I just got back from my trip and I thought I'd report on this route just in case someone searches this thread.
From Las Cruces I took US70 towards Alamogordo ,Tularosa, Ruidoso and Roswell; US380 from Roswell to the Dallas area. Road conditions are really good for most of this route that I think it should seriously be considered a candidate for the USBR 84 corridor. The only uncomfortable stretch I went through was the short distance getting across Denton TX, (almost ironic that a road called University Drive would be so unfriendly to bicycles) but I'm sure alternatives could easily be found. Services were sometimes a bit lacking but there were always food, campgrounds and motels every 40 to 60 miles. The longest distances without services was Roswell to Tatum NM (60+miles) and Post to Jayton TX (50+ miles)
A summary of the route in pictures:
The Organ Mountains look daunting from Las Cruces but crossing over them really wasn't so bad
The road up to San Agustin Pass starts out very gradual and has decent room all the way to the top
View of the White Sands Missile Testing Range from the top of the pass. Occasionally they may temporarily close the highway during tests
These have got to be the widest shoulders I have ever cycled on, about 2 car lanes in width, probably for moving missile parts
A few miles of seeing this
a nice break before continuing on to Alamogordo
Past Tularosa, a long climb up towards Sierra Blanca through the Lincoln National Forest, but not steep and on very generous shoulders
The summit is a bit anti-climatic, I did most of the climb on my middle gears
On the other side of the hump the descent is also nice and gradual, coasting though a very scenic region. Ruidoso is a cool town
Ridin' through the same area as the Kid
Beautiful scenic road though the Hondo Valley
Ran into a bad storm on the high prairie west of Roswell, I thought it was going to spawn a twister
A few ups and downs across the valleys
Clear sailing into Texas. The wind was mostly from the south so depending on the slight twist in the road the cross wind was either with me or against me
A few days of cycling through this monotonous landscape...
...with road construction sometimes forcing you into a dark corner
