New Mexico Sunshine

[Bruce Day]

A place significant to me and some others on this board. Some will recognize the terrain. Its the Sangre de Christos ( Blood of Christ) by Cimarron, Tooth of Time ridge, the arrowhead on the north, the Tooth on the south, Mt. Baldy and Kit Carson's old hacienda at Rayado.

I did the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon at White Sands Missile Range on March 17 then up to the San Juan for the waters. On the way I went to Cimarron and rodeCimarronBataanSanjuan 017.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 019.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 020.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 022.jpg to Miami and back.

The bike is my old Simonetti, custom made for me almost 20 years ago and colored to recall a fine dining arrangement of white table cloth, sterling placeware and a nice pinot or zin.

[jlyon]

I see the tooth. I had a good time hiking up there with the Boy Scouts many years ago. I hope to spend more time in teh New Mexico mountains soon. If I could just get my wife into mountain biking it would be perfect as she can already drop me on a road bike.

[mimbresman]

Gila Proven!

[Too Tall]

We rode thru there on tandem while crossing the USA and have rarely experienced environments so devastatingly beautiful. You are a wise and fortunate man.

[robin3mj]

Great photos. I drove between Cruces and Roswell a couple months back. Stopped at White Sands at sunset, and had a bit of a "moment", if you will. It's not often that business travel affords me a sense of peace.

[Gummee]

I really really like northern NM. From Taos north is just awesome.

I bought and sold my last BMW MC at Sandia BMW. Rode or drove thru there and fell in love.

M

[robin3mj]

Great photos. I drove between Cruces and Roswell a couple months back. Stopped at White Sands at sunset, and had a bit of a "moment", if you will. It's not often that business travel affords me a sense of peace.

[Bruce Day]

CimarronBataanSanjuan 001.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 003.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 014.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 015.jpg


Cimarron is the home of Philmont Scout Ranch and I know several people on here, myself included, worked there when young.

The road from Cimarron to Miami runs along the front range and is little traveled. 6,000 ' and 22 miles down, 44 round trip, stay at the St James, a historic hotel where the Earps, Doc Holiday, and many famous westerners stayed. Great food including New Mexico cuisine. Some lung busting climbs on the road to Eagles Nest and a fast downhill back.

[mimbresman]

New Mexico is my home state. Its beauty knocks my socks off on a daily basis. Very diverse landscape, good culture/people, good food (red or green?).

[Dave Thompson]

When I used to sell airplanes (little ones), I'd fly them from the factory in Florida to California and had to spend hours in the air over New Mexico. It's stunningly beautiful even from 10,000 feet.

My wife is retiring this year and I, next year. We'll have a motorhome then and New Mexico is on our to-do list.

[Bruce Day]

....... good food (red or green?).

enchiladas verde con puerco y tortillas azul

[Bruce Day]

CimarronBataanSanjuan 050.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 056.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 062.jpgA few photos of the Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon. I went with a buddy whose father was a Lt in Patton's Third Army and was killed in a tank in France. His stepfather was a Bataan survivor, death march, prison camp, survived two torpedoed ship sinkings and 45 days in a liferaft and then prison camp in Japan.

So my buddy's son is a Calif cyclist and marathoner and brought his buddy, a former Army capt, about 28, disabled by an RPG in Iraq. He beat me. Another person I met there is an Army major West Pointer who crashed a helicopter and so severely crushed both femurs that they were replaced by titanium femurs. He wants to stay in the army and get back into the cockpit and is having to demonstrate his capability to the army so he walked/jogged for 26 miles with a fifty pound field pack.

A few photos from White Sands:

[Zimmermanbicycle]

My home state as well,grew up in Taos,I miss it.
-Eric

[Wtex]

Hey all, I just moved to ABQ, anyone still live in NM? Best roads? I really want to ride Sandia and also the road connecting Cloudcroft to Sunspot, but my third lung is still growing.

Chad

[mimbresman]

Hey all, I just moved to ABQ, anyone still live in NM? Best roads? I really want to ride Sandia and also the road connecting Cloudcroft to Sunspot, but my third lung is still growing.

Chad

I'm riding the Santa Fe Century on May 19. You should join in, it'll give a good idea of some riding options on hwy 14.

A good loop ride from ABQ is ride 4th street north to Bernalillo, turn towards the mountain up to Placitas, continue up the road...it turns to dirt, good climb, joins up with the crest road just above the ski area parking lot. Turn left to go downhill to hwy 14 or right to continue up to the crest. On hwy 14, turn south (right turn) to head back to town via Tijeras Canyon.

[mimbresman]

CimarronBataanSanjuan 050.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 056.jpgCimarronBataanSanjuan 062.jpgA few photos of the Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon. I went with a buddy whose father was a Lt in Patton's Third Army and was killed in a tank in France. His stepfather was a Bataan survivor, death march, prison camp, survived two torpedoed ship sinkings and 45 days in a liferaft and then prison camp in Japan.

So my buddy's son is a Calif cyclist and marathoner and brought his buddy, a former Army capt, about 28, disabled by an RPG in Iraq. He beat me. Another person I met there is an Army major West Pointer who crashed a helicopter and so severely crushed both femurs that they were replaced by titanium femurs. He wants to stay in the army and get back into the cockpit and is having to demonstrate his capability to the army so he walked/jogged for 26 miles with a fifty pound field pack.

A few photos from White Sands:

Interesting...Was just in Socorro this afternoon and looked at the Bataan Memorial there.

[rec head]

When I go back I usually ride Tramway and do "the Fingers" which is basically taking 5 roads up to the foothill trail heads. I forget the name of the northernmost road but that sucker will really get that 3rd lung going. Otherwise heading east and up was always fun. There are plenty of ways to go without having to go to the Crest. Sorry I don't remember names. But I would head out to explore. Compared to Chicago where I grew up and returned to all the riding out there is awesome. This is a pretty cloudy memory but if you are in the mountains (not headed towards the Crest) and the roads suddenly change then you might be on the land grant property and from what people told me was that you probably shouldn't be there.

Hey all, I just moved to ABQ, anyone still live in NM? Best roads? I really want to ride Sandia and also the road connecting Cloudcroft to Sunspot, but my third lung is still growing.

Chad

[terry]

Bruce-is your buddy's stp father Louis Zampanini (I think). I read the book about his exploits in WW II and it sounds like it could have been him. Amazing story and and even more amazing individual, would be proud to know him.

[Bruce Day]

No Terry. Frank Mayer. He finished out a career as a USAF SMSgt corpsman/hospital administrator then as a retiree, was a hospital administrator in Roseville, CA.

Here is a photo of his son, my buddy a retired doc, wearing a t shirt printed in his honor, then one of his son, an awesome athlete who ran hard all the way. After the race, he got this tattoo in honor of his grandfather.

There are many amazing people who survived Bataan and the other engagements of WWII. At this Memorial Marathon, those survivors who are able come out to be honored. There are whole extended family groups of 50 or more that do the marathon in honor of their survivor forebear. Some run all the way in BDU's and combat boots and come in around 4 hrs. Others jog/fast trot in full combat gear and pack. Lots of wounded warriors.


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[terry]

Bruce-it sounds like a great event/tribute.