Taos, NM; Day 3; Wednesday, September 12th

We had our complimentary breakfast (a good one) at the motel before we departed at 9:15.  It was cloudy, 59 degrees and sprinkling so we had our rain gear on.

Early this year I read the April 2012 edition of RoadRunner Motorcycle Touring & Travel (http://www.roadrunner.travel/).  An article written by Uwe Krauss inspired this trip to Taos.  He spent four days in Taos and did what was called the Shamrock Tour.  Each day he took a day trip, which was a loop that ended up back in Taos.  I had the magazine and the maps provided so I could retrace his trips.  In fact, I scanned the maps and planned to provide a digital map of each day’s trip but I failed to copy the cans to my laptop before we left home.  I’ll add the maps to the blog after I get home.

Today we were riding Uwe’s Day 4 route.  As we turned onto Hwy 512 headed east and south we saw this was the High Road to Taos Scenic Byway.  And scenic it was.view along 518

My map of New Mexico led me to believe (because I’m a dumbass) that if I took Hwy 121 north at Holman, NM we would end up in Coyote Creek State Park.  When I got to Mora I realized I missed 121.  Chris said she saw it a ways back!!!!  So I backtracked to Hwy 121.map check on 121 north of 518After riding a few miles down it I saw no reference to a state park so we returned to Mora and Hwy 434 northbound.

Hwy 434 was interesting.  We passed a field of alpacasalpacas near Mora, NM along Hwy 434and enjoyed some more great scenery.  And, wouldn’t you know it, the Coyote Creek State Park was off of Hwy 434.  It was mostly just a camp ground but we intended to use it as a bathroom break.  The bathrooms were closed and the water turned off so we did our business in the woods (no pictures taken).

Uwe mentioned that 434 became narrow, maybe wide enough for two cars to pass each other.  First we passed a sign saying that vehicles exceeding ten feet in width were prohibited.  Later the highway narrowed and there was no center line.  It was pretty but weird.Hwy 434 We saw a horse right next to the highway and some wild turkeys.  No bears or elk though.  We rode through Angel Fire (a golf and ski resort area) to Hwy 64 westbound.

After 21 miles on Hwy 64, which provided more great scenery and twisties, we were back in Taos.  We had a late lunch at the Purple Sage Café.  The burrito I ordered, smothered in green chili sauce, was larrapin good.

We had light rain off and on the entire trip, which limited the number of pictures taken.  We rode 135 miles, the high temp was 61 and the low was 50.  We were glad we had our rain pants on.

On Uwe’s day 4 ride he also visited the Taos Pueblo just outside Taos (http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amsw/sw47.HTM).  Due to the weather we decided to postpone that to a later date.

Back at our motel room we did laundry (so we’d have clean drawers all the way home), worked on homework for a church class we’re taking, took a swim, and relaxed.  A very good day!

For more pictures from today click on the following link: https://picasaweb.google.com/104542123131082631220/TaosNMDay3091212?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCM-1-ZCMu4jwkwE&feat=directlink

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