Yeah, I lived in northern New Mexico for 6 years and can attest to the daily monsoons in July & August. I remember being literally scared for my life in a horrendous lightning storm and electing to sleep in my truck one night rather than try to walk the 50 feet to my little trailer on the Taos mesa through a torrential downpour and thick "Taos Mud". It sure is beautiful there. though! I'm still trying to figure out psychologically which direction would "feel" the best. Would it be kind of a let down to start out in the grand spendor of the Montana mountains and eventually end up in the more desolate stretches of New Mexico (although just as beautiful in their own way)? I have to admit that there is something about the idea of going North to South that would make me feel like I was going downhill in some way. Also, it would be kind of nice to be going the same direction as the majority of other riders (north to south, right?) so as to increase the possibility of running across other riders to chat with and maybe rider together for a day or two. There's a lot to think about, I guess.