Cloudcroft Camp and Ride, Aug 11-13, 2023

[RJMirabal]

Great! Thanks, Terry. We had a great time and enjoyed getting better acquainted with some of our members. This report is also available on our public and private Facebook pages.

[Terry Rowley]

A group of 16 people participated in our Cloudcroft Camp & Ride event the weekend of August 11th. A few experienced some rain on the way south from Albuquerque to Cloudcroft but most enjoyed a sunny, precipitation free ride to our destination.

Our group campsite was nestled among the trees in the Lincoln National Forest and boasted a large, modern covered pavilion with picnic tables, grills and a nearby fire pit. Some decided not to rough it and instead stayed a mile away in their choice of hotel in the town of Cloudcroft.

We visited various restaurants for dinner Friday and Saturday nights, choosing from the local brewery, multiple BBQ spots and eateries offering a variety of tasty cuisines. Saturday and Sunday breakfasts consisted of breakfast burritos at the campsite. Participants provided the burrito components which Dogman Dan then cooked and assembled in his trailer each morning. A big thanks to Dan for doing this again this year!

Earlier in the week the forecast was calling for a good chance of rain during our weekend, but that chance was down to only 5% Saturday morning as groups of people set out on various treks. One group, led by Dan, did some ADV riding while others rode the slab to nearby towns to experience their local brews and food selections. Following the rides, we met at the campground to enjoy libations and share stories of our adventures.

Sunday was a pack-up-and-leave day following our breakfast burritos, and the ride back was a relaxing trip home. This year we chose to delay our Cloudcroft trip a few weeks because it’s been so hot previous years, and this year’s weather was ideal. It was a little warm on the ride to and from Cloudcroft but we experienced beautiful temps while at Cloudcroft’s 8,600 foot elevation.

If you missed this year’s event you must plan on attending next year's Cloudcroft Camp & Ride!

[garytalda]

Thanks again for all you did for the weekend! I really enjoyed the burritos but the ride was simply superb. Oh and the hike was about 2.2 miles - the GPS was not accurate as you predicted!

Gary

Its been nice and cool all week up here, so the evenings won't be hot like they have been all summer. It should not be hitting 80 now, with this bit of monsoon arriving this week.

The rain on tuesday was less than a quarter inch, so trails and dirt roads are not muddy yet. But it looks like saturday night and sunday will be wet. As always, the spot where you are sleeping, or riding through can get an inch or more of rain, while half a mile away is just getting a sprinkle.

Sounds like we got plenty of breakfast food coming. Most of the burritos will be sausage, egg, potatoes, peppers, onions and green chile. Special orders can be made for those that can't eat meat or chile or whatever. I can make half of them bacon, or all of them sausage and bacon.

[RJMirabal]

My son-out-law (you would have to be there to know!) and I had a great time! We enjoyed chatting and connecting with many club members, all done with wonderful temperatures, great roads, and fun times eating very tasty breakfast burritos, beer, seltzers, and pizza (of course!) and learning more about each other. Look forward to next year!

[garytalda]

Thanks Dan for the "hosting" duties! Really appreciated the breakfast burritos and the guided tour of some of the best gravel roads in the area!

Its been nice and cool all week up here, so the evenings won't be hot like they have been all summer. It should not be hitting 80 now, with this bit of monsoon arriving this week.

The rain on tuesday was less than a quarter inch, so trails and dirt roads are not muddy yet. But it looks like saturday night and sunday will be wet. As always, the spot where you are sleeping, or riding through can get an inch or more of rain, while half a mile away is just getting a sprinkle.

Sounds like we got plenty of breakfast food coming. Most of the burritos will be sausage, egg, potatoes, peppers, onions and green chile. Special orders can be made for those that can't eat meat or chile or whatever. I can make half of them bacon, or all of them sausage and bacon.

[Terry Rowley]

Thanks for the info Jake - got room for my bike in there?

See you at the Alta station in time for me to gas up, relax for a few minutes and then time to ride!

[Jake.Gaultney]

I am towing my bike and have plenty of room in the bed of my pickup if anyone would like to have their equip. taken to Cloudcroft. I plan on being at the "kick stands up" meeting place in the morning. I am not charging very much!!!!
Jake Gaultney

[garytalda]

Thanks for your insight on the roads. I am inexperienced and on 80/20s so I am NOT interested in finding any mud! I hope to see you Friday at the campground and get some ideas for my ride Saturday. I know I want to do a little hiking (cuz all I would do otherwise is eat!).

[dogman dan]

Its been nice and cool all week up here, so the evenings won't be hot like they have been all summer. It should not be hitting 80 now, with this bit of monsoon arriving this week.

The rain on tuesday was less than a quarter inch, so trails and dirt roads are not muddy yet. But it looks like saturday night and sunday will be wet. As always, the spot where you are sleeping, or riding through can get an inch or more of rain, while half a mile away is just getting a sprinkle.

Sounds like we got plenty of breakfast food coming. Most of the burritos will be sausage, egg, potatoes, peppers, onions and green chile. Special orders can be made for those that can't eat meat or chile or whatever. I can make half of them bacon, or all of them sausage and bacon.

[Terry Rowley]

The weather looks like it may rain each day, more so in the afternoon but that's still a few days off and things may change.

I'll plan to leave ABQ 8:00 Friday morning, should get to Cloudcroft by 12:30 or 1:00 taking I-25 down to San Antonio / 380, then across to Carrizozo / 54, then 54 south to Alamagordo and into Cloudcroft.

I'm going to bring lunch with me and will eat a good breakfast before leaving so I'll wait until I'm at the campground to eat lunch. I'll make a fuel stop along the route and take a brief snack break before continuing on to Cloudcroft.

If anyone is interested in joining me, I plan to leave (kickstands up) the Alon gas station at 8:00. The Alon is located on the north side of Gibson, a few blocks east of I-25. I typically ride 5 over the speed limit so as always, ride your own ride if I'm too slow or too fast for your comfort level.

[garytalda]

I will bring a pound of sausage. I have never been to Cloudcroft and I have to admit am a bit overwhelmed by riding choices! This is going to be a fun weekend!

[Terry Rowley]

I will bring a pound of ground sausage.

The remaining supplies we are looking for are:
- 3 dozen tortillas
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 2 dozen eggs (PM, email or call me if you are concerned about eggs breaking on your ride to Cloudcroft - we have options available to get the eggs there safely for you)

Please reply to the email I just sent out or post to this MB if you are willing to donate any of the remaining food ingredients!

Having breakfast made for us Saturday and Sunday means 2 less meals for you to plan!

Thanks again Dan!!

[Jake.Gaultney]

I will bring one dozen eggs.

[dogman dan]

Forgot to mention the cheese, that I will bring.

Its been a bad dry season this year in Cloudcroft, some of the meadows with too much sun never greened back up. But the area right around Cloudcroft has had some rain, and the campground is looking green and cool. Yesterday was cool and rainy, but more likely the weather will be sunny, and a high at least 80. So planning a ride that gets you back to higher altitude by lunchtime is a good idea.

Road conditions are good compared to last year. I have not run west side road (90), but heard a report that the new gravel is packed in now, so its going to be a lot more rideable than last year.

They did a lot of work on La Luz canyon road (162) so its in such good condition you could drive it in a honda accord. The notorious 16 inch step on the cattle guard is all filled in. Bailey canyon road (206) got fresh gravel and rides smooth as silk now compared to the rocky road it has been for many years. Even novice off road riders could handle that loop now, up bailey and then up La Luz to silver springs. Farther down la luz is not as well graded as the upper section, but its been graded and rides fine for anybody with medium dirt skills. The connecting road to high rolls is a bit rougher, but nothing difficult.

Other roads are in fine shape, with little traffic on them while wet. C17 past Bluff springs is less washboard than usual. From Timberon, the 460 to the D2 will take you to Weed for lunch. Looks like a great year for a longer dirt run, from high rolls to timberon on west side road, then over the hill on the D2 to Weed. Other dirt routes back to camp are out there, but its hard to miss out on the paved route from Weed to Mayhill.

I discovered a real nice, much easier ATV trail near bluff springs. From bluff springs take the t113, then hang a left to follow the t5008 to The D18 road down willis canyon. This route is not a bulldozer log drag route like most atv trails. It is the final leg of the old logging railroad. So while rocky, its got reasonable grades like all the old rail grade roads do. Beautiful ride, and it includes one of the few remaining original wood trestles. It should be added to the old bridges list. Suitable for an R bike with gravel tires, and less steep than roads like la luz.

See you all there, with bells on.

[Terry Rowley]

The camp and ride is about a week away and Dogman Dan has once again graciously offered to cook us breakfast burritos Saturday and Sunday morning at the campground.

Dan will provide onions, green chile and potatoes and will cook and assemble the burritos for us. We need to provide him with the rest of the burrito ingredients.

Please reply to this MB post and let us know what / how much of any of the following you are willing to donate and bring to the campground for Saturday and Sunday breakfast:
- 3 pounds of ground pork sausage
- 3 dozen tortillas
- 3 dozen eggs

Dan will have his trailer there with a fridge to keep food cool once you arrive at the campground.

I will also be sending this out in an email along with the code for the entry gate padlock - be looking for that email. It will only be sent to those who have RSVP registered for the event.

CLICK HERE if you still need to RSVP