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Shrine Loop |
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Shrine Loop |
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This long, easy ride gradually climbs west and south from Socorro to a point a few miles south of the Shrine. The dirt section is mostly downhill and fast: watch for bad sections and arroyo cuts.
The shrine was built by Mr. Nick Silva of Socorro, who was seriously ill at the time, as an act of faith to restore his health.. The first shrine, made of stone, stood where the bridge is today; it was torn down in 1951 when the present highway was built. Mr. Silva rebuilt his "little church" in 1952 at its present site on land owned and offered to him by Juan Sedillo.
The shrine has worked: Nick and Edith Silva are the grandparents to many Silvas, and are still residing in Socorro.
| Mileage | Surface | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | PAVED | Plaza. Head west on Fisher Avenue. |
| 0.2 | PAVED | Turn left onto Grant Street. |
| 0.5 | PAVED | Turn right onto US Highway 60 (the "Coast-to-Coast Highway"), and head west out of town. |
| 6.7 | DIRT | Turn south on a dirt road into a small valley with a shrine.. |
| 6.8 | DIRT | The Shrine: For good luck, leave an offering. Head south. |
| 8.0 | DIRT | Old corral and cattle pond. |
| 11.8 | DIRT | Old quarry and road junction. Head east. |
| 14.5 | PAVED | Microwave tower near Interstate 25. There is an AT&T switching station built 100 ft. underground, complete with facilities for a crew of 10 for 3 months. It is a 3-story underground bomb-proof building. Go north (left) on the frontage road. |
| 16.5 | PAVED | Junction; continue north. (For an alternate route, you could head into the valley and follow a ditch bank route to Socorro: but you're on your own if you do!) |
| 20.2 | PAVED | Turn left just past the RV Campground. Go a short block, then north (right) on Fairground Road. This becomes Park Street and goes straight to the Plaza (except for a jog to the right a block before the Plaza to avoid going the wrong way on a one-way street). |
| 21.2 | PAVED | Back at the Plaza. |
