Article - Big Dog - Karl Zuercher

So what if we've been El Nino-ed this winter? So what if there is still snow in my driveway and the road is still muddy? So what of the thermometer is not as high as it could be? It's time for Steve Roe's 4th annual New Year's Day Big Dog Ride. Big Dog, as in, "If you can't ride with the big dogs, best stay home and warm your tootsies by the fire."

The route is more or less always the same, head to Mountainair have lunch, then come back. Last year, the weather was so good, several bikes couldn't stop and continued on to Ruidoso. The first year was so cold and wet, some showed up and then went back home. Hence the name I guess.

This year the sun was shining, and although it could have been warmer, don't sweat the details because fairings, electric vests and good gloves will usually take care of 'the rest. 20 bikes and about 22 hardy souls arrived in Hurricanes Eastdale parking lot to show mother nature a thing or two. Steve led the way out through Tijeras Canyon and south on 337, (a.k.a. - S 14) It was evident that since the sun was shining that much of the snow and ice had melted, unfortunately, it was running across the road in corners and out of the shadows, and even though the temperature was going up, it the prudent rider kept a close watch on where the rubber was headed.

In a few places, slush intruded on the path, but not enough to make it a huge worry. The road south to Mountainair was as good as it always is: hills, corners, good pavement, and good scenery, only this time the scenery included snow still drifted up to about four feet in some places. Stopping at the intersection of 337 and 55 outside of Tajique, the snow fences were barely visible above the mounds of snow. The moisture in the air was evident as snow was succumbing to sunshine.

A good mix of V-Twins, in-line fours, V-fours and boxers made the trip, some taking their own path, but still 17 made lunch at the Ancient Cities Cafe, where a friendly staff did their best to get the grub out and satisfy the crowd. Rejuvenated by the food, the riders left east on 60 at a variety of pace to finish the tour. If you go north from US 60 on NM 47, there is a side road, 304, then 109 you can take that features some tight turns and some that are more open to get rid of some of your winter rustiness and have some fun at the same time. Traffic is light and the pavement is good. This time of year, you have to be blind or oblivious not to see the thousands of Sandhill Cranes standing in the fields just off the pavement.

That is, of course, if you have enough gas to get there. One boxer, usually known for good gas mileage, thought he was on fumes, and after some scratching and reasoning, we drained some gas from another bike into an abandoned soft drink bottle and Dr. Pepper became the fixer upper until we could find an open gas station.

A couple of riders had never been on some of these side roads, so it was a treat. I was also shown one I had never been on. All in all, it was a good day. No tickets, no crashes, and it's just too bad some of the puppies couldn't go.

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