Goin’ South–A female tale from the desert of the Southwest USA Pt.4


The MC B&B is awesome. Dean and Mz Pam are not only good friends but amazing hosts. Pam had just returned from a diving trip in the Caribbean but didn’t hesitate to put together a delicious peach pie! We shared travel tales as Dean listened to two crazy women laughing and enjoying each other’s company. I LOVE Show Low. The weather was supposed to get rough with flash flood warnings and though I would like to have spent more time, I decided to get on my way via 180 to 152 and New Mexico. We said our via con dias and after Dean rode my Bandit off his 3 miles of dirt, I got on and headed south!

I stopped in the little town of Alpine at the Bearwallow for a cup o’ java and met a gentleman riding an old Norton. We chatted a while and he told me I would “peg up the smile meter on 152”. I couldn’t wait.

Look at those awesome clouds on Hwy 180, AZ

The clouds just keep getting better, now if only I can skirt the rain fall.

Hwy 180 is a good riding road, though not as fun a 191, but still worthy. Sadly when I got to Hwy 152 they had chipped sealed it the day prior then it flooded. What a mess!! I have never experienced chip seal like this. It was 3 inches thick on some parts of the road and every right hander was deep in gravel. I guess the rains kept the tar from absorbing any of the gravel as it seems all to be lying on top awaiting a daring motorcyclist. I had to ride with extreme caution and I was greatly disappointed as this is one amazing road!!

Hwy 152 beautiful twisty wonder running between AZ and NM.

Chip-seal is 3 inches deep in the OTHER lane, luckily for me.

Note the clouds are a least clearing!

Finally, I get out of the new chip-seal to amazing pavement and great twisties.

As you travel over 152 you enjoy some serious history going through the towns of Kingston and Hillsboro. At least there was some virtue to the route as the road was sorely lacking in surface! Once I got past the new seal, it was a blast however near the historic towns NMHP lurked awaiting lawbreakers and as you all know, I am never one of those!

I got to Truth or Consequences, NM at dusk and lucked into a very cool hot springs motel by a cancellation. I even got the room I desired, the Babaloo, a Lucy and Desi themed room. It was a riot. I had an amazing in room hot springs tub for soaking and I was thrilled to be there as the weather was quickly deteriorating into flash floods and rain. I spent two glorious days there with the amazing hosts of the The Blackstone Hot Springs. I don’t think the experience could have been more appealing.

The Babaloo, my room with Lucy and Desi.

My soaking tub

Nice sink

Love the vintage table and chairs in my kitchenette.

The courtyard the following morning with thunderstorms predicted with Dorothy’s beautiful landscaping.


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