Touring - Route through New Mexico

Currently on tour across the Southern Tier, however we plan to break away from the route and head north to Lubbock, TX to visit family and later cross over to Albuquerque, NM to visit a friend. The idea is to meet back up with the ACA route in Tempe, but I'm not sure what kind of conditions we're likely to meet.

If we chose to go through Albuquerque, we would most likely be there in about 10 days, making the mountains obviously cold, but what about snow? Any suggestions, routes, etc.?

Thank you.

Conjo

www.crazyguyonabike.com/conjo

Conjo, If you need to go to Albuquerque so be it, but the best route across NM is US60, which you can pickup in Clovis. You won't have to worry about snow until you get to Arizona and even then you could get lucky. The Route 60 option makes you ride the interstate (I25) for one 7 mile stretch and another that is more like 3 miles, but it sure beats longer stretches of freeway noise and debris. You can get up to ABQ going north from Mountainair (but there's not much shoulder on that road), or paralleling the I-25 corridor from Bernardo, Belen, Los Lunas , ABQ with 314 being preferable to 47 for stretches of the way. Ask if you want details.
Services are bit sparce from Socorro, Datil, Pietown, Springerville, but its not out of the question if you don't hit major headwinds. I hope this helps. Tom

Currently on tour across the Southern Tier, however we plan to break away from the route and head north to Lubbock, TX to visit family and later cross over to Albuquerque, NM to visit a friend. The idea is to meet back up with the ACA route in Tempe, but I'm not sure what kind of conditions we're likely to meet.

If we chose to go through Albuquerque, we would most likely be there in about 10 days, making the mountains obviously cold, but what about snow? Any suggestions, routes, etc.?

Thank you.

Conjo

www.crazyguyonabike.com/conjo
AZ
I would do Route 60. Not really all that high on the AZ side. Cold yes snow I wouldn't suspect a blizzard.

Anything north of 60 blizzard more likely. 8,000 Alpine AZ and I40 Border 6,000.
I10 not all that fun or nice to look at, but warmer. Tucson to PHX yawn.

I don't think US 60 is a great idea in AZ from Globe. Unless you are really into hill climbing.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=127583&v=61

Read this journal entries on that route.

Weather from Alb to Globe on 60 is likely to be a problem. I passed thru Springerville a couple of years ago in May and had light snow/sleet. You'll be hitting that section in late November maybe.

'Bout all you could do on 60 would be hope for the best and expect the worst. Or head back down south.

Sorry I got my roads mixed up. Yea head south I 25.
Springer ville is at 7,000 feet.
AZ 260 is the scenic way, but you climb to 9,000 feet. It makes the last 33 miles really fast though :) Check the forecast for this road they may not plow it.
US60 is the main road.
Show Low to Globe is brutal on climbing. There is a five mile climb out of the salt river. I didn't get the first climb. 2nd 2 miles. 3rd 5 miles 4th 3 miles. There is a few climbs up small hills the whole route you will be going up and then down.

Sorry don't know anything about NM.

Thanks, we are in Lubbock now, and we'll be paying attention to the weather. I think this cold front moving in may be enough to force us down south to El Paso.

But, we'll see. Thanks again.

Conjo