Riding the modified KLR 650 in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico...

[Wingnut]

Round #2 of pics:

As you can see, the start to the trail was not very inviting, I had to cross that shallow stream and negotiate that rutted section just to get on the trail, and that trail later became too rocky for me to continue without risking tire damage... the rocks have sharp edges which will cut through rubber like a hot knife through butter, lol.

 

[Pearl]

Round #2 of pics:

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As you can see, the start to the trail was not very inviting, I had to cross that shallow stream and negotiate that rutted section just to get on the trail, and that trail later became too rocky for me to continue without risking tire damage... the rocks have sharp edges which will cut through rubber like a hot knife through butter, lol.

WOW again!!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #3 of pics:

Those are the only two shots I have of the Willie White Trail, and the rocks hadn't gotten bad yet... higher up, I decided to turn around, and THAT alone was a major hassle on the narrow rocky trail! I meant to get pics of the rocks on high, but I guess I forgot to do it... I was too glad just to be headed back down, lol. Hey, discretion is the better part of valor, lol! Below, I'm back at the trailhead having a cold beer (in the cold breeze!) before rolling eastward along Rio Penasco Road (also designated as County Road 17).

Here's the last of the ATV/UTV riders leaving the trailhead area... this party consisted of five ATVs or UTVs, and the folks were friendly... they were up here for the holiday weekend, and one guy was kinda leading the pack to show them various sights. Again, there were several kids along for the ride (as passengers, since that is a rough trail), and a young woman with a small dog that was wearing a knit sweater, lol.

Moving on, I stopped along Rio Penasco Road to take pics of scenery & various homes:

Primo scenery along that trail, and it runs for miles, lol... I have more home shots in the next round!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #4 of pics:

In the next shot, that's actually a cow elk in the distance, this is not a very good shot of her, but she was in that meadow or pasture with the horses!

The next outfit had a nice solar panel array:

This dome home looked like a good place for Magus! Dunno what materials were used, but it looked cool!

Here's another nice little spread off the beaten path:

 

[Wingnut]

Round #5 of pics, looks like we're back on Hwy. 130 here:

This boulder was some sort of monument to someone who passed this way... maybe died here, who knows?

Here's a home in the wood line:

Some longhorns in a meadow:

This next home had a primo BBQ spot under some trees, but these other trees got in the way of my pic! Thankfully, I have a second pic that kinda captures the outdoor ambiance of the location!

In the next shot, we've just turned south onto Hwy. 24, where this historic marker is situated:

Pretty cool, huh? That gal knew what time it was... kudos to her for establishing an awesome Girl Scout camp in these beautiful Sacramento Mountains!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #6 of pics, starting with shots taken near the historic marker shown in the previous round:

Farther up the hill on Hwy. 24, we find this bullet-riddled sign warning truckers of the steep grade I just pulled:

Next shot shows what looks like a school (?) in the small town of Weed:

Then we head into juniper, cedar & pinon pine country for real as the elevation drops:

P.S. Those are NOT the Weed & Sacramento known & loved by Kalifornians, lol...

 

[Wingnut]

Round #7 of pics, we're in Pinon now and I was surprised to see these signs on a gate to private property... why would the State Police have anything to do with gate enforcement on private property? Does some political scumbag own this ranch, or what? Maybe there's a history of livestock getting out onto the road...

That's downtown Pinon in the previous pic, lol... rush hour too! In Pinon, I picked up NM-506, another mixed bag of paved road, dirt trail, and nasty rocks in thankfully short sections!

Wait, that last pic is of Stevens Draw Road (?) or some such name, this was an offshoot of NM-506 and I pulled over here to clarify which road to take, as the signage wasn't very clear...

There was a small recycling yard or whatever at the same location:

Once I'm sure which way to go, I continue along NM-506:

See those rocks in one pic? When they grade these roads, so many rocks come up that they just line the sides of the road with 'em, lol. You can also see how the road changes back & forth from pavement to dirt, and there were cows to contend with en route... as seen in the last pic, and also coming up in the next round!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #8 of pics:

I just realized that I did NOT take any pics of the worst rocky sections... too busy trying to negotiate them, and too thankful to get past 'em to stop and take pics! Oh, well, rest assured, they were NOTHING like what y'all see here, just imagine the entire road or trail covered with rocks like those seen along the edges or borders in these last few pics.

 

[Magus]

You need a helmet cam, do some videos!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #9 of pics, our final round for this ride, and here we enter the NE corner of Fort Bliss:

Here is where I started to haul @$$ on the bike, since the graded road was in slightly better shape... I was FLYIN' down this road at 75 m.p.h., but the occasional rocks, ruts & "gravel drifts" made me slow down now and then, lol. I must say, the KLR 650 really shines on this sorta road, as it has the power to move fast and it can still handle the abuse, aye?

Here's a shot looking back to the northeast at the western rim of the Sacramento Mountains, with higher elevations visible in the background at upper right.

And here's a view to the southeast from the same spot:

Only 4 or 5 miles from US-54 at this point... that was a LONNNG stretch of dirt road across the military reservation!

Next & last two pics were taken in the main staging area at Red Sands, where I thankfully took a break after something like 138 miles, with a third of that on dirt & gravel & nasty rocks, lol. Y'all should've heard the rocks glancing off that engine guard and other bits of metal... it was like machine gun fire at times, lol. DINK, DINK, KA-DINK!!! Some rocks whizzed past my helmet at unnerving speeds, lol. Meh, it's over and done with now, and I doubt I'll ever ride NM-506 again, I was hoping it might be a good "backdoor route" to the southern end of the Sacramento Mountains, but it's not really that much fun, not in those nasty rocky sections (which y'all did NOT see, but they still exist, lol). Plus the military reservation kinda puts a damper on the ride... don't wanna be caught out there without a permit. That's why I was FLYIN' down that dirt road, I wanted to get across that corner of the post without getting hassled, lol.

That sunset pic shows a silhouette of the Organ Mountains, pretty cool, huh? There's a camper out there too, might have been one of the RVs belonging to those folks I met. All things considered, this was an excellent recon, but I'm still a bit stiff & sore, particularly my thigh muscles, as I had to frequently stand on the pegs to negotiate those nasty rocky trail sections. I can't believe I didn't get a single pic of those, but I was kinda racing the sun at that point, as I wanted to reach US-54 before dusk. That sure was a long stretch on NM-506, though it DID have occasional paved sections... I sure burned some time making my transit of that road, it was definitely challenging. Funny how everybody said it was rough when they heard my account of it, lol. Oh, well, I'm gonna go lie down again for a bit, then get up and make an excellent Thanksgiving Dinner with that big ol' bird and all the trimmings! The cats & I will be LIVIN' LARGE once that bird is roasted, lol.

HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED THE RIDE, AND I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!! I KNOW I WILL!!! COLD BEER LATER WHILE I'M COOKING THE BIRD!!! CHEERS!!!

P.S. Note how dusty my bike is after all that trail riding! And I just CLEANED the goldurned thing! I can't win, LOL!

 

[Pearl]

Round #5 of pics, looks like we're back on Hwy. 130 here:

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This boulder was some sort of monument to someone who passed this way... maybe died here, who knows?

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Here's a home in the wood line:

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Some longhorns in a meadow:

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This next home had a primo BBQ spot under some trees, but these other trees got in the way of my pic! Thankfully, I have a second pic that kinda captures the outdoor ambiance of the location!

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In the next shot, we've just turned south onto Hwy. 24, where this historic marker is situated:

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Pretty cool, huh? That gal knew what time it was... kudos to her for establishing an awesome Girl Scout camp in these beautiful Sacramento Mountains!

"Paso por aqui" means: I pass through here!! Wonder if that person "passed through" or "passed on"?

 

[Pearl]

Round #9 of pics, our final round for this ride, and here we enter the NE corner of Fort Bliss:

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Here is where I started to haul @$$ on the bike, since the graded road was in slightly better shape... I was FLYIN' down this road at 75 m.p.h., but the occasional rocks, ruts & "gravel drifts" made me slow down now and then, lol. I must say, the KLR 650 really shines on this sorta road, as it has the power to move fast and it can still handle the abuse, aye?

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Here's a shot looking back to the northeast at the western rim of the Sacramento Mountains, with higher elevations visible in the background at upper right.

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And here's a view to the southeast from the same spot:

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Only 4 or 5 miles from US-54 at this point... that was a LONNNG stretch of dirt road across the military reservation!

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Next & last two pics were taken in the main staging area at Red Sands, where I thankfully took a break after something like 138 miles, with a third of that on dirt & gravel & nasty rocks, lol. Y'all should've heard the rocks glancing off that engine guard and other bits of metal... it was like machine gun fire at times, lol. DINK, DINK, KA-DINK!!! Some rocks whizzed past my helmet at unnerving speeds, lol. Meh, it's over and done with now, and I doubt I'll ever ride NM-506 again, I was hoping it might be a good "backdoor route" to the southern end of the Sacramento Mountains, but it's not really that much fun, not in those nasty rocky sections (which y'all did NOT see, but they still exist, lol). Plus the military reservation kinda puts a damper on the ride... don't wanna be caught out there without a permit. That's why I was FLYIN' down that dirt road, I wanted to get across that corner of the post without getting hassled, lol.

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That sunset pic shows a silhouette of the Organ Mountains, pretty cool, huh? There's a camper out there too, might have been one of the RVs belonging to those folks I met. All things considered, this was an excellent recon, but I'm still a bit stiff & sore, particularly my thigh muscles, as I had to frequently stand on the pegs to negotiate those nasty rocky trail sections. I can't believe I didn't get a single pic of those, but I was kinda racing the sun at that point, as I wanted to reach US-54 before dusk. That sure was a long stretch on NM-506, though it DID have occasional paved sections... I sure burned some time making my transit of that road, it was definitely challenging. Funny how everybody said it was rough when they heard my account of it, lol. Oh, well, I'm gonna go lie down again for a bit, then get up and make an excellent Thanksgiving Dinner with that big ol' bird and all the trimmings! The cats & I will be LIVIN' LARGE once that bird is roasted, lol.

HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED THE RIDE, AND I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!! I KNOW I WILL!!! COLD BEER LATER WHILE I'M COOKING THE BIRD!!! CHEERS!!!

P.S. Note how dusty my bike is after all that trail riding! And I just CLEANED the goldurned thing! I can't win, LOL!

Thanks for the ride!! Awesome road trip!! OUTSTANDING pictures Wingy!!

 

[Wingnut]

"WINGY?!?"

 

[snappy1]

"WINGY?!?"

LOL A helmet cam (as suggested above) would make photos easier for you. Or short videos.
Nice photos! I would make a calendar from them.

 

[Pearl]

"WINGY?!?"

 

[Bacpacker]

WIngNut you did it again. Some sesame pics and descriptions got me eatin my heart out. Wish I was 40 years younger, or even 30, and out there ridin those trails with you.

I love that water fall and the creeks shots, and all the houses in the area.

Talking about the longitudinal tracks, lots of fun gett the tires in separate tracks ain't it?

 

[Wingnut]

Why stop now? When I was riding my tricked-out mini in Lark Canyon one time (East San Diego County), two guys rolled up on nice KTMs, I believe the bikes were 250s, but the big shocker came when they removed their helmets... both guys were in their early 70s!!! No lie, but they had been riding all their lives and were still in good physical condition! When the first guy rolled in to where I was taking a break, he was standing on his pegs... had anyone asked me to estimate his age, I would've said 30s to early 40s! It was crazy! Once they were both sittin' on their bikes there and yakkin' with me, I told the first guy (who was the older of the pair at 72) that he was definitely THE OLDEST DIRT BIKER I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE! No offense given either, this was a form of praise! He just laughed, and later, when I mentioned something about forest rangers catching him on the posted dirt road without full registration (instead of just an OHV sticker), he replied: "WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO, SEND ME BACK TO VIETNAM?!?"

Those two characters were hilarious, and I sincerely admired them for sticking with riding for so long... couple of REGULAR OFFROAD HEE-ROES, those guys! They're probably still riding today, and I met 'em around a decade ago, lol. If they ever wind up in wheelchairs, those chairs will have 125cc motors in 'em... their mobility scooters will probably have big ol' 250cc motors!!! With MX bars, full throttle and disc brakes! Knobbies too!!! Those crazy b@stards!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[Wingnut]

Okay, here are pics from today's recon of Red Sands OHV Area, a 20-square-mile chunk of land set aside strictly for offroaders, dirt bikers, quad racers, etc. In fact, today I met some dirt bikers who race in the 'Tarantula 100'---a 100-mile offroad race laid out every year in Red Sands! Those hands were classic, and one kid 12 or 13 years old was absolutely RIPPING across the high desert and up to the knoll where I was hangin' out & partyin', lol. His pop and another rider were also BAD@$$, they came flyin' up to the summit of the knoll and I wound up LMAO while talkin' to these heroes, lol. Later, I caught up with 'em again in the staging area, and we partied a bit longer before they loaded up and went to get something to eat. They weren't camping out there, you understand, just riding for the day (like moi), as they live nearby and don't have to camp unless they WANT to camp, lol. Anyway, we'll be riding together in the near future, and I intend to camp out with 'em when the 'Tarantula 100' rolls around in February! Here we go with some pics, I only have three rounds this time as I was busy CHILLAXIN' in the HIGH DESERT!!!

Okay, the first half-dozen shots were taken in the main staging area, the folks I intended to meet were out riding so I simply hung out for a bit, taking pics of the bivouac area, then I set out on my own toward a knoll in the distance. I had to negotiate some nasty sand drifts and whatnot en route to the knoll... you can also see some deep sand in the opening pics of the staging area. Like beach sand on dunes, but sometimes down on the trails too, along with heller whoop-de-doos and other obstacles. Meh, I met some cool folks en route, and once I topped out on that knoll I met some other riders who came along (the 'Tarantula 100' racers, lol). The summit of the knoll was awesome, nothing but open space in sight across the Tularosa Basin floor for MILES & MILES... and get this, there's NO ECHO in that location, no matter how LOUD you are! I tried my classic SWISS ALPINE YODELING, my signature LOUD TARZAN YELL, you name it... but the silence and the great distances simply SWALLOW the sound, no echo WHATSOEVER, lol. Meh, ya win some, ya lose some, AYE???

 

[Wingnut]

Round #2 of pics, starting with this BAD@$$ SHOT taken from atop the knoll, lol:

The knoll was a great place to hang out... I originally intended to ride to those bluffs seen in the distance in some pics, the black bluffs that *almost* look like volcanic cones, lol. But they're just high desert bluffs, probably as high as the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge in my "Home 20!" Possibly higher, I'll find out when I ride to THEM on Tuesday, now that some hands gave me the *beta* (info, intel, etc.) on the best approach, YEAH? No point in SLOGGING over there in mixed dirt, deep sand, rocks & all, better to access those bluffs from US-70 off Walker Ranch Road, or a road near Walker Ranch, since it is hard-packed dirt and the going will be MUCH EASIER. I could do this tomorrow, but I have plans for manana, so I'll take that bluff ride on Tuesday, when the forecast calls for a high temp in the 60s, lol. Alright, I have one more round of pics for today, then I'm off to F#% OFF and PAR-TAY HARD, lol... oh, yeah, those empty shotgun shells were lying around at the summit of the knoll, somebody probably violated BLM rules, LOL.

P.S. Yes, that sign for Mexicans in distress WAS paid for with U.S. TAX DOLLARS, lol... several riders and offroaders here in Red Sands already told me of encounters with illegal aliens trying to circumnavigate the BP or Border Patrol checkpoint on US-54. One hand and his crew found a vehicle abandoned by smugglers (and their human or chemical cargo) out in the boondocks, which is why SOME riders are STRAPPED like MOFOs, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Edit: In Pic #8, that's roughly 12,000' Sierra Blanca in the background with some lingering snow from the last cold snap, that peak is pretty impressive from the viewpoint of this experienced mountaineer & technical rock climber!!!

Oh, yeah, I meant to ask Y'ALL, didja LIKE the RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC in those goldurned pics?!? LOL.

 

[Wingnut]

Round #3 of pics:

Alright, there are pics in there of one 'Tarantula 100' rider ascending the knoll while I was atop it... good riders, those hands, and that kid (not seen here) deserved some praise! I have 20 nieces & nephews around the globe, haven't met all of 'em yet but they are ALL welcome to visit me in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and ride the big ol' MONSTER THUMPER in the desert and on those trails, LOL. The things I'll do for my relatives, AYE? The ones I don't like, I'll send 'em to NM-506, lol. BTW, that shot of the "beverage belt" (as opposed to money belt) with the single Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle in it was worn by one of the riders I met atop the knoll, that thing was CLASSIC!!!

P.S. In Pic #3, that's a big ol' bird out there in the distance, just flying along and doing his own thing, lol...

 

[Pearl]

Round #3 of pics:

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Alright, there are pics in there of one 'Tarantula 100' rider ascending the knoll while I was atop it... good riders, those hands, and that kid (not seen here) deserved some praise! I have 20 nieces & nephews around the globe, haven't met all of 'em yet but they are ALL welcome to visit me in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and ride the big ol' MONSTER THUMPER in the desert and on those trails, LOL. The things I'll do for my relatives, AYE? The ones I don't like, I'll send 'em to NM-506, lol. BTW, that shot of the "beverage belt" (as opposed to money belt) with the single Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle in it was worn by one of the riders I met atop the knoll, that thing was CLASSIC!!!

P.S. In Pic #3, that's a big ol' bird out there in the distance, just flying along and doing his own thing, lol...

Well WOW once again!! Awesome pics! Glad you had a great day!!

 

[Wingnut]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to Tuesday's ride to those bluffs out there on the floor of the Tularosa Basin, some other hands I met had just visited those bluffs and they told me there's a "steep semi-paved road" up to at least one summit... I suppose they meant that the road is paved in some areas, dirt in others. Meh, the KLR will handle it, it just doesn't like deep sand, lol. Thankfully, I did NOT dump the bike during yesterday's ride, though I rode through some nasty sand sections... goldurned bike was gettin' all squirrelly on me, trying hard to go down like the Titanic, lol. Probably weighs about the same, lol. But once I heard about the alternate access route to the bluffs, I simply altered my plans, aye? Gotta be flexible in the field, less headache that way, lol. Should be a fun little jaunt to those bluffs, maybe I'll combine that mission with another and make a full day of it.

 

[Wingnut]

Just left a message with one of those riders I met, so I'm gonna bump this thread to make it easier for him to find... he's the hand riding up the knoll in the third round of pics for yesterday's ride. Cheers!!!

 

[Wingnut]

Before I crash, I'll bump this thread one more time, in case that hand hasn't seen it yet... site navigation may be difficult for newcomers with all those ads.

 

[Wingnut]

F#% JOE BIDEN, I'M RIDIN' TOMORROW, WOOHOO!!!

BTW, I saw regular unleaded gasoline down to $2.98 per gallon today in town, but I use premium for the bike, aye?

Still, when I tank up next time, I hope fuel is still that low... both the bike and 'The Mighty Camry' are at 3/4 tank or higher right now, typical example of the kinda luck & timing I have when it comes to the petrochemical scene, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Holy Cow!!! It's such a beautiful day here, clear & sunny with a forecast high in the 60s, that I thought about changing my plans and riding in the mountains instead... checked the forecast for Cloudcroft and the high up there will be 39* F with wind gusts up to 50 m.p.h., lol. So I'm sticking with my original plan to ride down here in the Tularosa Basin! Maybe go in to the bluffs via Walker Ranch Road off US-70, then work my way over to US-54 across Red Sands OHV Area. Sounds like a plan, yeah? Gonna eat a good breakfast but also take a big ol' Turkey & Swiss sammie with me, lol... dang, it's really nice outside, just a little cold, but the temp should climb rapidly now that the sun is up in the sky.

P.S. Might have some wind down here in the Basin as well, but since I'll be riding in the dirt it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I also have good goggles for my helmet, as eye protection is important! So no worries...

 

[Bacpacker]

Great lookin area. That first group of shots just beggin for somebody to hit it wide open. I love it. Glad your meeting some other riders out there to share experiences with. AWESOME

 

[Wingnut]

I was working my way toward this thread to post today's pics... it was one heckuva ride, even though I only put 42 miles on the tripmeter (didn't check tenths of a mile, I'll do that manana, I just rolled the bike into the shed after unloading the saddlebags). At least 2/3 of today's ride was on dirt, including some rutted & rocky dirt roads, patches of deep sand which extended the length of a gridiron, goldurned "drifts" of gravel and even larger rocks, it was heller crazy! I'm pretty beat for such relatively low overall mileage, lol... also lots of standing on the pegs to negotiate difficult sections!

Now, the butte I ascended on the bike was an adrenalin-pumping ride, with BIG DROP-OFFS on one side as I made my way up the switchback trail to the summit! No guardrails, of course, just a nasty drop with high winds playing a part on the STEEP ASCENT, lol. You'll see what I mean in a moment, though this cheesed!ck Canon cam tends to make ALL obstacles or gnarly sections look PINNER, lol. Remember, I'm a former technical rock climber who's comfortable at height, and this butte I climbed today on the Kawasaki made me NERVOUS at times, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Anyway, this butte (which is a better and more accurate term than the "bluff" I used before) is right in my back yard, and now I know how to get there from my home, crossing BLM land where cattle graze (by permit), opening & closing cattle gates en route (I think I worked about 10 gates today, lol), and dealing with the crazy ever-changing terrain and obstacles New Mexico will throw at ya! For such a short ride, this was a real challenge! The deep sand sections were the worst, of course, and the bike DID get dumped once... not at speed, but after losing my footing in the heller deep sand.

No damage occurred to the bike, in fact it simply fell toward the "high side" of the deep sand section, so it never even reached level ground, lol. I took a photo for posterity... just my way of keeping this thread honest, don'tcha know? Even the best riders lay their bikes over at times, otherwise they aren't riding hard enough, lol. I'm talking DIRT here, and this New Mexican dirt comes in multiple flavors, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! So go ahead and laugh, I wasn't spitting sand or anything, just cursing my heavy-@$$ bike as it did the death wobble and went down like the friggin' Titanic, lol.

Alright, here we go... I should say that I rode most of the paved part FIRST, heading up US-54 to US-70 and turning toward Holloman AFB, then jumping off past the AFB on Walker Ranch Road, a.k.a. WSMR or White Sands Missile Range Route 260 (see sign in second pic). As soon as I rolled through the gate, there was ZERO TRAFFIC for the remainder of my ride, barring the last mile or so on US-54 after I picked it up again while heading toward my home. I pulled an irregular loop, you understand, the only way I could learn where the road led and dumped out on US-54.

ENOUGH SPRAYIN', TIME TO RIDE... HERE WE GO ON TODAY'S WILD & CRAZY ADVENTURE! CHEERS!!!

That's the Walker Ranch compound in Pic #6, and NO, I was NOT doing 15 m.p.h. down WSMR Rt. 260, lol... but I DID have to stop every few minutes to open & close a cattle gate, aye? Meh, that's whatcha do in cattle country, no big deal. I only saw ONE cow on the entire ride today... maybe the rest were sleeping in the barn at the Walker Ranch compound after a HARD night of partying, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! This dirt road went on for MILES, and its condition deteriorated the farther I went, but it led toward the butte which was my primary objective... there are other buttes out there, as you'll see, like geological islands in the vast sea of the Tularosa Basin, lol.

 

[Wingnut]

Round #2 of pics:

FF to the summit of the butte, more on the ascent later (I took pics on the way down, too gripped going up, lol).

That's the road I took in to the butte, not the one that cuts back to the right, but the one that continues left! I DID explore that cutback trail, but it did NOT lead UP toward the summit, it went up a ways and then circumnavigated the butte, aye? To hook up with other roads beyond, and perhaps the one I took while heading home, but I get ahead of myself here, lol.

Remember when I estimated the height of this butte as the same height of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge? Well, distances are deceptive in the desert, and this bad boy was at least TWICE the height of the bridge in my old "Home 20!" No lie, even with the cheesed!ck Canon cam you can see how high we are above the desert or basin floor. We'll just call it 500' and that'll be close enough, lol. In Pic #9, you can see the white gypsum sand being lifted by high winds in the background... that's White Sands National Park in the background of that pic, though the WSMR is also featured in the shot. Pic #10 shows the long road in to the butte, lol. Rewind to Pic #6 to see the Walker Ranch compound in the distance!

 

[Wingnut]

Round #3 of pics, but first I gotta tell y'all about the critters atop the summit! The very first living thing I saw after I dismounted from the bike was a FLY, even with the wind gusting hard! Next I noticed the birds, which I first thought were Scissortails, but I now believe they were White-Throated Swifts... these birds were INSANE, swooping & diving everywhere in pursuit of bugs like the fly which had been blown up from the desert floor by the high winds! The birds pulled knife-edge passes at freeway speed right by my head, all I heard during each pass was a "swishing" sound like a Samurai sword cleaving air right past my ear! It was NUTS!!! Some of the birds went VERTICAL too, climbing and then diving STRAIGHT DOWN at the edge of the summit... there were several of 'em soaring & wheeling & diving at any given time, it was like a free air show with Holloman AFB in the distant background, lol.

Those were two different survey marks I found atop the butte, ya always find those on boulders or flat rocks. Cool shot of my bike in Pic #7!