Courtesy of Doc Reid
If you haven't tanked up before leaving the Kachina, walk over to Michael's Kitchen across the street. They've got the best huevos rancheros in the State. And some of the best pastries west of the Mississippi.Then continue south on 64 to Rancho de Taos. The road passes the world famous Rancho de Taos Church one of the most painted buildings in the world. It's worth a stop and look.
From there, take a left on 518 heading towards Sipapu. At the intersection of 518 and 75 you have a choice:
1a. Continue on to Mora, then Las Vegas (NM, not NV) or Wagon Mound if you're planning on heading north to Colorado and want to go via Raton and I-25. Once you get to Mora though, you're on the eastern edge of the Great plains and definitely out of the mountains. I-25 from Las Vegas to Santa Fe can be picturesque but IMHO isn't as pretty as the alternative, 1b.
1b. Take the High road to Taos back to Pojoaque. Take a right onto 75 and stay in the mountains, heading west to Penasco. Then at Penasco, head south towards Truchas, Cordova, and Chimayo. If you didn't get to Chimayo earlier, this is a second chance. See day one for info on the Sancturio de Chimayo and the Rancho de Chimayo restaurant. From Chimayo, continue south to Nambe. This eventually drops you back onto 84/285 just north of Pojoaque. From there the road is excellent all the way into Santa Fe.
1c. An alternative route, albeit more crowded with traffic, is the regular route from Taos, that takes you back to Espanola, then on to Santa Fe.
Santa Fe is another great town for galleries, food, people watching, browsing small boutiques, etc. Many people come to NM just to go to Santa Fe. So if you want to go downtown, stay on 84 and it'll take you within blocks of the main plaza. If however, you're not stopping in Santa Fe, take the Veteran's Highway (also called the relief route, don't recall the hi-way number right now) that bypasses the city entirely. It has nice high speed sweepers but keep your eyes and radar dector out for the local LEOs if you do. As this highway ends you have 2 more choices:
2a. Continue on 14 south to Madrid, Golden, Sandia Peak, and Cedar Crest. 14 is a continuation of the Veteran's Highway. Just keep going straight as you hit the I-25 interchange. This is definitely the scenic route. There'll be lots of motorcycles on this road on Sunday as Madrid is a popular destination for riders. In Madrid, stop at the Java Junction if you need a caffeine break. There's also an excellent small restaurant just before the Mad Hatter if you're hungry (forget the name right now). Madrid also has some great antique shops and galleries. It'll be one of the quirkiest most off-beat places on your entire trip. The Mine Shaft Tavern, just up the road from the Mad Hatter opens at noon and they have non-alcoholic brewskis if you need a beer.
Continuing south on 14 takes you along the eastern foothills of the Sandia mountains. When you get to Sandia Park, you can take a left and head up to Sandia Peak, elev. 10,440. This road is twisty and steep in spots. It climbs 4,000' in 14 miles. It's a great road to enjoy the curves. Just be aware that the local sherriff also usually has radar on that road because some squidly riders think it's their private race track. Right now (5/18) the road's in need of repair because of all the winter snow and subsequent potholes. So we'll give you an update on it at the time of the rally. If it's been repaired it's a great ride!
If you skip Sandia Crest, 14 continues on 14 to Cedar Crest. If you haven't had lunch yet, try Ribs on the left in Cedar Crest. They have great BBQ. If you need a coffee break, Coffee at Dawn on the right a bit further down the road is the local hanout for motorcycle riders. Especially on the weekends. They make a mean latte and their pastries also are good.
2b. The fastest and shortes route back from Santa Fe is the slab: I-25. The Veteran's Highway (relief route) intersects I-25 so if you feel the need for speed, hit it. If you do 80 on this stretch of road you'll get run over. Most traffic does 80-90 and many go faster. If it's busy though, it can be a bit crazy. |