Winter Desert Ramble (Video)

Words, photos, and video by Ian J. Whitmore

In January, I planned five days of gravel riding in Arizona and New Mexico, starting in Pearce, AZ, heading first to the Chiricahua National Monument, on to Animas, NM, and then down toward the border with Mexico, passing through Douglas, AZ, before heading north again to complete a 256-mile loop, camping along the way.

My original route was the Chihuahuan Desert Loop (developed by Kurt Refsnider), but after two nights of intensifying overnight winds, I changed my plans, rerouted north, and ended up pushing through one of my toughest days on a bike.

I found myself on rugged four-by-four tracks winding through a gorgeous landscape, followed by a slog through sandy ravines and eroded trails in bleak ranchland. After nearly four hours of hike-a-bike and failing digital maps, I called a friend to help me navigate using my Garmin inReach tracker signal and made it to a farm road. Luckily, it worked, and I was off and pedaling again, hours behind schedule.

I spent two nights at RV parks, finding refuge in a glamping pod at one and an old motorhome at the other. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, I avoided the cold overnight winds in some less conventional shelters. As misadventures go, it certainly could have been worse, and I am grateful for the people I met and for everything I learned!

Recommended Route

The route below starts in Tombstone and varies slightly from the one I rode, which I can’t fully recommend.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

34

ROUTE

El Camino del Diablo

206

ROUTE

Monumental Loop, Southern New Mexico

42

ROUTE

Madrean Rugged Ramble

21

ROUTE

San Juan Space Jam, New Mexico

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.