Day 12 (5/3/22): This Day had Everything

Begin:                               Grants, NM

End:                                  Albuquerque, NM (I’m in a city!!!)

 Miles:                               86

Elevation:                        2,200 feet

 What a day!

I started before the sunrise in Grants because I had a feeling my route might present some interesting challenges.  Definitely a good idea as it turned out.

I was in full winter gear (for me), as it was 39 degrees when I started, but I was treated to the most beautiful sunrise over the New Mexico plain about 15 minutes into my ride.  So serene.  Post note to my note on my Dad yesterday.  Before the sun rose, I passed a junk yard that had 50 vintage cars lined up at their front fence.  Pop never would have gotten out of town. 

The first 40 miles were just perfect.  Wide open expanses, smooth roads, no traffic, and mostly downhill.  I couldn’t have asked for a better ride. 

Then the fun began…

If you read the Adventure Cycling maps for this part of the route, you’re supposed to be on Interstate 40 for about 25 miles between Grants and Albuquerque.  Seeing that Tish is 90 or so miles away in Santa Fe, a shuttle was out of the question, so I went to work finding some “alternatives”.  Call them hacks.  I had 2 hacks going in, but knew I was stuck with 4 miles on the freeway no matter what.

Hack 1:  Laguna, NM.  As soon as I came up to the alternative road I “found”, I encountered a 4-foot high dirt wall for as long as the eye could see (see accompanying picture).  The dirt wall covered a barbed wire fence (see gallery).  Hmm.  I guess I could just push my bike up and over the hill.  That turned out to not be possible with my panniers, so I made 2 trips—one with the bike and one with the panniers.  No problem.  I then started a 7-mile trek on a road that was pretty beat up but passable.  The last mile was not passable, so I walked it with the bike.  I got to the end and was ecstatic my hack had worked, but then I saw a sign posted at the end indicating the road was part of the Navajo reservation and there was no trespassing.  Yeah, I broke the law.  Oh well.  I just high-tailed it out of there.

I did my 4 miles on the interstate next with no issue.  The traffic wasn’t terrible.  The shoulder was wide and clean.  It wasn’t too bad.  Everyone did what they were supposed to do.

Hack 2:  Navajo Reservation:  This one was on another part of the reservation, but it was clear I was allowed to ride here.  I even had some nice folks offer some advice on how to loop around the interstate and miss 9 more miles of fun.  At 5 miles, I made a turn onto a dirt road (it was actually called “NM Trail 7073”) which was o.k. for a mile.  After that, it was just not passable.  I’m smart enough to know when I’m beat, so I turned around, re-did the one mile dirt road (in a nasty crosswind), re-did the 5 miles (in a nasty headwind), and got my butt on the freeway.  9 mile more miles of Interstage.  Everyone behave, and it was over before I knew it, but here’s the best part….I AM DONE WITH INTERSTATES FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP.

Just in case anyone is contemplate something like this, I can now definitively say if it’s not on the Adventure Cycling map, don’t bother.  They’re in the map making business.  I’m not.  Just follow their directions.

The day then took a fantastic turn.  I connected with Scott Casper who is a cycling coach for the Albuquerque chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) as soon as I got off the freeway, and after a fantastic burger at Laguna Burger, we road into Albuquerque.  It was so nice to have company.  Scott is committed to JDRF in a huge way and completes several JDRF “Ride for the Cure” events each year and coordinates rides with a core group of JDRF ABQ cyclists every Tuesday evening.  It’s Tuesday evening and they’re actually out for a ride as I type.  After 86 miles today (and a 3,600 foot climb to Santa Fe tomorrow), I opted to stay at the microbrewery and document the day.  Scott is also a bigT1D advocate.  Among his many efforts here, he once pedaled from lower Manhattan (JDRF’s headquarters) to Washington D.C. in a day (yes…a day 200+ miles) to lobby for the approval of a breakthrough T1D treatment option that he felt was taking too long to work it’s way through “the system”.  Scott’s riding with me to Santa Fe tomorrow as well.  I really appreciate his time and expertise.  He is all about service, and someone I’m glad I now know.

 Observations

• This morning was so beautiful.  Something I’ll never forget.

• Dogs.  Dogs. Dogs.  Not counting anymore, although I had one take a different tact today.  Rather than try to catch me from behind, he darted out about 20 yards in front of me, took a stance in the middle of the street, and started barking.  This was definitely his neighborhood, although his neighborhood also happened to be downhill for me.  I blew that Camaro off my back.  (Matt, Don, Tim, if you’re reading this, you’ll get it)

• I’ve enjoyed riding through the rural parts of the West, but I’m really glad to be “in town” tonight.

What I’m Grateful for Today

• Companionship and new friends.  It was great having someone to ride with this afternoon, and Scott’s knowledge of the area and cycling expertise made for such an enjoyable afternoon and evening.  I really enjoyed hanging out with Scott, Art, Sonia, and Trey at the Barking Bear Brewery talking about all things cycling as well as our efforts to raise funds and awareness to fight T1D. 

 P.S.  Happy 22nd birthday to our niece Katie.

 P.S.S.  Thought a lot about my brother-in-law Jon Darden today on the one year anniversary of his passing.  Jon was a great guy.  We did a lot of cool things together (concerts, ballgames, etc.) since he, my sister-in-law Christine, and their son Taylor lived in Las Vegas.