Wet Taco Meet details. It's all here kids!

We are going to go wheeling and camping around Elephant Butte Lake in Truth or Concequences, NM. Saturday and Sunday March 10 & 11 so bring your camping gear, pets, food, drinks and your trucks! If you don't want to camp that's fine too. (editors note: no, that would suck!) We will be meeting up Saturday at the local Walmart in T or C about 10:30 am. From there we all roll to camp on the beach at Hot Springs Landing, maybe do some local trails then its BBQ time round the ol' campfire.

Come sunday morning we pack our crap up and head to the Very Large Array (VLA) via Monticello Canyon and NM-52, roughly 5 hours (without stops) and 91 miles of fairly tame dirt we hope is passable with 2WD and some ground clearence. There's a bailout at mile 51 if you don't wanna go all the way. There's also some options on leaving things behind at the beach such as campers and gear if need be.

If anybody is off Monday, Colin will be staying over at the lake for a extra day.

This is a nice central location for both the El Paso and ABQ folks to meet up as well as anybody else, so come on, lets go!! More details to follow.

EP drivers can meet at the Shell on Trans Mtn and I-10 at 8am on the 10th for a caravan up to T or C. addy for yer gps:
6990 North Desert Boulevard, El Paso, TX

Walmart addy in T or C for yer gps:
2001 H.R. Ashbaugh Dr. Truth Or Consequences, NM 87901

Here is the google map of the area:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=87901&...87901&t=h&z=13

A solid WX link:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw%3A87901.1.99999
Here is the free code--- 13VID

Here's a discussion link for all you TW peeps. It starts at the end of this mega-long thread, page 76:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/texas/127163-el-paso-taco-stop-post4610129.html

If you have Faceplant there's more shenanigans here on our El Paso Tacoma's page: and our Event Invite page:
The visitor info for the VLA:
http://www.vla.nrao.edu/genpub/tours/

Here is a google map from the Lake to the end of the Canyon trail:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=NM...rce=gplus-ogsb

Here is a GM from the end of the Canyon trail to the VLA:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=NM...rce=gplus-ogsb

And here is a GM from the end of the Canyon trail back to the Lake:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=NM...rce=gplus-ogsb

Here is a GM from the Lake though the Canyon and to the VLA:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=NM...rce=gplus-ogsb

Also here is a trip report from someone else of just the Canyon:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=589077

Another review and pictures of the canyon trip plus some options other than the VLA:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=244807

Garmin waypoints:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/948604/Monticello Canyon.gpx (Note: right click and "Save As")

Garmin ToPo maps:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/41/

We will be using CB channel 4. For those with Motorola Talkabout style Walkie Talkies, please use channel 12. We will have communication between CB's and walkie talkies in the lead and chase vehicles to ensure all is right with the world.

 

Very nicely done. Killer cut and paste job! Thx!

 

my pleasure

 

You are amazing Tommy Boy!

 

you kiddin me? colin and matt did all the work. im just managing the info.

 

just tagging along here

 

Im just glad we have one place for all this stuff. I have been digging up some more side trips (one to the remains of an Indian reservation, one to a fire lookout, and another road through the forest to take us back to I25 after the VLA) Will post an update to the Garmin GPS coords once I nail down all the locations.

 

are you goin with us? i need to add ya to the list if so. last count was 15 trucks! holy cheep chit!

 

Keoni is on the list as the Coles. His fb name. Lol. Sorry my fault. I hope your going.

 

Ok folks so I did some more searching and digging and I found some other cool stuff to check out, if yall are interested. The Garmin file with routes and waypoint on it is at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/948604/Monticello Trip.gpx (right click and save as)

Here is a map from BaseCamp with everything on it (alternate routes in blue, planned route in yellow/magenta):

BTW: The VLA is visible from the fire lookout on the first alt route (just wont be up close), and these two routes cut quite a bit of mileage (not necessarily time) off the trip

And another trip report with the two alternate routes (in blue) on it:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/49636-Exploring-the-Cibola-NF-NM

 

kinda sounded like the 2 alt routes may be tough for the 2 pre-runners, myself and val. other than that... friggin wow! i guess with the amount of trucks and bodies we have goin it would be easy enough to split into 2 groups at nm52, 1 for the VLA, another for bear trap canyon & Torreon Springs Rd.

 

very true that would be possible if we get enough interest in the fire lookout

 

So here is the current list of people going.




Plus one more Patti and Chris are bringing their bad ass 4runner too on sunday.

anybody else?

 

What about us tom tom peoples.

 

Buy a garmin. LOL I have a garmin, and Idk how to even put that on mine. LOL pretty sad.

 

You gotta download basecamp (its on garmins site) and hook your gps up to your computer then import the gpx file and copy to your device

 

Got a couple options for you:
http://www.routeconverter.de/home/en (this one looks like your best bet)
http://www.poiedit.com/

 

can't wait to meet all of you tomorrow, yes I finally decided to make the trip down from socorro. Ill have to take off saturday night though since I have to work sunday morning at 10:30.

 

Just glad you can make it!

 

me too, I wish I could do the trip to the VLA too!