The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride (1)

Texarkana, Arkansas - Texas

For posterity’s sake, and a little blog practice, I thought I would chronicle a May/June 2006 bike trip to the Southern Rocky Mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. This is not the first or last word about this trip. It's simply my version, mostly pictorial.

In late May and early June 06, I had an opportunity to ride a southern section of the Rocky Mountain’s Continental Divide in New Mexico and Colorado with a great bunch of Texans.

First, The Important Stuff:
The Bikes

Joe Freeland's 2004 Suzuki Wee Strom DL 650

Dick Jacob's 1999 Cajiva Grand Canyon 900

Mike Alewine's 2004 KTM 950

Jim Ervin's 2005 KTM 950

Mike Blevins 2006 Suzuki V Strom DL 1000

The Texan Cast of Characters
(Left to Right) Jim Ervin, Joe Freeland (a transplanted Kentuckian) Mike Alewine and Dick Jacob

I rode my V Strom down to the jumping off point, Dallas, TX (620 miles from Paducah) where I met these four Texans who, as it happens, are just as crazy as I am.

Hobbs, NM
The plan was to ride from Dallas, TX, crossing into New Mexico at Hobbs. From Hobbs it was on to Silver City to pick up the Continental Divide Trail. The road to Silver City was a very hot 748 miles across West Texas and New Mexico back roads.

In late May, well over 100 degrees at times, it's a loooonnnggg, hot ride across West Texas and New Mexico. Mike Alewine and Joe Freeland, up front and leading.

The beautiful skies above Gila National Forest in south west New Mexico.

Gila National Forest
Some of the best "twisties" we found were here.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ..... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
~Robert Frost~