“Leaves are falling just like embers
In colors red and gold.
Set us on fire burning just like a
Moon beam in our eyes.”
John Prine
“Killing The Blues”
September 15th to October 21st
1,406 miles
Summary of Road Conditions
Numbers in parentheses refer to the page number for the relevant map in the Rand McNally Road Atlas. The mileage figure next to each city is the distance from the preceding city. Mileage is calculated from city to city based on Google Map’s routing engine.
Starting in Yosemite National Park (12)
E 120 Tioga Pass
When you return to the Crane Flat Gas Station from Yosemite Valley, follow the signs for “Tuolumne Grove/Nature Bridge” to take Tioga Rd/Hwy 120 E to Tioga Pass and Lee Vining. The climb to Tioga Pass will take the better part of a day. The climb consists of long, straight 6-8% grades. You pass by breathtaking alpine lakes as you climb. The elevation at Tioga Pass is 9,943 feet.
E 120 Lee Vining (13), 50 mi (from Yosemite Valley)
After a heart-stopping descent from Tioga Pass, you arrive at the intersection with Hwy 395. Turn right to head towards Bishop. If you want to visit Lee Vining, turn left at the intersection with Hwy 395 and proceed a short distance into Lee Vining. Lee Vining has a very nice information center with information about the Mono Lake region. There is a small grocery store just down the street from the information center.
S 395 Bishop (15), 65 mi
Hwy 395 is a paradise for cyclists. You will enjoy full, paved shoulders and spectacular scenery all the way to Adelanto. The ride to Bishop is very hilly. You climb to an elevation of 7,000 feet and then begin an exhilarating 12 mile descent into Bishop. Just as you enter Bishop, there is a Vonn’s grocery store on your left at the intersection with Hwy 6. Bishop has lots of motels and restaurants.
S 395 Big Pine, 15 mi
Hwy 395 winds through a narrow valley with the towering Eastern Sierras on both sides of the highway. The Western Sierras have already captured most of the precipitation as moisture from the Pacific ocean heads eastward with the prevailing winds. You are in a harsh desert 100 miles west of Death Valley. Clumps of desert grass and sage give the valley floor a golden glow. Because pine trees are absent from the mountain sides, the mountains stand naked with their stunning musculature on full display. The sun arcs overhead filling the valley with light. John Muir called these mountains the “range of light.” The route is slightly downhill and you have full, paved shoulders. As you enter the small town of Big Pine, you will see a sign directing you to turn left onto Hwy 168 and proceed 24 miles to visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. These trees are among the most ancient trees in the world. A detour to visit the trees is highly recommended. Otherwise, just continue south on Hwy 395 towards Lone Pine.
S 395 Lone Pine, 42 mi
Lone Pine is my favorite town along Hwy 395. It sits in the shadow of majestic Mt. Whitney. You will likely see lots of hikers in Lone Pine preparing to trek up Mt. Whitney. With an elevation of 14,505 feet, Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the lower forty-eight states. There is a small grocery store on your right as you head south through Lone Pine. The Lone Pine Bistro, a very welcoming espresso cafe, is located half a block north of the grocery store. My favorite attraction in Lone Pine is the Museum of Western Film History. Be sure to check out this very cool museum. The museum is on your right, adjacent to Hwy 395, as you head south on Hwy 395.
S 395 Ridgecrest, 79 mi
Shortly before you get to Ridgecrest, Hwy 395 separates from Hwy 14 and turns sharply to your left towards Ridgecrest. If you want to visit Ridgecrest, it will add about ten miles to your journey. I usually visit Ridgecrest in order to buy groceries at Walmart. To visit Ridgecrest, turn left onto Hwy 178. Proceed about five miles to the second traffic signal. You will find yourself at the front gate of the rather ominously named Naval Air Weapons Systems China Lake. Turn right onto China Lake Blvd. Proceed several miles through Ridgecrest and you will arrive at a large Walmart on your left. The Walmart has electrical outlets on the exterior walls. To rejoin Hwy 395, continue in the same direction on China Lake Blvd. You will climb a very long hill as you depart Ridgecrest. Proceed about five miles to the intersection with Hwy 395 where you will turn left towards Kramer Junction. There is open desert in every direction if you need to camp.
S 395 Kramer Junction, 49 mi
You have a full, paved shoulder all the way to Kramer Junction. There is a Pilot truck stop on your right in Kramer Junction.
S 395 Adelanto, 30 mi
There is heavy truck traffic on this section. You have a full, paved shoulder. A few miles past Kramer Junction, you will climb a long, steep hill. There are several long hills like this on the way to Adelanto. After each hill, you descend and cross flat valleys. In Adelanto, proceed to the third traffic signal and turn left onto Air Expressway. There is a Dollar General on your left after you turn onto Air Expressway.
E Air Expy Victorville, 9 mi
Continue on Air Expressway to Victorville. You will pass a logistics airport on your left and a federal prison on your right. Sadness seems to fill the air as I pass the oppressive prison complex. Air Expressway dead ends at Hwy 18 (National Trails Hwy). Turn right onto Hwy 18. Hwy 18 crosses under I-15. Shortly after you cross under I-15, you will pass the Route 66 Museum on your right. Hwy 18 crosses a bridge over railroad tracks and climbs steeply. The bridge has bicycle friendly shoulders. The adjacent hills are an impressive jumble of fractured rock similar to what you will see in Joshua Tree National Park.
E 18 Apple Valley, 7 mi
Apple Valley is spread out along Hwy 18. It is filled with medical offices of various kinds. You will pass a Starbucks on your right. Continue another five miles and you will pass a Walmart and an Albertsons grocery store situated together on your right. There is lots of open desert on your right between Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley if you need a place to camp.
E 18 Lucerne Valley, 14 mi
Most of the time you have only a mini-shoulder with an annoying rumble strip. Traffic is light, however, and it is easy to hop onto the sandy shoulder to accommodate passing trucks. When you enter Lucerne Valley, there is a Dollar General on your left. Just past the Dollar General, Hwy 18 swings to the right. Continue straight ahead onto Hwy 247. This intersection is clearly marked.
E 247 Landers, 38 mi
Traffic is much lighter. You ride through a vast desert. The annoying rumble strip disappears. There are some recently repaired sections of the highway with full, paved shoulders. A few miles past Landers, there is a Dollar General on your right.
E 247 Yucca Valley, 16 mi
You have a full, paved shoulder. There are two climbs just before you get to Yucca Valley. The first climb isn’t too bad. The second climb is extremely steep. I usually walk up the last stretch. Shortly after this steep climb, you will see what looks like a large, unpaved parking area on your right. There is a lone information display in the center of the parking area. The title of the information display is “Rhythm of Life and Atlatl at Black Mesa.” The sign explains that there is a geoglyph earthwork by the Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers situated 240 feet in elevation gain on the adjacent hillside. The two-hundred foot long geoglyph is made of 460 tons of dry stacked stone and is titled “Rhythm of Life.” The Rhythm of Life geoglyph is an optimistic symbol of life and regeneration. Hike up the trail for an up close view of this extraordinary artwork. After you pass the Rhythm of Life geoglyph, you will coast the last few miles into the town of Yucca Valley. In Yucca Valley, turn left at the traffic signal onto Hwy 62 (29 Palms Hwy). A short way down, there is a Vonn’s grocery store on your left. A little further down, there is a Starbucks on your left. Continue several miles on Hwy 62 towards Joshua Tree and there is a Walmart on your right. There is open desert on your right along Hwy 62 if you need a place to camp.
E 62 Joshua Tree, 8 mi
You have either a full shoulder or a generous mini-shoulder on the short ride to the town of Joshua Tree. Turn right onto Park Ave. towards Joshua Tree National Park. This intersection is clearly marked with signs directing you to the park.
S Park Blvd through Joshua Tree National Park
Park Blvd. through Joshua Tree National Park is a thirty-six mile loop through one of the most dramatic landscapes I have ever seen. The first eighteen miles are mostly uphill. I usually camp at Intersection Rock which is located on your left about half way through the park. Joshua Tree National Park is revered by rock climbers as one of the best places in the world for the “trad” (traditional) style of rock climbing. It is hard to imagine two sports more different than cycling, with its smooth continuous effort over many hours, and rock climbing, with its short, intense movements. Despite these differences, rock climbers and cyclists have a lot in common. There is a shared love of the outdoors, a tendency to obsess about gear, and a healthy appetite at dinner time! At Intersection Rock, I usually set up my tent at the foot of the boulders located about fifty yards behind the restrooms. There are some adjacent picnic tables where the climbers tend to congregate. It is a lot of fun chatting with the climbers while I cook dinner. The climbers usually set-up their tents near the picnic tables. I just ask them if they would mind if I put up my tent nearby. They always answer, “That would be fine!”
There is something playful about Joshua Tree National Park. The ancient Joshua Trees are arrayed across the desert like toy soldiers waving their arms in the air. The enormous rounded boulders are a playground for park visitors. On one trip, a rock climber let me look at her rock climbing manual. The manual included information about the geologic events that created the park. When the Pacific plate first collided with the North American plate, it headed east until it met enough resistance to start slipping north along a fault line like it does today. These early events were quite violent and created the dramatic landscape that surrounds you. The huge rounded boulders you see in Joshua Tree National Park originated from ten miles below the earth’s crust!
On one trip, a few weeks before I arrived at Joshua Tree National Park, I was staying at a hotel. The program “Unsolved Mysteries” happened to come on the hotel’s TV. The unsolved mystery in this particular episode was what happened to the body of the American musician Gram Parsons which had mysteriously disappeared from a funeral home. It turned out that Gram’s friends, knowing that Gram loved Joshua Tree National Park, had broken into the funeral home and had stolen his body. They tried to build a funeral pyre to burn his body on a hill in Joshua Tree National Park. The authorities quickly unraveled the scheme and retrieved his body.
On a subsequent trip, after I learned all this, I was at the entrance to the park. I decided to ask the park ranger at the pay station if many park visitors asked her about Gram Parsons. She answered that I was the fifth one so far that morning! She was a good sport, though, and carefully marked the spot on the park map where Gram’s friends placed his body. It turned out to be a very beautiful spot indeed! Gram’s famous album, “Sweet Heart of the Rodeo” with the Byrds, is one of my favorites. I played his beautiful performance of “I Am A Pilgrim” from this album to honor the occasion!
N Park Blvd to Twentynine Palms, 36 mi (via Joshua Tree National Park)
The second half of the loop through Joshua Tree National Park is mostly downhill. You arrive in the small town of Twentynine Palms. Turn right onto Hwy 62 towards Parker, Arizona. If you need water, there is a water spigot in the courtyard of the Joshua Tree National Park headquarters on your left a short distance before you get to Hwy 62. Make sure all your water containers are full. A short distance after you turn right onto Hwy 62, there is a sign that says “next services 100 miles.”
E 62 Parker, Arizona (8), 110 mi
This is one of the most isolated areas in the entire United States. You have a sandy mini-shoulder without a rumble strip. Traffic is very light. The harshly beautiful desert stretches as far as you can see in every direction. This is the only section of the route that is completely unfenced. The possibilities are thrilling! The open land invites one to find out what lies behind those mysterious hills! Eighteen miles before you get to Parker there is a Chevron convenience store on your left. You cross a bridge into Parker. The bridge has bicycle friendly shoulders. Parker and nearby Lake Havesu are home to a large number of winter visitors known as “snow birds.” They occupy the large number of RV parks in the area. The winter months in Parker are warm and sunny.
S 95 to Hwy 72
There is an intersection in Parker with a traffic signal and Terrible’s convenience stores on both sides of the intersection. I guess one could call this a “terrible” intersection! Continue east on Hwy 62 and follow the signs for Hwy 95 southbound. The intersection with Hwy 72 is twelve miles outside Parker. This intersection is clearly marked. Unfortunately, both Hwy 95 and Hwy 72 are narrow, mostly shoulderless highways with lots of truck traffic. Be sure to constantly monitor traffic in both directions so you can hop off the road when necessary to let trucks pass. The shoulders are hazardous because the sand or loose gravel can cause you to lose control, especially if you have narrow road tires. Therefore, I recommend unclipping one foot before hitting the shoulder. This will help you maintain control.
S 72 Hope, 49 mi (from Parker)
The town of Hope is tiny. Turn left on Hwy 60 in Hope. As you depart Hope on Hwy 60, there is a sign that always makes me smile. The sign says “You are now beyond Hope.” Very true!
E 60 Wickenburg, 61 mi
Hwy 60 has full, paved shoulders all the way to Wickenburg. It is easy to find a place to camp along the highway. Starting at approximately mile marker 90, there are no fences and you can simply walk into the desert and camp behind the mesquite trees. Wickenburg is at mile marker 110. When you enter Wickenburg, there is a Safeway grocery store on your right. There is a Glacier water machine outside Safeway. The Starbucks inside Safeway has a seating area with electrical outlets. The Wickenburg post office is located in the shopping center on the same side of the highway and just west of the Safeway. There is a water spigot on the exterior wall just to the right of the post office entrance. There is also a laundromat in the same shopping center with the post office. Further into Wickenburg, there is a roundabout where Hwy 60 intersects Hwy 93. Simply follow the signs depending on whether you are headed for Phoenix (E Hwy 60) or Congress (N Hwy 93).
I recommend an excursion to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. It is 76 miles from Wickenburg to Scottsdale. Hwy 60 has extremely heavy traffic but also has full, paved shoulders. There is unfenced desert on your right with excellent stealth camping just before you cross 163rd Ave. and about five miles before you get to Bell Rd. Be sure to ride on the sidewalk along Bell Rd. to avoid the heavy city traffic.
Refer to Phoenix city map (8):
E 60 to Bell Rd
E Bell Rd to Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd
S Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd to Taliesin West
N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd to Bell Rd
W Bell Rd to 60
W 60 to return to Wickenburg
Take a one week rest break in Wickenburg, Arizona.
N 93/E 71 Congress (8), 17 mi
You have narrow mini-shoulders and relatively light traffic on this section. Exercise caution and be prepared to hop onto the unpaved shoulder if necessary. Turn right onto Hwy 89. This intersection is clearly marked. Congress is tiny. There is a Shell station on your right. There is a Family Dollar store next to the Shell station. There is a Glacier water machine outside the Family Dollar store. Almost as soon as you leave Congress, you begin a challenging five mile climb. You have a full paved shoulder. The climb takes about an hour.
E 89 Yarnell, 10 mi
At the summit, you arrive in the small town of Yarnell. You cross a flat section with mountain meadows and occasional heaps of rounded boulders. There is excellent stealth camping about five miles east of Yarnell. Turn left onto a dirt road, cross a cattle guard, and camp behind the trees on your right.
E 89 Prescott, 34 mi
Refer to Prescott city map (9)
There is another hard climb before you get to Prescott. The climb is between mile marker 296 and mile marker 306. This climb takes about two hours. The elevation at the summit is 6,200 feet. The smell of pine trees fills the air. After a brief exhilarating descent, you arrive in the very beautiful town of Prescott. There is a bicycle shop on your left with an inspiring quote painted on the outside wall of the shop, “Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity.” There is a Safeway with a Glacier water machine on your left a short way into Prescott. Prescott is known as the mile high city. It has an especially beautiful courthouse square and is surrounded by hiking trails along creeks and around lakes. Follow the signs for Hwy 89 through Prescott. You will pass the High Gear Bicycle Shop on your right. This is one of the best bicycle shops I have ever visited. Shortly after you leave Prescott, merge left to join Hwy 89A.
N 89A Sedona (8), 67 mi
The area just north of Prescott has huge rounded boulders that will remind you of Joshua Tree National Park. A few miles north of Prescott, just past Granite Dells Lane, there is a spectacular stealth camping spot hidden behind the huge boulders on your right. There is another challenging hour long climb between mile marker 331 and mile marker 336. The elevation at the Mingus Recreation Area summit is 7,023 feet. You descend 2,000 feet to the small town of Jerome which is perched precariously on the side of a cliff. From Jerome, you continue your descent into Verde Valley below. You will pass a Dollar General on your right. A few miles past the Dollar General is a Foodland grocery store on your right.
In the town of Cottonwood, there is a Starbucks on your right at the intersection of Hwy 89A and Hwy 260. If you turn right on Hwy 260 and proceed a short distance past the Starbucks, there is a Walmart on your right. It is 17 miles to Sedona from Cottonwood. As you approach Sedona, you will see a large sign that says “No Camping Past This Point.” I recommend camping along the forest service road where this sign is located or well north of Sedona just past Oak Creek Canyon on the way to Flagstaff. Oak Creek Canyon is one of the most spectacular bicycle rides in the world. Unfortunately, the ride through the canyon is on a narrow, shoulderless, winding road. It is best to avoid Oak Creek Canyon on weekends when traffic is heavy. On the positive side, the speed limit in the canyon is only 35 mph. There is a very challenging climb with 8% grades at the north end of the canyon.
N 89A/Beula Blvd Flagstaff, 30 mi
Refer to Flagstaff city map (9)
Hwy 89A becomes Beula Blvd as you approach Flagstaff. There is a short stretch of Beula Blvd that doesn’t have shoulders. I ride on the unpaved shoulder occasionally to let cars pass. In Flagstaff, follow the flow of traffic to turn right onto Forest Meadows. After a block or two, Forest Meadows dead ends at Milton Ave (Hwy 89A). There is a Dennys Restaurant at this intersection. Turn left onto Milton Ave and proceed approximately two miles to the intersection with Hwy 180. This intersection is clearly marked. You will pass a Starbucks on your left and several grocery stores. Because the sole grocery store in Tusayan has a very poor selection of groceries and has prices approximately double the prices in Flagstaff, I suggest that you make sure you have a full complement of groceries and water before leaving Flagstaff.
N 180 Valle (8), 50 mi
Road conditions on Hwy 180 are superb and traffic is very light once you leave Flagstaff. You have a choice of a full, paved shoulder or a bike path. After a few miles, you begin a long climb through Coconino National Forest. You will pass a sign announcing the elevation is 8,000 feet. You will pass by groves of beautiful aspen trees and alpine meadows. Camping is permitted anywhere in the national forest on both sides of the highway. Turn right at the intersection with Hwy 64. You are now in the town of Valley. This intersection is clearly marked. There is a Chevron gas station on your right at this intersection. Be sure to check out the cool collection of antique cars at the north end of the Chevron parking lot. There is outside seating where you can relax and eat lunch.
N 64 Tusayan, 22 mi
Tusayan is a tourist town located just south of Grand Canyon National Park. There is a Starbucks on your right in Tusayan. The Starbucks has an international flavor because people from all over the world visit the Grand Canyon. On one trip, I had a long conversation at this Starbucks with a philosophy major from Poland! There is a small, very expensive grocery store next door to the Starbucks.
N 64 Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. It is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world. Set aside a moment at one of the vista points to take in the view and listen to Bob Dylan’s song “Every Grain of Sand.”
E 64 Cameron, 60 mi (from Tusayan)
It’s mostly downhill from Grand Canyon to Cameron. There are numerous turnouts on your left with magnificent views of Grand Canyon. You have generous mini-shoulders on this section. Once you leave the national park, it is legal to camp in the national forest areas on either side of the highway. Turn left when you get to Hwy 89. There is a Burger King restaurant at this intersection. It is one mile from the Burger King to the tiny town of Cameron. Cameron has a large convenience store, a nice restaurant, and a hotel located together on your left. Hwy 89 has heavy traffic and a combination of either full, paved shoulders or barely adequate mini-shoulders. You lose your full shoulder whenever there is a passing lane. It is fifteen miles from Cameron to the intersection with Hwy 160. This is a tense section and you need to be extra cautious. I ride on the unpaved shoulder whenever groups of vehicles are passing.
N 89/E 160 Tuba City, 26 mi
Turn right when you reach Hwy 160. It is eleven miles from this intersection to Tuba City. The desolate landscape has a strange beauty that will remind you of photographs of the planet Mars. There is a Bashas grocery store on your left as you depart Tuba City.
E 160 Kayenta, 75 mi
You have a full, paved shoulder on this section. Traffic is heavy. In Kayenta, there is a McDonald’s on your left. There is a Bashas grocery store in the shopping center behind the McDonald’s.
E 160 Teec Nos Pas, 73 mi
There is a surprisingly well stocked convenience store on your left as you depart the tiny town of Teec Nos Pas.
E 64 Shiprock, New Mexico (68), 27 mi
You have either full, paved shoulders or acceptable mini-shoulders on this section. This section is quite hilly. A few miles after entering New Mexico, you will see the imposing Shiprock formation looming in the distance. The Shiprock formation is the remnants of an ancient volcano. The outer cone has eroded away, leaving only the interior of the volcano. In the town of Shiprock, turn left at the traffic signal and follow the signs for Farmington. There is a McDonald’s a short distance to your right at this intersection. There is a very nice laundromat next door to the McDonald’s. Across the highway from the McDonald’s, there is a Bashas grocery store.
E 64 Farmington, 28 mi
On this section, Hwy 64 is a divided highway with wide, paved shoulders. Traffic is very heavy. When you enter Farmington, you will see a sign directing you to turn right for the eastbound Hwy 64 truck bypass (Murray Rd). I recommend that you take this bypass. This intersection is clearly marked. There is a McDonald’s on your left at this intersection. Just past the McDonald’s, also on your left, is a Walmart. If you visit the McDonald’s or the Walmart, be sure to backtrack a short distance in order to take the Hwy 64 bypass. The McDonald’s has several electrical outlets if you need to charge your devices.
E 64 Bloomfield, 14 mi
Your wide, paved shoulder continues on this section. Three major rivers converge in Farmington and provide water for irrigation. The irrigated fields contrast with the surrounding desert. On this sunny October afternoon, the fields are a rich green and the cottonwood trees along the river banks are a golden yellow.
E 64 Dulce, 71 mi
Between Bloomfield and Dulce, road conditions vary. About two thirds of the time you have mini-shoulders. You have a full paved shoulder about one third of the time. Traffic is very light but watch for oil field trucks. You are traveling through rugged canyons. The scenery is very beautiful and camping spots are plentiful. The constant uphill grade is barely noticeable but will start to take a toll. In Dulce, Hwy 64 swings to the left and then makes a hard right at a stop sign. You will pass a large grocery store on your left. This store has a much better selection of groceries than the smaller grocery store in Chama. There is a Family Dollar store on your left as you depart Dulce.
E 64 Chama, 27 mi
The rugged canyons disappear and the land opens up to reveal breathtaking mountain meadows. This area is very isolated and traffic is light. The elevation in Chama is almost 8,000 feet. In Chama, turn right at the stop sign. There is a small grocery store a short distance down on your right.
E 64 Brazos Summit, mile marker 193
At mile marker 173, you begin a challenging twenty mile climb to the Brazos summit. At mile marker 175, Hwy 64 makes a sharp left turn. This intersection is clearly marked. Look for signs that say “To Taos.” You have a full paved shoulder all the way to the summit. Traffic is very light. There are several long stretches that look like you are going downhill even though your legs continue to insist that you are still climbing! I actually stop to spin my wheels in order to make sure nothing is binding! The climb consists of long straight 6-8% grades and takes about four hours. At 11,000 ft elevation, the Brazos Summit is the highest point on my bicycle route. You are likely to see patches of snow on the roadsides. Aspen trees grace the mountain sides with their golden leaves and graceful, silver trunks. The air is incredibly clean and crisp.
E 64 Tres Piedras, 50 mi
Your full paved shoulder continues until you reach the desolate Taos plateau. Hwy 64 heads across this plateau, straight as an arrow, towards the imposing mountains looming in the distance. Unfortunately, the road is narrow and shoulderless, so exercise caution. The city of Taos sits at the base of the mountains somewhat to your right. You will pass a community of otherworldly structures on your left known as Earthship Biotecture. Be sure to stop at the visitor center in order to tour some of the structures. Approaching Taos, you will cross the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. This is one of the most awe inspiring vista points in all of America.
E 64 Taos, 32 mi
In Taos, turn right at the first traffic signal and follow Hwy 64 to the old square. At the old square, signs direct you to turn left to continue on Hwy 64. If you turn left, you will pass Kit Carson’s home and museum on your left. If you continue straight ahead, you will pass through the center of old Taos and then continue on Paseo Del Puebla Sur (Hwy 68) which has nice bicycle lanes on both sides. Paseo Del Puebla Sur will take you by an Albertsons grocery store and then a small Walmart, both on your right. You will pass 5 Star Burgers on your right. I highly recommend a meal at 5 Star Burgers. The food and service are excellent! Continue a few miles and then turn left at the well marked Hwy 64 truck bypass (Hwy 585) which will take you back to Hwy 64 without having to brave the narrow streets around the old square.
Take a one week rest break in Taos, New Mexico.