more on the way.