Little help crossing New Mexico, Texas & Oklahoma?

[Hunter]

I've never been out that way before but I'm heading out Saturday morning anyway. I'll be trailering out to Ogden, UT with a friend of mine who is stationed there and doing a solo ride back to South Carolina.

I think I've got my route planned at least thru Utah and Arizona, gleaned from reading other ride reports, but crossing NM, Texas and OK to get to the Ozarks has me a bit befuddled. What is the best way, what is there that is a must see and where is the best places to eat along the way?

This is my bucket list trip so any help would be appreciated.

I hope this google map link works.  


View road trip in a larger map

[cruisin]

A lot depends on how much time you have.  First off, I think a better choice for getting from Threeway to Silver City would be to take AZ78 across to 180 then into SC from the NW rather than the route you currently show on the map.

Next, if you have a lot of time, taking a southern route out of NM into Texas would allow you to ride the hill country of Texas and take in the "three sisters" (also known as the "twisted sisters" and the "holy trinity").  They are FM roads 335, 336, and 337 just to the east of San Antonio in the area of Leaky, Utopia and Vanderpool.  That area offers some of the best riding in the state.  From there work your way up into OK and try to catch Hwy 1 from Talihina, OK to Mena, AR.  That is known as the Tali-Mena Drive and is one of the most scenic and well planned scenic routes I have ever taken.  From Mena you have a great number of choices for getting into the northern part of the state & Ozarks country.  AR 7 is one of my favorites.

Now, if time is short you may have to take more northern route out of NM.  In that case hit 380 north of Caballo and take it by Capitan to Roswell then into the southern portion of the Panhandle which has much more interesting roads than the flat,. straight slab of the northern Panhandle.  Once across the Panhandle, try to get over to the Tali-Mena Drive mentioned above.

If you want more details of some of the small twisty roads for getting across the southern Tx Panhandle, let me know. I can get you across there with the least amount of boredom possible.  And if time is really short, take US 60 to Amarillo and zip across Oklahoma on I-40 into Arkansas.

[Justin]

NM I would do something like this. Skip NM 152. It used to be a great road until they did a terrible chip seal job last year.  And take 78 across the Border after the Devil's Spine - that's an awesome road. Then cut up north through NM where most of the good roads are.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ogden,+UT&daddr=Coalville,+UT+to:Moab,+UT+to:Hannagan+Meadow,+AZ+to:Clifton,+AZ+to:NM-78+E+to:NM-12+E+to:NM-117+W+to:Unknown+road+to:35.78752,-106.25123+to:US-285+N+to:NM-75+E+to:NM-434+N+to:NM-434+N+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&sll=35.740939,-106.235046&sspn=0.635351,1.058807&geocode=FVgDdQIdOmpT-Sl7TZzalA5ThzEsszR719xhAA%3BFd1acAIdPS5c-SndxTvi8BVShzHr3ZDT8eqG4Q%3BFQSVTAId8WZ4-SmNLbia5eFHhzEtxNXxerEyCw%3BFR9BAQIdMsV7-SnJF10-4swnhzGK_crdRkVU4w%3BFRFR-AEdyUV8-SlLu6fL2usnhzFhOgNXGXV7hA%3BFW54-QEd8ouD-Q%3BFe52AgId6EmE-Q%3BFaBQFwIdoIKT-Q%3BFWqJHgIddK6i-Q%3BFQATIgIdIryq-Sm3tIdDeWwYhzGqmbsXzIlXiw%3BFVibIwId8D-u-Q%3BFYb6JwIdQEqz-Q%3BFRrxJAIdQMy4-Q%3BFejfKwId9kK5-Q%3BFTjaMQIdgFHG-Q&vpsrc=0&mra=mrv&via=9&t=m&z=10

[cruisin]

NM I would do something like this. Skip NM 152. It used to be a great road until they did a terrible chip seal job last year.  And take 78 across the Border after the Devil's Spine - that's an awesome road. Then cut up north through NM where most of the good roads are.

I have to agree with that on the chip-seal.  It usually takes at least a year for that get even close to a fun road again.  I sure wouldn't want to to do 152 with fresh chip-seal.  How long has it been since they did that?

And yes there are some great roads in northern NM as well.

Lots of options for getting from NM to Ozarks country, the soutnern Sangre de Cristos arond Taos, Red River & Angel Fire are a great fun.  

[Justin]

I sure wouldn't want to to do 152 with fresh chip-seal.  How long has it been since they did that?

Around last October - some pics of it then in the report below.

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,58305.0.html

[Hunter]

Thanks cruisin & Justin, awesome RR btw Justin, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. I'm not pressed for time on this trip and it may very well be the last chance to ever see the desert south west so I've updated my map with y'alls suggestions.

From looking at the terrain feature it looks like Northern Texas and Oklahoma are largely flat and straight until I get to eastern OK. It doesn't look to hard to find a road headed east in a straight line. What are the speed limits on the secondary roads? I don't mind slowing down for towns, with a 125 mile max range on the Thruxton I'll be stopping a lot to fuel up any way.

[cruisin]

Thanks cruisin & Justin, . . . . looks like Northern Texas and Oklahoma are largely flat and straight until I get to eastern OK. It doesn't look to hard to find a road headed east in a straight line. . . .

Unless you are willing to get off the Interstates then yes, Tx and OK are straight and flat; for getting across Texas quickly pick any one of the east-west interstates and let er rip.  I'm pretty sure I40 is still 70mph all the way, I20 and I10 may have the new increased limits by now (80 in some rural areas).  You'll just have to decide how you want to see the two states; like the locals see them with fun roads with hills and curves or blow through and not really see anything but the stripes on the hiway. If you choose to see them up close and personal, get onto the itty-bitty roads where there is no traffic and really see them.  Then decide where you want to get off the twisties and hit the slab.  Like I said earlier, if you have the time; the area all around San Antonio to the east and north are great riding.  From there you could easily hit I20  the rest of the way to AR.  And there are even some fun roads in the Panhandle; just not on the four lane.

[jay547]

From looking at the terrain feature it looks like Northern Texas and Oklahoma are largely flat and straight until I get to eastern OK.

that is correct. luckily, i live in eastern ok.

in ok, pretty much anything east of 69/75 is good riding.

[Justin]

 I'm pretty sure I40 is still 70mph all the way, I20 and I10 may have the new increased limits by now (80 in some rural areas).  

I think TX recently passed the law bumping the limit up to 85 in some places  

[Hunter]

Thanks again for the info.

I'm going to follow the route south to Clifton then back up to the top of New Mexico. I'll probably drop down to Amarillo and check out the Big Texan Steakhouse just cause I saw it on the Travel Channel. From there I'll work my way to the Ozarks and then down to Barber Motorsports for Vintage days. I-state will be determined on how my time schedule is though I would rather just ride 2 lane back roads. I'd love to drop down into the San Antonio region but the wife would kill me if I did, she's been wanting to go there for a few years and I've been blowing it off since I don't want to do it in a car.

I got a new set of tires spooned on the Thruxton yesterday for the trip, just have some last minute banking to take care of and I should be set. If y'all see a burgundy Triumph loaded down with camping equipment that's probably me, flag me down and show me the good places to eat.

[Justin]

If you are heading back south, from Cimarron you can cut over to I-25 via NM-58 - updated below

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ogden,+UT&daddr=Coalville,+UT+to:Moab,+UT+to:Hannagan+Meadow,+AZ+to:Clifton,+AZ+to:NM-78+E+to:NM-12+E+to:NM-117+W+to:Unknown+road+to:35.78752,-106.25123+to:US-285+N+to:NM-75+E+to:NM-434+N+to:NM-434+N+to:NM-58+E&hl=en&ll=36.491973,-104.670868&spn=0.314652,0.529404&sll=36.549362,-104.543152&sspn=0.628837,1.058807&geocode=FVgDdQIdOmpT-Sl7TZzalA5ThzEsszR719xhAA%3BFd1acAIdPS5c-SndxTvi8BVShzHr3ZDT8eqG4Q%3BFQSVTAId8WZ4-SmNLbia5eFHhzEtxNXxerEyCw%3BFR9BAQIdMsV7-SnJF10-4swnhzGK_crdRkVU4w%3BFRFR-AEdyUV8-SlLu6fL2usnhzFhOgNXGXV7hA%3BFW54-QEd8ouD-Q%3BFe52AgId6EmE-Q%3BFaBQFwIdoIKT-Q%3BFWqJHgIddK6i-Q%3BFQATIgIdIryq-Sm3tIdDeWwYhzGqmbsXzIlXiw%3BFVibIwId8D-u-Q%3BFYb6JwIdQEqz-Q%3BFRrxJAIdQMy4-Q%3BFejfKwId9kK5-Q%3BFcAqLAIdovrD-Q&vpsrc=6&mra=dme&mrsp=14&sz=10&via=9&t=m&z=11

Also, if you want to add a bit more good riding in NM's highlands - I updated below and added another loop through Red River.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ogden,+UT&daddr=Coalville,+UT+to:Moab,+UT+to:Hannagan+Meadow,+AZ+to:Clifton,+AZ+to:NM-78+E+to:NM-12+E+to:NM-117+W+to:Unknown+road+to:35.78752,-106.25123+to:US-285+N+to:NM-75+E+to:NM-434+N+to:NM-434+N+to:Barela+Ln+to:Main+St+to:NM-38+E+to:NM-58+E&hl=en&sll=36.47127,-104.694214&sspn=0.157368,0.264702&geocode=FVgDdQIdOmpT-Sl7TZzalA5ThzEsszR719xhAA%3BFd1acAIdPS5c-SndxTvi8BVShzHr3ZDT8eqG4Q%3BFQSVTAId8WZ4-SmNLbia5eFHhzEtxNXxerEyCw%3BFR9BAQIdMsV7-SnJF10-4swnhzGK_crdRkVU4w%3BFRFR-AEdyUV8-SlLu6fL2usnhzFhOgNXGXV7hA%3BFW54-QEd8ouD-Q%3BFe52AgId6EmE-Q%3BFaBQFwIdoIKT-Q%3BFWqJHgIddK6i-Q%3BFQATIgIdIryq-Sm3tIdDeWwYhzGqmbsXzIlXiw%3BFVibIwId8D-u-Q%3BFYb6JwIdQEqz-Q%3BFRrxJAIdQMy4-Q%3BFejfKwId9kK5-Q%3BFcaJKwIdlBe1-Q%3BFSohMAIdUp23-Q%3BFZLFLQIdmsG5-Q%3BFcAqLAIdovrD-Q&vpsrc=0&mra=mi&mrsp=17&sz=12&via=9&t=m&z=12


Either way, have a great trip, and I'm looking forward to the report!

[cruisin]

Thanks again for the info.

I'm going to follow the route south to Clifton then back up to the top of New Mexico. I'll probably drop down to Amarillo and check out the Big Texan Steakhouse just cause I saw it on the Travel Channel. From there I'll work my way to the Ozarks and then down to Barber Motorsports for Vintage days. I-state will be determined on how my time schedule is though I would rather just ride 2 lane back roads. I'd love to drop down into the San Antonio region but the wife would kill me if I did, she's been wanting to go there for a few years and I've been blowing it off since I don't want to do it in a car.

I got a new set of tires spooned on the Thruxton yesterday for the trip, just have some last minute banking to take care of and I should be set. If y'all see a burgundy Triumph loaded down with camping equipment that's probably me, flag me down and show me the good places to eat.

Based on that info, I'll make a couple of recommendations 1. for leaving the eastern part of NM if you come across at Raton.  go just about a mile north on I-25 and catch the road through Sugarite State Park.  It is two lane twisty, hilly beautiful drive that will eventually get you back to Hwy 64 and into Clayton.  From Clayton stay on NM64/TX87 to Dalhart.  Stay on 87 to Hartley then head south on 385 until you get to FM1061; take 1061 into Amarillo until you see loop 335.  Take the north & east loop all the way around to I-40.  At I-40 turn west for about a mile to the Big Texan.

Once you've taken in the fine dining, there are a couple of ways (better than I-40) to leave TX and get into Oklahoma and eventually end up on that Talimena Drive I mentioned earlier. The quicker (less fun) way is to head east on 40 until you hit the split onto US287.  Follow 287 to Memphis where you need to get on FM256 which will take you to US62 and into OK.  Stay on 62 to Lawton then jog a bit to the south and find OK-7 & stay on it until you get to Hwy 1.  Stay on 1 all the way across the Talimena State Park until you get to 259 then head south a few miles to 63 and then east into Mena.  That's one of the most beautiful rides I've ever made.

A second option for leaving Amarillo would be a bit more complicated but worth it if you want to claim you actually found and rode twisty roads in the Texas Panhandle (yes a few miles do exist).  As you are heading east on I-40 from the BT, look for FM1258 (Pullman Rd.) and take it south & east until you get to US207.  Turn south on 207 and it will take you through the tail end of Palo Duro Canyon and then past Lake McKenzie.  207 will then get you to TX86.  Head east on 86 into Silverton, then about 6 miles out of Silverton look for FM256 and stay on it to US62 and follow the same path to Hwy 1 described above.  Believe it or not parts of FM256 will test your skills; only problem is that it only last for a few miles then falls into some nice smooth sweepers into Memphis and on into Oklahoma.

I will PM you my contact info in the event I can get free to escort you through which ever of those routes you choose or one not yet mentioned that catches your eye.

[cruisin]

Has anyone heard from Hunter?  He was thinking of calling me if he had time to engage some of the little known scenic and twisty roads of the Panhandle.  I figure he has had plenty of time to get from Ogden to Amarillo; so I'm a little concerned something is amiss.  Hoping though that he just decided to boogey on across into the more scenic parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas and all is well.