New Mexico and Arizona on a Valk in August - Am I Crazy?

[txtriathlete]

I need to travel between western South Dakota and Sierra Vista, AZ (south of Tucson) in mid August. I thought I might take the valk as there are some pretty back roads between Raton, NM and Sierra Vista and I'm not in a huge hurry. I *think* because most of it is at elevation the heat won't be too bad - its not death valley or anything. I have to go through Albuquerque and a short stint on 10 that might get warm but I'll be traveling at freeway speeds - 70mph AC!

Anyone done this lately? What about monsoon storms? Other road issues to worry about? I've done multi-day road trips so I know about tools and whatnot, mostly just wondering about heat and storms and Indians (just kidding about the last).

Thanks!

[RP#62]

Like you say, just the stretch on I-10 might be bad.  As long as you avoid the low desert as long as possible it shouldn't be too bad.  The monsoons are starting to kick up a little but its really scattered stuff.  Years ago, coming back from Inzane in Frisco, CO, I remember it being around 95 in Payson and then when we left there and dropped down into the valley, it went from 95 to 116 in about 20 minutes.

-RP

[..]

Water. Little and often.

[SCain]

Right now we are getting the afternoon showers, they will probably be gone by the time you come through. There is some great riding all the way from Raton to southern NM and you don't have to ride the super slabs.
Should be some good riding temps at higher elevations.

[F6Dave]

My advice is to hit the road early if hot weather is forecast.  Back on my way to Inzane in Eureka Springs in 2012 the temps were well into triple digits in Kansas.  I'm sure sitting behind the Valk's radiator it was a good bit hotter.  The heat was taking a toll on me and I called it a day in Russell.

The forecast said the next day would be just as hot, so I got to bed early.  I got up before 5 and hit the road before dawn.  It was still pretty warm out, but vastly better than the previous afternoon.  Interestingly, I-70 and I-135 were full of motorcycles at those early hours, so I wasn't the only rider who wanted to beat the heat.  I made it to Tulsa before it got really hot.

While filling up East of Tulsa I met an 87 year old Goldwing rider out for a ride.  I rode with him for a while and snapped this picture before we parted ways.

[fudgie]

We did Utah and the North rim and northern NM last summer. Everyday was 110 deg. The onlt bad thing was going across the Navajo Rez. * hrs of high heat burnt my fingers for 2 days. The NM mountains were fine.

Doing SE Utah via NE Utah this yr. Good thing is there is no humidity. Leaving in 3 days.

[txtriathlete]

Water. Little and often.

Me or the Bike? 

[txtriathlete]

Right now we are getting the afternoon showers, they will probably be gone by the time you come through. There is some great riding all the way from Raton to southern NM and you don't have to ride the super slabs.
Should be some good riding temps at higher elevations.

Thanks. Planning to run a back route from Catron to Santa Fe and then south at Grants down through the Gila's to Wilcox.

[sandy]

From Raton, you'll do a stint on Int. 40 West. Turn South at Grants, NM. there are 2 S. routes there. One goes S and meets up with 60. The other one goes through Zuni, NM and meets up with 191 in AZ. From either of these choices, go South through Springerville, Alpine and take 191 to Morenci and Clifton. This stretch is the Devils Highway. Most of this is high altitude and cooler. Remember our dry climate dehydrates through sweat but you won't feel it. Carry a 100 oz Camelback and drink every 10-20 miles. You can't drink enough at gas stops to make up for 2 hours of riding without water. Sierra Vista is 4600' altitude, so it's not as hot as Tucson at 2500'.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

I'll be traveling at freeway speeds - 70mph AC!

You riding one of those slow blue with white stripe Valks? Interstate is 75 in NM.   

[TTG53#1717]

The stretch of I-10 between Lordsburg, NM and the AZ border can have sudden severe dust storms.
You probably won’t even be near there but that area needs extra vigilance before riding through it.

[..]

Water. Little and often.

Me or the Bike? 

You.

If the bike needs it you have a bigger problem.

[f6gal]

Monsoons are typically later afternoon occurrences. 

[RainMaker]

As long as you are drinking a lot of fluids and you are voiding fluids at every gas stop or sooner, you are probably going to be fine.  The rule seems to be that if you aren't voiding at every stop, you aren't drinking enough and that's when it gets dangerous.

Soak down your jacket at every stop - it will give you evaporative cooling for 20 minutes and helps immensely.

Safe travels!

[F6Dave]

As long as you are drinking a lot of fluids and you are voiding fluids at every gas stop or sooner, you are probably going to be fine.  The rule seems to be that if you aren't voiding at every stop, you aren't drinking enough and that's when it gets dangerous.

Soak down your jacket at every stop - it will give you evaporative cooling for 20 minutes and helps immensely.

Safe travels!

+1 on soaking your jacket. In fact pour water over as much of your clothing as possible at every stop. In the dry SW air it won't last long but will still help a lot.

[DirtyDan]

I would keep water in my tank bag and do it “ on the fly “

Dan

[MarkT]

For extreme heat I wear a heavy long sleeve light color T or sweat shirt with a mesh jacket cover.  Soak the shirt or sweat leave it dripping wet right before you roll out from a stop. The mesh makes the evap go slower and it lasts longer up to an hour.  Cools like AC.  If it's in the hundreds I'll stop at rest stops to refresh it.  Always refresh the sunblock same time - use the watery stuff not the cream.  I like the Neutrogena 70SPF stuff in the blue spray can with yellow top.  I make sure my hair is short enough it won't come out from under the helmet and pick up the sunblock and put it in my eyes or on the glasses. That's a PITA!  I also keep a Yeti cup full of ice and water sitting in my Butler cup/holder.  When the water runs out it's time to stop.  I always pull a cargo trailer on road trips anymore which has bottled water and ice in the cooler.  Very nice to always have water!  With my belly tank, even pulling the trailer gas stops not needed before 200mi - piss and water (and walkaround) stops thus prevail.  Also the Russell Daylong seat is a big plus for extended riding.

BTW I prototyped a watering rig with pump, hose and reservoir to soak my shirt on the fly.  Was starting to work on bringing it to market when I found someone else had already done it!

[F6Dave]

I would keep water in my tank bag and do it “ on the fly “

Dan

That reminds me of a couple on a Harley I saw I saw stop at a liquor store.  They only bought a bag of ice.  The bike had no windshield, so they strapped the bag to the handlebars, poked a few holes in it, and rode on.

[Jess from VA]

These mesh jackets with wet shirts may be great great in dry heat, but in 95% humidity it doesn't help much except maybe at sustained higher speeds.  Then all the water runs down, and now you have a soggy crotch too.

We actually have a day with 70s (and rain) all day for the first time in weeks.

I couldn't figure out why the house sounded so quiet, until I realized the AC wasn't running.

[MarkT]

Given on the humidity.  Lately it's been around 9% here.  But I did keep coolish crossing Kansas several times with the actual temp around 106° and humidity around 70%.  Method still worked, and maybe a bit better as the water lasted longer but still cooled.  No doubt wouldn't with much more moisture.  I recall back in the 50's you could get a swamp cooler for your car that hung on a window top.  Big galvanized tank thing.  We had one.  Not quite as good as A/C but it worked - even in Kansas.  We have relatives there while we lived in Indpls.  This was before the Eisenhauer I-system so travel was slow and tedious.

[f6gal]

Was starting to work on bringing it to market when I found someone else had already done it!

Who?