Bluewater State Park Picnic Ride

### A Journey to Bluewater State Park

Our adventure begins at 9:15 AM at Mimi’s with a vital pre-ride briefing. Our current crew of seven riders—with more potentially joining this week—will gather to review hand signals, safety protocols, and route logistics. Because this is a pavement-only picnic ride, everyone should pack a lunch. However, if you need to top off your tank or grab last-minute food items, our first scheduled stop will be for fuel and supplies in San Ysidro.
At 9:30 AM sharp, it’s Kickstands Up (KSU)! I pre-rode the route last weekend to check the conditions and make sure everything is good to go. I will be leading the pack as we head north up US-550, enjoying the sweeping desert views stretching toward the Jemez mountains.
Turning left at San Luis, we will leave the main highway behind to cut directly across the beautiful, wide-open expanses of the Navajo Nation, as mapped out in the file "Possible Route Bluewater State Park.jpg". Cruising along East Route 9, the smooth pavement carves through the striking mesas and quiet solitude of Crownpoint and Thoreau.
Our 169-mile journey outward concludes at Bluewater State Park. Nestled among pinyon pines with a serene lake reflecting the New Mexico sky, it’s the perfect backdrop to unstrap our picnic lunches, relax, and celebrate a successful run.
After enjoying our afternoon by the lake, we will head south to hit the slab, taking a quick 83-mile return trip back via I-40 to wrap up a great day of riding together.