New Mexico

[gman47]

Just got back from our annual "guys ride" to NM this year. We had a great ride, good camaraderie and enjoyed the roads of northern NM. around the Taos area. Three days over and three days back from northern Calif. and four days doing "loop tours" in NM. Stayed in Espanola, NM, at the Indian casino there. Rode the Turquoise Trail (Rt. 14) through Madrid and stopped at Maggie's Diner of Wild Hogs fame, the Enchanted Circle, stopped at the natural amphitheater and the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge among other sights. As usual, met many great people and have plenty of stories. But WOW!!! did the wind blow!! Almost 60MPH at the meteor crater in AZ. with 40 MPH dusts along I-40 from Calif. to Albuquerque. Cold and windy in northern NM but these are the types of things that make traveling what it is ... facing challenges. Plenty windy on the return trip, too. One rider picked up the short end of a 1/8" Allen wrench in a just installed new rear tire, $300 later he's on the road. I had my battery die, $215 dollars and 1 hr. or so later I'm on the road. While sitting on the side of the road a guy pulls up in a pickup and asks if there's a problem. I relate my woes and he's says I work for the local HD dealer, I'll call for a tow. Within 45 minutes I'm back at the shop with a newly install battery and on my way. By the way, I ride an HD Ultra Classic. Props to Henderson HD for their great service!! As always, it's good to be home. Now I gotta do the catch up work!!!! UGH!!!!! Oh, by the way, don't ask for pics as I'm not the photo journalist of the bunch and I have pics from my visit last year.