Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Cycling the Santa Fe Rail Trail - Zia to Nine Mile Rd.

Leaving town
Santa Fe Rail Trail
Zia Rd to Nine Mile Rd
6,850 ft elev.
12 miles roundtrip

***

Had a great ride on the Rail Trail Sunday evening.  Rode from Zia to Nine-Mile Rd.  The trail was less tore up than I thought it would be, although I could tell that a ride earlier in the day would have been wet and muddy.  One advantage to the snow and cold is that the sandy washed-out sections of the trail were partially frozen and easily rideable.  Another advantage was that the thorns and goatheads of November are now buried in snow, a safe distance from my tires.
Orange and pink over the Galisteo Basin
Sandia in profile
Used my new NightRider handlebar light to power through when the light fell away.  Worked magnificently.  One of many observations I've had over the last couple months is that a petzl headlamp doesn't work as well on a bike as it does hiking or running.  You need a regular flood light to navigate at 10mph+ or risk crashing a lot. Or crashing into others if you're on the bike path. 

Snow in the track cut
Out on the llano - Mostly clear trail with scattered snow and ice.
Proud thicket of yucca
The sunset, as usual, was electric.  I didn't cross one person out there, not even a car parked at the Rabbit Rd trailhead.  On one section of the trail there was lone coyote howling at the sliver of moon in the sky.  His coyote magic was strong because I've seen the moon growing larger each night since. 

My own train cutting through the night



View Santa Fe Rail Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map


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