Looking to fill in the long wait before the Summer Potluck meeting, I decided to experiment a little and schedule a ride to see what kind of response I would get from the membership.
WHOA. I was blown away by the response.
I had anticipated that maybe a handful of people would show up, but as usual, NM4W members demonstrated their enthusiasm—and their apparent inability to sit at home when there are trails to explore on such a weather amazing day.
I was honored to lead 14 rigs out to the Cedro Peak area of the Cibola National Forest to experience the full effects of a hot New Mexico summer: low moisture, very little rain during the recent monsoon season, and temperatures apparently determined to remind us that air conditioning was invented for a reason.
Our meeting point was the 462 Trailhead, just south of the Sandia Ranger District on NM-337. We departed at 8:30 a.m. after a driver's meeting and headed toward the wilderness on Forest Road 462.
As we made our way farther into the mountains, we were greeted with beautiful, clear blue skies—exactly the kind of skies that make you stop and appreciate why we voluntarily spend our Saturdays bouncing around in vehicles instead of sitting comfortably at home.
We encountered a dirt biker coming up from behind, but he passed us all gracefully and without issue. Although the Frijoles Fire was burning in the northern part of the state in the Pecos Wilderness area, smoke was not impacting our skies or air quality, so we were free to enjoy the day without adding “smoke inhalation” to the itinerary.
We continued without any issues on 462 until we reached Forest Road 13, where the technical aspect of the ride began.
We meandered through the green and lush forest, encountering some rocky sections that were not excessively challenging for the drivers or vehicles. There were, however, plenty of opportunities for those looking to make things a little more interesting by choosing the more challenging lines - because apparently simply driving down the trail isn't always enough. ;)
All 14 vehicles made their way along forest road 13 without issue, and we stopped at our usual location used for the Cedro night runs for some star gazing.
Our biggest encounter along this section was a small UTV coming from the south. Fortunately, they were able to pull over to the passenger side and allow our small invasion of 14 rigs to pass. As I spoke with the driver, he asked if he was actually on Forest Road 13 because he didn't have any electronic or paper maps - go figure... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Apparently, sometimes the best way to know where you are is to simply ask the group of 14 full sized vehicles coming toward you.
We ventured forward toward the highlight of the ride—the Steps—where 11 of the 15 vehicles decided to take on the rocky challenge. Multiple lines were chosen, along with plenty of ups and downs. Josh even managed a backwards pass in his TJ, because apparently going forward was simply too predictable. The new NM4W applicants—the Baca's—showed just how skilled they and their rigs are, making the Steps look remarkably easy as they worked multiple lines with ease. The newly applied Servatt couple did the same in their open-top JLU, while Alaska and Pamela tackled the challenge in their 4Xe. And, of course, Ray in his ’86 Comanche was the standout, climbing with ease and plenty of clearance. At this point, the rest of us were left to wonder whether Ray actually brought a truck or simply showed up with a mountain goat equipped with four wheels. Seems like Anthony & Allie couldn;t wait to get their Jurrasic Park inspired JLU back into the heat with taking on a climb. The Watson's seemed to use their more logical section of their brains and decided to battle another day. Unlike the rest of us, Don played it - smart???
After the rigs and drivers had their fill of climbing, we moved toward the end of our adventure and continued along Forest Road 542 toward Forest Road 242 and pavement.
We all gathered at the end to air up our tires and begin the trek back to the city, where we knew the Summer Potluck meeting at the Perlichek residence was waiting for us.
It was an awesome ride with awesome people, and the kind of Saturday morning that reminds me why I enjoy getting out on the trails with this group.
And yes, this was definitely a 3-cigar ride—as expected—even with the technical challenge of the Steps.
Thank you to everyone who attended and trusted me with your Saturday morning, your time, and yourselves. I appreciate every one of you for coming out and helping make NM4W the responsible and adventurous off-roading organization that it is.
Until we ride again!!!
Jonathan
