New Mexico
As promised, I will continue my tale by talking about my excursion into New Mexico. As a quick review of the last SSOM in the September issue of the Folly, we visited the many small towns between the Palo Duro Canyon and the Land of Enchantment.
Once past Tucumcari it was smooth sailing on NM-104 until approaching the little mountain range between Trementina and Las Vegas. Far off in the distance I watched lightning flash over the mountain. As 104 wound around, I could see bolts to the left, center, or right of the direction I was headed. I wondered where I was going to cross – I had a feeling that the center of the storm was right over the pass. I was correct. I pulled over to don my rain gear. Putting the rain gear on was not absolutely necessary as the storm eased up to let me pass. It was fairly clear sailing from there. I proceeded to Las Vegas and then on toward Ojo Caliente.
Once I got settled in at my friend’s house, I talked to Wolf and Spider Boop about the best rides in the area. They had plenty of suggestions. The first day we took it easy and trucked it to some colorful locations in the area. It didn’t take me long to appreciate the beauty of New Mexico. The citizens work hard to promote the “southwest theme” in their architecture, and do so very well. Seeing the surrounding mountains with snow capped peaks made for many splendid photo ops.
The second day was a riding day. Wolf got his bike road ready and we were off on my first New Mexico riding adventure. Our first stop was Madrid.
After meeting up with our friend and B.G.B.B. brother Chazz, it was time for lunch. About 27 miles southwest of Santa Fe on NM-14 – on the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway – is where we rolled into Madrid – the accent is on the first syllable so it is pronounced MADrid, not MaDRID like the town in Spain. The known history goes back about 1,500 years with Native American inhabitants mining turquoise and lead in the nearby hills.
In 1540 the Spaniards arrived looking for gold and silver. Not much luck the first time but 100 years later they came back and forced the natives to work in the mines until the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. In 1693 the Spanish re-conquered and began to populate the area with farms and ranches. It wasn’t until 1835 that a big strike was found. That brought the prospector out of the woodwork. The little town, out in the middle of nowhere, became a hub of activity, including a rail line. Discovering coal deposits livened things up even more. The big company came in, did the hiring, and opened a company store. Very little of the wages earned left the town. This company was better than most. Streets were paved and schools were built. They even had a lighted baseball field. Their local team became a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Eventually the gold and silver played out. Folks started using natural gas instead of coal and the thriving community returned to a small, out of the way village; the railroad moved on. Present day Madrid attracts artisans of all sorts. It is a Mecca for travelers who venture along the Turquoise Trail Scenic Byway. The town is very biker friendly. In fact, it was the location for the Disney movie “Wild Hogs.” Maggie’s, the movie’s biker bar, is located on the east side of town. For eats I highly recommend “The Mine Shaft Tavern”. Good food, good service – good vibes.
Well Buckaroos, out of room but not out of road stories. Next month I’ll take you along on my ride to the cliff dwellings. Don’t miss the next issue of the Daimler’s Folly
Until then;
ride often, ride hard and ride safe, but mostly ...
ride often, ride hard and ride safe, but mostly ...
