NM 152 - By Dan Erhard

This is the best motorcycle road in New Mexico. This is the road where I get leaned over the farthest, wearing the tire all the way to the edge. Enter those corners at 20, leave em at 35. Other roads are either too tight, or more sweeper corners that don't get me dragging the pegs. Like Goldilocks bed, this one is just right. I've been on this road since 1973, when we gravity raced it on bicycles using both lanes on weekdays. Today there is too much traffic for that, but its still a great ride on a motorcycle with not that much traffic. Stay in your lane though, unless you can see around that corner. Sometimes cars cross the line a bit so be ready for that and ride single file. Road surface is good on the east side, new chip seal two years ago so its well packed in now. West side a bit crusty, watch for small amounts of loose gravel on the patches. That is as of August 2020. My favorite way to ride this is a long loop, Las Cruces to Deming, then up 180 to the 61. Continue up the valley to Lake Roberts for lunch. Then turn around and return to the 152 for the ride home over the pass, including the 27 and 26 to Hatch. 300 miles. The other good ride is 200 miles or so and quicker. Take I 25 to Caballo, and then up the 152. Turn around at the top, or continue on the other side and turn around at about 100 to 110 miles. Turn around on the top, an do the east side twice works too. Right now, the road surface is nice enough for twice on the east side.