We just returned from the first ever TORCH (Texas Off Roaders under CHrist) adventure ride to Alamogordo and Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Eleven riders attended and I think everyone would agree that we all had a great time riding and getting to know each other.
We rode the first day in the desert at Alamogordo. Temperatures were a pleasant 85 degrees (compared to the normal 95 degrees) and the rain the previous day kept the dust to a minimum and made for excellent traction. The first couple of miles were mostly large whoops that required considerable concentration, conditioning and air time, but the whoops and the arm pump passed quickly, and we were soon provided with miles and miles of fast single track, dual track, high speed jumps and wide open desert riding. We even hit some water and a little mud and rocks from time to time. Overall we rode about 60 miles, including a loop that covered 35 miles and provided a glimpse of what it must be like in Baja. A couple of the one liners I heard in the desert were: "You can ride anywhere you want, just don't hit anything green - it will hurt", "This is just like surfing, but on a dirt bike" and "Don't worry the mountains will be a nice leisurely ride after this".
Days two through four took us from the hot sands of Alamogordo to the cool mountain peaks of Cloudcroft and the Sacramento National Forest. Temperatures were in the mid 60's during the day and mid 40's at night. Perfect riding weather. The trails consisted of everything from tight, narrow single-track to ATV trails to wide open fire roads. All with lots of elevation changes. The terrain consisted mostly of rocks, roots, roots, rocks, ruts, roots and more rocks. Oh, and some mud and water thrown in to keep you on your toes. A few highlights included; the Rim Trail which was a tight rock, root and fallen tree strewn single-track bounded on one side by a steep mountain wall and on the other by a steep drop-off to the valley below. Only one bike went over the edge, but was fortunate enough to stop before it went very far. This trail provided awesome views of the valley below as well as White Sands National Monument, assuming you were brave enough to actually look down. Another trail of note was trail #250. This trail started out with a hill climb of over 1000 ft. in a distance of about a mile and a half on slippery roots, rocks and the occasional downed tree. The four strokes excelled in these conditions and tractored up with little effort, while the two strokes revved, clutched, spun, smoked and bounced there way to the top. From there it just got harder. On one trail we took some extra time to cross a creek and race each other up a long, steep grass hill. Here the 4 strokes and the larger 2 strokes seemed most at home, with huge roosts flying and the front tires barely touching the ground. At the top were trees as big around as a car and spectacular views of the valley below. We saw plenty of wildlife during our adventure, to include Elk, Deer, and Turkey. At Bluff Springs we took some time away from the bikes to hike up and cool ourselves under a beautiful natural waterfall. We also got to experience a couple of mountain storms in the late afternoon, saw lightning hit close enough to make the hair on your neck stand up and even had an ice storm. On the last day we spent several hours riding the vast network of fire roads, which provided an opportunity to open up your bikes and see what they could really do. On these roads we experienced endless mountain and valley views that were akin to post cards. A couple of one liners I heard in the mountains were "Hey, I thought you said this was going to be a piece of cake after the desert", "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger", "Riding in Central Texas will never be the same after this", and "Has anyone seen my kickstand?"
In four days of riding we covered about 250 miles, experienced no flats, no major mechanical issues and no serious injuries. A miracle no doubt, considering the thorns, rocks, roots, ruts and the occasional flying kickstand we encountered. Thanks to everyone who came out for this ride and helped make it an epic event. We hope to make a return trip to this area of the country in the future and highly recommend it as a great dirt bike adventure!
Riding in his light.
TORCH (Psalm 119:105)
Texas Off-Roaders under CHrist
www.torchriders.org
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