A favorite photo stop along the highway. Just off of US Route 84 Peñasco Amarillo presents a dramatic rock edifice rising above the Carson National Forest.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a 64-mile narrow-gauge steam railroad that runs between Chama, New Mexico, and Antonito, Colorado, through the San Juan Mountains. Originally built in 1880 to serve the gold and silver mines, it is now a National Historic Landmark. The railroad features a 64-mile trip with stunning scenery, a stop for lunch at Osier, Colorado, and travels through remote and unspoiled country with views of the Rocky Mountains, forests, and high alpine meadows. Description by Google AI.

Leaving Chama, NM heading north on highway 17 the trains heading to Antonito, CO can be chased for many miles. The railroad crosses 17 in several locations allowing spectators to gather near the tracks for photo and video opportunities. On this day, there were as many people chasing the train as riding on it. Both of these videos were taken the summer of 2024 just steps from highway 17 in New Mexico and Colorado. Sighting the train, its locomotive chugging up the grade, and the steam whistle blast were awesome to experience up close — one of many ways to encounter scenic New Mexico.

500,000 miles. It’s average for long distance motorcycle riders. It’s not an exact number, not well documented, but a conservative estimate of the miles I’ve ridden on a dozen different bikes since I started riding motorcycles again in 2005 after a long leave of absence. Looking back, it’s a lot of miles, a lot of places, a lot of pictures, and lots of memories.

To mark the occasion, I’m planning a motorcycle excursion traveling to some of the places we’ve visited during the past twenty years. With a mix of old and new experiences, I’ll cover some of the many miles and many places we’ve visited. And in doing so, I’ll be passing the 500,000 mile mark very soon.