Any advice for when to leave SDO? Thinking of leaving around 10PM in March to ride though Western Texas in daylight. Do you think that is wise or will I be just taking more risk in CA, AZ, NM?
Okay, so...let's understand your issues with W Texas during daylight hours - critters in the dark, I presume?
Roughly 30 miles east of SDO is some mountainous areas that could easily match the critters that one might experience in W Texas. Now, it's not hundreds of miles of terrain, but it's enough to get your attention.
Adequate lighting certainly helps, but so does being able to be alert and functional for 17 or more hours into a ride.
If I'm doing my mental math right, leaving at 2200 Pacific time means you'll see daylight beginning in eastern AZ. From there until...you get to Junction, TX (or thereabouts) you'll be fine. Hit the bed, and wake up 6 or seven hours later...hey, it's still dark, and you still have the 100 miles to San Antonio, followed by the stuff to the east of there.
Sunrise schedule for a community east of me on your route in March:
https://sunrise-sunset.org/us/benson-az/2021/3
Sunset schedule for a community in W Texas, same month:
https://sunrise-sunset.org/us/junction-tx/2021/3
In general, you'll have several hours of no ambient light on a ride like this. The absolute best lighting means nothing if it's off, due to oncoming traffic issues. A fair percentage of critters are moving during those twilight periods - just before sunrise & just after sunset.
My one-and-only was done east-to-west. I did most of the Florida stretch in the dark, and ended my day several hours after dark in W Texas. It was still dark as I was approaching El Paso the next day, after six hours of sleep. Issues? Nope. I recognized very early there was absolutely no real need to go beyond posted speeds by
any significant amount.
Hopefully, a bit of insight for you. Not certain any of us can state for certain the optimum time for YOU would be the optimum time for ME or anyone else.