Monumental Loop South
Dusty solitude colors the southern extension of the Monumental Loop. Early Spring of 2022, I sought to embrace the peace that befalls the arid landscapes of Southern New Mexico. On the heels of Easter weekend, the contrast of highly social family gatherings and solo bikepacking harmonized my being. The following is a brief recount of an overnighter on the southern 120 miles of the Monumental Loop.
Spring in the Southwest is not a season that I favor. High winds and low humidity parch the desert-scapes. Really, it is the wind which tends to be the problem and night is the favorite time for wind to rage. Springtime temps in New Mexico tend towards the mild, it is not uncommon to reach 90+ degrees fahrenheit. Of course, these are the exact conditions that characterized the weather on this trip…
After a weekend of Easter festivities, I embarked on a quick overnighter to experience the duty, sandy southern Monumental Loop. The morning started out hot, with steady winds as I pedaled around “A” Mountain to join the single track that is the Sierra Vista trail. Fauna and Flora were a surprising treat as cactus’ bloom and rattle snakes slithered across the trails. The trail varies in conditions ranging from sandy, gravely, to rocky. Paralleling the dramatic organ mountains, the Sierra Vista Trail delivered me to Vado, a small town where I took reprieve from the heat that was rising to formidable 96 degree F day. At a gas station I found a sliver of shade under which to eat some ice cream and consume fluids.
The next section of the monumental loop utilizes levies as a means to traverse between towns and the more desirable BLM lands. The section between Sierra Vista and the dirt roads leading to Kilbourne Hole are a drag on a single speed, but I grinded the miles away without too much drama.
Kilbourne Hole is a large crater in the desert where the Apollo Missions conducted some of their trainings. It is a unique area with stunning vistas. My favorite section of this route is definitely the deep sand roads that take the bikepacker to and from Kilbourne Hole.
I slept on the precipice of Killbourne Hole. I noticed the wind beginning to intensify as the sun set. I opted to place my bivy sack nicely nestled between these “micro dunes” thinking I would be well protected from the wind. Unfortunately, this did not suffice as adequate shelter from the winds as I got blasted by the winds all night long. The main problem was the sand blowing into my bivy giving me the sense of being buried alive. A simple solution would be to zip up my bivy, but the wind did little to alieve the heat of the day. A zipped up bivy solved the problem of getting buried by sand, but made a sweltering experience inside the bivy. The night’s sleep was poor. Despite the poor sleep, the scenes of the night and morning were of exceptional beauty.
The morning provided cooler temps and tamer winds. The final miles back to town were mellow despite sections of deep sand. The descent into Mesilla was pleasant and the route utilizes those levies to pedal back to civilization. My ride concluded by meeting up with family in Old Mesilla for a brew and a burger.
