The Plan

A bicycle ride from Alamogordo New Mexico to Lubbock Texas in April 2024.

Why? This seems to be about the right time of year to ride this segment and several things also come together. It lets me “connect” Lubbock more closely to other routes I have cycled. In the summer of 2020 I spent a month in Lubbock as a cooler break from Austin during the pandemic. One weekend I cycled to Amarillo and other weekends I cycled in the area. However, connect to other places I have ridden including US 83 from Mexico to Canada or across Texas. While Alamogordo also doesn’t connect yet, it comes closer to both Socorro and Las Cruces which I have cycled in the past. It also will include a vacation home I have in Ruidoso where I have also cycled in the area.

It is a little over 300 miles which I expect to bicycle in a week. The first day I drop off a rental car in Alamogordo and then cycle up the hill to my vacation home. From there a four day ride via Roswell and ending in Lubbock.

There is a about 9000 feet of elevation gain and 10000 feet of elevation loss. More than half the elevation gain is on the first day to top of that second bump. After that a lot more downhill than uphill. The second day has the longest overall downhill. The third day to Tatum is the most remote with little in the way of services. The last two days are both flatter and have some wide-spread towns.

The weather can change, but on average temperatures in Alamogordo, Roswell and Lubbock have lows in the mid-40s and highs in the 70s so pleasant cycling. Ruidoso is a little cooler.

While there are trees about ~6000ft, a lot of this route will be on open plains where wind can make a difference. Hopefully I get some tailwinds or at least not as many head winds. The climate averages including wind roses suggest more tailwinds than headwinds so see how well this works out.