Which means I will have nothing to do and a bike in the shed with no miles on it this year, and l am looking for a warm place to ride. The high country in Colorado will be cold and well I cant stand the cold so I am thinking Arizona and New Mexico! No specific plans yet but I want to ride!
[image: View Post]gswanson, on 24 January 2012 - 02:08 PM, said:
Dang Miguel, aren't these shutdowns getting more frequent? Is the future looking fuzzy?
Good and bad, we keep exceeding our production goal so we have too much inventory so hence the shutdown. Good news is they are finally converting tools from 6 inch to 8 inch - multi million investment in this fab, short term bad, long term good. I work in the semiconductor industry making electronic semiconductor chips for phones, computers, cars, and just about every other thing that has a microchip in it. We need sombody to drop a big ass EMP on NYC or LA - something so that everybody needs to buy new electronics! Just kidding.
[image: View Post]Earthshake, on 24 January 2012 - 03:15 PM, said:
Possible shutdown in May you say..... Hmmm, if only there were an organized ride planned somewhere. :idea3:
Opps I ment March, I am worried it will suck my pto dry so I wont be able to do the sumsum, I AM comming to the tmac like I always do cause its only one week and a short week at that, (I work 3 12hr shifts one week and 4 the next) Tmac falls on a short one so the pto is minimized there. I just hope they dont pop another 2 week shutdown on us again! I just finished one over Christmas for 2 weeks and it killed 82 hrs I had saved. Good thing I only call in once every 4 years and only take PTO for motorcycle trips!
Well...I have a new born due early April but if you get March free hit me up with a PM. I am itching for a good ride...Maybe Lincoln National park. There were some mighty tasty looking roads there last time I was there in the summer. Heck, we could easily spend a weekend on mountain twisties down there (if they aren't buried in snow). :fing02:
Jay and I have been talking about trailering out to NM and AZ sometime this year. Planned on spending a couple days on the Devil's highway and the Gila but haven't settled on a date yet. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what happens.
[image: View Post]HispanicSlammer, on 24 January 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:
[image: View Post]gswanson, on 24 January 2012 - 02:08 PM, said:
Dang Miguel, aren't these shutdowns getting more frequent? Is the future looking fuzzy?
........... We need sombody to drop a big ass EMP on NYC or LA - something so that everybody needs to buy new electronics! Just kidding.
Could today's intense solar flare storms knock out a few microchips??
Only on aircraft, satelites and maybe some cheap/old electronics at higher altitude locations. Our atmosphere does a pretty good job of keeping us from basking in the radioactive glory the sun likes to send out from time to time.
Jay and I have been talking about trailering out to NM and AZ sometime this year. Planned on spending a couple days on the Devil's highway and the Gila but haven't settled on a date yet. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what happens.
Jay and I have been talking about trailering out to NM and AZ sometime this year. Planned on spending a couple days on the Devil's highway and the Gila but haven't settled on a date yet. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what happens.
That would be really cool, I have never been to Roswel or the Alamgordo area, there are some great mountains right there. Perhaps a big loop into AZ and Back 2 days ride. I have a cousin in Carlsbad we can meet there and you will have a safe place to store your vehicle? That is just sayin, if it happens. shoot I have never even been to Carlsbad either!
Well...I have a new born due early April but if you get March free hit me up with a PM. I am itching for a good ride...Maybe Lincoln National park. There were some mighty tasty looking roads there last time I was there in the summer. Heck, we could easily spend a weekend on mountain twisties down there (if they aren't buried in snow). :fing02:
Lincoln National Forest? Near Cloudcroft Yes I would like to see that also if its not buried in snow. The first time I tripped down to the Gila Monster was in April and its was sweet! We were in heaven nobody on the road just us and we had a blast. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236161306_gila.wmv.flv
Alamogordo is a nice little town. Lots of chain resturants now, a nice big grassy park right off the main strip and within 30 minutes you can be at White Sands national park (west) or into the Lincoln National Forest (east - birthplace of Smokey the Bear). You can hit Ruidoso if you like horse races or just want a nice steak burger, there are tons of places to stop and hike, and lots of great scenery on some roads that change elevation quite a bit. If you cross over to the east you can hit Roswell but the town itself isn't much of a ride out on the flats. Carlsbad Caverns is a cool place to visit and the roads are a little more interesting than Roswell.
Las Cruces is due west of Alamogordo with a short mountain pass in between where you can hit I25 to head north on your way up to the Gila Monster or you can ride north from Alamogordo to Corrizozo and then cut west to I25 from there. It's a slower speed limit but the Four Winds Resturant in Corrizozo is always a stopping place to eat for us (batter fried green chili, hamburgers, etc). Also from Corrizozo you can head east and then cut into Ruidoso from the north. Just watch the traffic as it can get hairy up there with all the Texans slowing up the works (yes, I lived in Texas for 15 years...I can poke at them if I want :tongue: ).
I am thinking since I won't get to make the SSx2 because of the baby I might settle for a weekend ride down there instead later in the summer when the snow has melted off since my last 2 rides were into Colorado and I want to mix it up.
You guys would definitely find plenty to do in that part of NM. :fing02:
Jay and I have been talking about trailering out to NM and AZ sometime this year. Planned on spending a couple days on the Devil's highway and the Gila but haven't settled on a date yet. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what happens.
Mike what are you riding now?
Still bike free at the moment but ya never know when that will change. I do have a loaner though. The guy that bought the VFR I rebuilt works all the time and never gets to ride. He suggested I put a few miles on it for him.
Ever considered California?
I think that a run from Colorado to Norcal and maybe socal could be fun. Plus, you could do some swimming if you get far enough south...
Fun roads and lotsa members in CA to keep you company too.
This looks like fun to me, just got new tires and full service done. I am rotating from off shore oil platform work in Trinidad and Tobago (out there now) but hope to be in New Mexico when this goes down. It will be great to ride with anyone from VFRD that can make it happen.
I might be able to sneak off a 1 maybe 2 day pass since that is the week of my birthday granted the baby doesn't decide to come out 3 weeks early on me.
I was just down in the Lincoln National forest about 2 weeks ago and it was dry as a bone. No snow even in Cloudcroft. Of course that may have changed since but I can't imagine by much. The temps have been pretty warm this past week. I will look into it and see what I can find as an update.
HS...you have a route in mind yet?
Edit: Current weather report looks clean. Temps in the mid 40-50's with little chance of precipitation over the next 10 days. The last snow report was last month with an 11" base. My guess is they have closed for the season all ready. :wink:
On our last hike there I found a very interesting road that sort of reminded me of a favorite patch of 550 in Colorado. Not as scenic but definitely spaghetti with nice elevation changes. The only problem is there were several of patches of dirt from small wash outs. I would have to explore this on my own before recommending it as part of a ride route to be on the safe side. :491:
Route? Not really just go that a way and then that a way in my head sort of stuff. Not much you can do about the white sands but go around it, I just slapped this together. Hit the Cloudcroft area and over night in Las Cruses, then do the Gila Monster and the Devils Highway the next day and back to Alb 2 days!
If you can only do one day then bomb home on 1-25 from Las Cruces,
I was hoping to get my buddy Jack in on it but hes limited on his days off too - looks like weekdays are the best for him, so I don't know about you guys! I know Mr Dude has days off on the weekdays so he might be cool with it (Millertm) - what about you guys?
Miguel,
I am off from 3-16 thru 3-22. Maybe we can setup something.
> Atmel shuts down March 18 - April 4 dont know where but I am riding > somewhere.
Well that looks good to me. If we can do a weekend run on that I think I could pull it off easily. Vacation time for me is limited right now.
Route Notes:
That particular route to Corizzoz is almost exactly how I go but I would recommend Chilili -> Estancia -> Willard -> Corona as opposed to Mountaire -> 55. It's not much of a town to look at and that route doesn't have much scenery to add to the trip. For a few minutes more of travel time you get a more scenic route to enjoy and can usually make up the time with a little more cruising speed. :lobby:
Ruidoso and Cloudcroft will be slow traffic and lots of it but those roads are pretty nice and scenic.
Don't know much about Mescalero or Timberon but have always wanted to check out the latter. Lots of nice pictures from what I have researched.
White Sands Missile Range is right off the route for some scenic shots but it's $3 a head to get in.
If I get my pass I volunteer to ride sweep. :fing02:
I'm game and good to go Sunday to Tuesday. Let me know if I need to room any one for a day or so, I have plenty of room. I have not seen any dates as of yet for the Abq ride so Slammer try and put some dates to paper so I can warm up the wife.
Do not forget to take in the Trinity site and the three rivers site. If you are into it the three rivers site is the largest pictograph site in the new world. Mindblowing.
This is a blast from the past. We rode together from ST.Net Custer, SD trip to your crib in Colorado Springs. I was the old fart with the Silver VFR and now I'm even an older fart with a shiny new red VFR1200F.
Your trip map has you looping from SW NM heading up on AZ 191 in the White mountains up thru Alpine, AZ. DON'T miss this part of the trip !!! This is the ABSOLUTELY best two-wheel road in the southwest and my opinion is that it is the best of all from my 40+ years of riding.
If you remember the ride through Spearfish, WY state park being a blast, then the 191 highway will blow your socks off. It is 100 miles to Alpine and it takes a solid two hours to wind your way to the finish.
Be careful, there are warnings for snow this weekend in the higher elevations in northern and eastern part of AZ.
Give me a shout some time. I have been considering a trip to Gunnison, CO to vist a friend in the 1st week of April and would not mind seeing your happy hispanic face again.
Andy right? How can I forget? We ride the same bike. I was just thinking if the weather turns ugly down south then I would go north instead. Perhaps revisit those roads near Custer again.
We ride the same bike now that's not really a surprise.
There is a winter storm advisory for New Mexico as well for Sunday/Monday. Most likely just rain as we are in the mid 70's right now but just giving you a heads up.
HS, what's your schedule for when you are down here? I can't get away from work for very long, but if you are stopping anywhere in the ABQ area maybe some of us locals could meet up for a short while. Vanion's correct on the weather- local Air Force base says 60mph winds Sunday with rain snow on Monday.
Change of plans guys the window for my ride is pretty much based on my buddy Jack and he has the next 4 days off so thats when I am riding, the plan was NM but it looks like its going to snow, 40% chance of snow in NM, AZ, UT, AND WY so everything pretty much on that side of Colorado looks like some miserable riding for us. SOOOOO I decided to junk the plan and just play it by ear where the weather looks best in the next four days! SOUTH DAKOTA - looks like Jack and I are headed north east to the Black Hills! Sorry everybody who wanted to go but riding in snow is not good for me!
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