The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride (4)

The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride lived up to its tough and challenging reputation, and then some. We dropped all the bikes with, luckily, very little damage. More importantly, we also avoided any serious physical injuries. Along the way, we all gained a whole new respect for riding in deep sand.

After more than 500 miles riding goat paths, sand and gravel, we had more than enough off-road riding. Joe Freeland, Mike Alewine and I decided to head farther north to see more of the scenic paved roads of Colorado.

Near Pagosa Springs, CO

A Biker's Dream!

Joe and I took the Durango to Silverton steam engine train ride.

Awesome scenery!

Two weeks of stubble!

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway

Pressed for time, Joe and I reluctantly left Mike Alewine in Salida, CO. Mike traveled north and west into Utah, while Joe and I set out homeward, southeast across southern Colorado.

The beautiful Beckwith Ranch in southeast Colorado.

A monstrous thunderstorm chased Joe and I across southeast CO and northeast NM. At one point near Clayton, NM, we stopped to take a picture of an old barn directly in the path of the approaching thunderstorm. Little did we know that I would capture a developing tornado directly behind it. Trust me when I tell you we did not linger!


Just west of Sayre, OK we crossed into OK on two lanes, but soon jumped on I-40 and "slabbed" it east to Oklahoma City. There Joe and I parted, as Joe headed south to Dallas, and I continued eastward, on through AR, MO, TN and home.

A special thanks goes to Mike Alewine for the use of some of his photos.

Total Round Trip Miles - 3981

14 Days.

What does not kill me makes me stronger.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe~



"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with."
~Samuel Clemens a.k.a Mark Twain~

The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride (3)

Taking a break alongside a beautiful mountain lake.

Got Dust?
Not to worry, it clouds up quickly but rarely rains.


Riding across the York Ranch in West Central New Mexico.
Sand and washboard gravel as far as the eye can see!

Pie Town, New Mexico


Civilization!
A five room motel in Datil, NM. After a long day of the desert, mountains, gravel and sand, it looked like "The Four Seasons" to us! Wild elk could be seen standing just behind an old building across the road.
New Mexico Cliffs - near Grants, NM We stayed in small town mom and pop, drive-up motels mostly.
We never found a bad one.
North West New Mexico, near Chama (state road).
When they say "Pavement Ends" they mean just that!
There was nothing but super slick mud for the next two miles!

Joe Freeland and Mike Alewine waiting for the signal to start sliding!

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. ~Albert Einstein~


You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~Samuel Clemens a.k.a ~Mark Twain~

The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide Ride (2)

Our ride plan was centered around using GPS tracks obtained from V Strom riders who had previously rode the Continental Divide. The trail would vary between groomed to washboard gravel roads, dirt, huge rocks and treacherous sand. I would consider it nearly impossible for the average rider to follow the trail without the assistance of a good GPS device.

The bikes parked at breakfast cafe (Silver City, NM) before the first day on the Divide Trail.

The first break on the Divide trail. - Jim Ervin , Mike Alewine and Mike Blevins

Mike Alewine

The Santa Fe National Forest

Beautiful Mountain Scenery

Mike Blevins (me) on the Continental Divide Trail.

Joe Freeland

Climbing the many steep rocky grades

This picture doesn't do it justice. The trail is extremely steep with plenty of serious rough boulders and deep sand.

I hope you like lots of deep sand, big boulders and steep grades!

A high plateau near Black Mountain, NM

Joe Freeland after his fall. Left side bike scrape and a seriously bruised left foot and ankle. Joe had one of the worst bruises I've ever seen. Fortunately his ankle recovered well and the injury did not hinder his ride.

Dick Jacobs, repacking his bike after one of several hard falls.

In places the trail was nothing short of treacherous. All of the bikes were dropped at one time or another. Most more than once.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. ~Sir Winston Churchhill~


Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. ~Hellen Keller~

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~