tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post3003421689504478028..comments2024-03-15T21:00:27.008-05:00Comments on Geezer with a Grudge: Dirt Biking in Elephant ButteT.W. Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-11017777354654288462018-03-10T16:50:31.388-06:002018-03-10T16:50:31.388-06:00You need to get out of Santa Fe occasionally. You&...You need to get out of Santa Fe occasionally. You'd think NM would be a blue state, but it's more of a Blue Dog Democrat (or purple) state like most of the south. The state is littered with fracking sites, it's hard to find anything about the state's politics (outside of the hipster Santa Fe area) that qualifies as "liberal" or progressive, and the state's biggest export is its high school graduates. <br /><br />This essay was written in 2013 when NASA had this to say about the "lake": https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=81714. "Numbers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated the total water in storage to be 65,057 acre-feet (0.08 cubic kilometers) on July 24, 2013, about 3 percent of the reservoir’s capacity of 2.2 million acre-feet (2.7 cubic kilometers). The last time water levels were that low was 1972, after droughts in the 1950s and 1960s depleted Elephant Butte." There were absolutely no boats on the water for the entire 4 months we camped there. The marina only opened up for the Xmas party and we almost owned the campground that was closest to the lake. We often went for a week or more without another camper in our area. Don't know what it's like today. As I said, it was an awesome place for a dirt biker. T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-86001058826905061482018-03-06T10:38:24.000-06:002018-03-06T10:38:24.000-06:00NM is a red state? Your nuts, the Legislative bra...NM is a red state? Your nuts, the Legislative branch of NM has been blue since statehood in 1912! And the lake still has 7 miles of boating area when low. You do have a grudge. Too bad.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16574061777678275193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-30888588491791284172018-02-07T09:10:56.028-06:002018-02-07T09:10:56.028-06:00We were back in TorC last winter in February. Noth...We were back in TorC last winter in February. Nothing had chanced at Elephant Butte since 2013: still not much water in the lake, very few campers in the park, and the only people taking advantage of all that sand to ride were 4-wheel drive pickups. Be sure you have a tire repair kit, the goatheads and mesquite will do a job on tires and tubes. T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-40255998889670797122018-01-31T11:03:46.291-06:002018-01-31T11:03:46.291-06:00thinking about heading to this area in March. Do y...thinking about heading to this area in March. Do you still ride in the area? has much changed since you wrote this article? I like the idea of not many people and lots of miles of riding.omphaloskepsishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01391029248899837530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-21709934723183882682013-12-30T11:25:24.947-06:002013-12-30T11:25:24.947-06:00'tis. I practically have the whole 36,000 acre...'tis. I practically have the whole 36,000 acre park to myself. I am the only motorcycle out there on any given day for the last 3 weeks. T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-8403575906843039212013-12-30T10:12:20.450-06:002013-12-30T10:12:20.450-06:00It is nice that you had all the off-road trails to...It is nice that you had all the off-road trails to yourself. Way better than racing around with a bunch of others.Trobairitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453398807198746434noreply@blogger.com