August 3 - Clayton, NM to Albuquerque, NM - 300 miles

Starting from Clayton, it was a bright sunny day.  I know this ranching country, from a few times of riding or driving in northeast New Mexico, and I really love the wide open spaces.

I decided to go through my favorite Pronghorn Antelope country, the rangeland along State Highway 120, west of Clayton, to Roy, New Mexico.  This is really the wide open plains country, with maybe 4 or 5 ranch houses in 50 or 60 miles.  I saw only one car in the 50 or 60 miles.  At first I was disappointed, with no Antelope sightings, and thought I might not see any.  But I finally saw three, and then I hit the jackpot - 13 in one herd!  Antelope are usually found in small groups of 2 to 5 or so, and this area is the only place in which I have seen larger groups.  Further along I saw two other lone ones.  So my total was 18 for this ride.  Last year I rode through here and  saw a total of 40, with the largest group being 15!

Between Roy and Wagon Mound, NM, there is a tremendous river canyon.  This is the Canadian River, a small river, but the canyon it carved over the eons is 600 ft. deep!  It has beautiful red sandstone walls, and quite a road to snake down to the bottom and back up.  On either side, from a mile away one would never know that the canyon exists.

Upon reaching Wagon Mound, NM (named for a rock outcropping that looks like a covered wagon from afar), I continued through Las Vegas, NM, and on toward Santa Fe.

In going through Glorieta Pass, a part of the old Santa Fe Trail, I thought "Anyone who has ever gone through Glorietta Pass will never forget it".  It is a relatively wide pass, but bordered with very high red cliffs dotted with green juniper trees.  The elevation is above 7,000 ft., leading into the Santa Fe area.  It is broad and long but with the high cliffs, so that one can never forget the images of such ruggedness.

Coming down from the Santa Fe area, through the rangeland of the Galisteo Basin, I got rained on again.  But it was the type of New Mexico summer showers that are light and short.  I didn't bother to put on rain gear, but just stopped to put up my adjustable windshield to its highest, put my head down, and rode fast.

Home to Albuquerque and familiar territory was great.  Of course, seeing Diane after 7 weeks on the road was the best of all!

It was a wonderful trip, one to remember always.  Not many people get the opportunity, or the good company I had in Norm Hoelting and Rick Pasekoff to do it.  And not many husbands have as understanding a wife as I do in Diane.  So, I'm grateful to have been able to do it.

For my last effort I will write a little "wrap-up" on the trip, with some statistics of total time and mileage, gas mileage with the motorcycle, states and provinces traveled through, and other items.

Deane

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