Day 13 (5/4/22): A Stunning Ride with Great Company
Begin: Albuquerque, NM
End: Santa Fe, NM
Miles: 52 miles
Elevation: 3,874 feet
It ranks up there as one of my favorite rides.
Scott and I set off from ABQ along the Turquois Trail to Santa Fe just after 7 a.m. Yesterday was serene. Today was spectacular. The vistas, the crisp air and crystal blue sky, and beautiful vegetation made this a true treat. It was a decent elevation gain, but it was spread out across the full 50+ miles, so it was nothing overwhelming. I didn’t mind my slow “pannier climb pace” because it just gave me more time to take everything in.
I tend to go solo on all of my events, but the conversations Scott had along the way were so enjoyable. We have a lot in common as it relates to kids with T1D, similar travel interests, and of course a passion for cycling. The miles zipped by. I’m hoping we’ll be able to reconnect at a JDRF Ride for a Cure event in Death Valley in October.
Tish met us in Santa Fe and we went to lunch at a burger and shake joint we had been to the last time we were here. Scott then boarded the train back to ABQ. Total fare: $2.25. Unbelievable.
Again thanks so much to Scott for the time he took to make me feel welcome and very much enhance my New Mexico pedaling.
One big note about today’s ride. The “f” word. No…not that “f” word. Flat! After 13 days (hmmm), I had my first flat. Normally that’s not a problem, you just replace the damaged tube with a new one and patch the damaged one when you get back home. Only problem is not only did one of my backup tubes fail, but the second one did as well. We tested everything before we left, but something happened on the way to that place. The only choice we had was to patch the flat, which worked fine for the remaining 40 miles of the trip.
Tish and I are now in the casita we rented for the week, listening to Ottmar Liebert (Southwest guitar) and enjoying one of the really great cities in the country. Tomorrow is a rest day, so we’ll have time to stroll through the many artist colonies/shops and the historic downtown area. This town is a gem.
What am I Grateful for Today
Not terribly creative or very long…
Thanks again Scott
Great to be back with Tish