I spent 10 years on summer vacation in Santa Fe (while wife worked at the Opera). I learned to get out early to beat the sun, layer on a ton of sunscreen and bring it with you, use a CamelBak to hydrate and to ride with 25 or 27/8mm tires as NM roads SUCK !.

One route near where I lived in Nambe (Rt503), they chip-sealed that summer, then got lazy and skipped the "roll over with paving machine to smooth the road surface" portion. Thus there were 4 grooves for car tires and high shoulders with ton's of spare gravel on the road edge. Not exactly a pleasant riding surface, but as the road saw little traffic (typical for NM backroads), I got used to it. The wide tires helped as well with glass, which was a huge problem, especially on the Reservations, where smashing beer bottles on the road shoulder from out of a moving car window, was a favorite pastime.

Colorado was only a bit better the year I did Bike Tour of Colorado and they had just that summer chip-sealed Rt149 from South Fork to Creede, where the wider tires at lower pressure made the ride bearable.

I do miss the SW though !. Great scenery everywhere.

Steve B.