Please, don't make me ride the interstate across Texas!

[JACIII]

soon to be lost ky boy on a GS will be crossing into Texas near Texarkana and to cross into NM at Clayton. Any advice on roads to take or avoid will be appreciated. Brought my brother with me on his rt so paved rds only.

[JPSpen]

Google maps is your friend. Just tell it to avoid interstates.

Do the Talimena drive and go thru northern OK.

John

[Valker]

No suggestions from Texarkana to DFW area except highway 82. From DFW to Clayton, may I suggest: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=T...a=1,2&t=m&z=11

If you are looking for unpaved, I like this section: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&l...ra=mr&t=m&z=11

Take your pick of these roads. Try to go to the labeled village of "Palo Duro" in this section if you can find a good map. This is the former home of Col. Charles Goodnight.

I also recommend this from Clayton into Raton: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=C...a=1,2&t=m&z=10

[JACIII]

God bless both you inmates.! :)

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[Valker]

Originally Posted by JACIII

God bless both you inmates.! :)

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

You're quite welcome. A great friend lives in Lexington. He runs the State MSF program. (just a nerdy connection)

[FotoTEX]

Catch Hwy. 80 or Hwy. 380 to take you across Texas. You can catch them west of Ft.Worth. Hydrate,hydrate.

[garfey]

No reason to get anywhere near DFW and only a masochist would take 380 thru McKinney. Stay on US82 to Wichita Falls (been a while since I was there but The Smokehouse in Lindsay, just W of Gainesville, had pretty durn good BBQ), then US287 thru Amarillo before cutting NW to Dalhart.

[arkansawyer]

Another vote for 82. It's been eight years since I've ridden it. Gentle hills, small towns, some with no stoplight.
Get up early at Clayton and look at the dinosaur tracks when the sun is low.

I'm not sure where you are headed after Clayton. The volcano is worth seeing. 64 across NM is a nice ride, except through Taos.

[ReadyorNot]

good advice about coming across southern arkansas and oklahoma. north texas ain't anything to write home about. the talimena drive from mena ar to talihena ok is one the top 25 scenic drives of america. its like being on a roller coaster for 50 miles - great mc road. the south eastern corner of oklahoma is very pretty country, and you can angle down into texas anywhere along either 82 or 287.

definitely do not drop down as far as dallas, the advice about 82 is sound. nothing spectacular but pleasant little towns, more pleasant sights and way less traffic. two good spots to eat are the Center in muenster (real german food - rare in a lot of america) and the old train station (on the southside of 287) on the east side of quanah (famous for chicken fried steaks). can't remember the name right now.....

i don't suggest going all the way into amarillo on 287; there is a nicer ride by going north off of 287 at claude and go through borger, stinnett, then dumas, dalhart and on to clayton. you'll go through the canadian river drainage which has some scenery to look at. little cafe in clayton has always served me good new mexican food - Hi-Ho Cafe.

if you are first timers on this route the volcano (capulin) is worth a quick stop. i have also read on advrider that there is a very good back road on to raton. it's #72; runs west from folsom (just above volcano). never been on #72, but it has been commended by folks here at adv.

what happens after this? if this is your first time this way there is much to see and plenty of good riding in new mexico. also, lots of good stuff to eat - the state question is "red or green?".

[JACIII]

thanks again, y'all. We are in fort worth at Bmw getting new tires. We have been through these parts before but only on the interstate. I have to say you guys actually have us excited about crossing Texas.

Volcano! Dinosaur footprints!

We are heAded into CO Lake City to eat some of chef Bruno's cookin' at the Alpine moose Lodge. After that we may tool around the mountains and them head back.

Jim

ps - the emoticon is drooling, not crying.

[SKINNY]

Originally Posted by JACIII

thanks again, y'all. We are in fort worth at Bmw getting new tires. We have been through these parts before but only on the interstate. I have to say you guys actually have us excited about crossing Texas.

Volcano! Dinosaur footprints!

We are heAded into CO Lake City to eat some of chef Bruno's cookin' at the Alpine moose Lodge. After that we may tool around the mountains and them head back.

Jim

ps - the emoticon is drooling, not crying.

The volcano & footprints aren't in Texas....you'll be lucky if you see anything more interesting than road-killed coyotes until New Mexico...

[FotoTEX]

Dinosaur footprints ARE in Texas. Located SW of Ft.Worth at Dinosaur Valley State Park. And there are Volcanos in Big Bend area of TX. Have great ride and Lake City.CO is awesome. Used to spend summers their at in-laws cabin. Try Southern Vittles in Lake City.

[bigdon]

If not to late, get your map out. Go North at Munster on FM roads at about 25-30 miles turn right and cross the Indian Bridge into Oklahoma. Then take 32 West. You can then work your way over to Hwy 70 West and then cut back North and West to Pampa, Tx. and on across to Clayton.

Some pretty good roads through there and no traffic. Get gas when you see gas.

[JACIII]

Took 82 to Benjamin Franklin them 6 to 287. Saw the footprints and the volcano. I thanks yall. You made a potentially boring transit into a memorable ride.

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[arkansawyer]

In CO, the ride into the black canyon of the Gunnison costs money but is worth it. 2,000 ft. deep according to my gps. Only time I've seen a peregrin falcon was there 4 years ago. Incredible walls of rock.

CO 92 from the Blue Mesa Reservoir(think that was the name of it) to Crawford is awesome. Don't look at the scenery too hard and miss a corner.

CO and NM are awesome in the summer.