Grizzly Ghouls From Every Tomb...

Halloween, monsters, ghouls, and all things that knock and rumble in the dark. This year's batch of chilling ghost stories are up at Jezebel.com. Best read in the shadows of night - with storms and wind unfettered in the darkness just beyond the curtained windows. Is something peering in? Lurking in the cold, with vacant eyes and maddened grin? Perhaps there is. For All Hallows Eve dawns once more.

Related Posts:
 - Something Wicked (2014)
 - Trick-or-Treat (2011)



...are closing in to seal your doom.

Raven's Ridge - Pecos Wilderness Boundary

An interesting and insightful discussion took place this week in the mtb community regarding cycling on Raven's Ridge and areas above the radio towers to the south. The towers sit on Tesuque Peak, on bike or foot you can follow a faint (unsigned) trail north to Deception Peak, then descend west down Raven's Ridge to the wilderness gate on Winsor. Raven's is a steep and technical descent, hike-a-bike in places. The volume of bike traffic in such a difficult area is in dispute but may be a side discussion to the greater concerns of environmental impact and wilderness mandates.

Treeline on Deception Peak. Will Wissman photography and Mellow Velo graphic

Of note was the condition of the current trail, the fact that the trail actually wanders across the wilderness boundary in several places and is therefore not technically bike-appropriate, and references the illegal tree cut north of the ridge that has been in the paper recently. There were several vigorous defenses of mtb trail access, most notably by Brent Bonwell who has taken lead on most if not all of the new bridge crossings along the Winsor over the last couple years.

Several comments discussed the need for a national forest trail other than the service roads to the top (Aspen Vista, and Sunset), or Raven's which is quite technical and apparently off-limits to bikes in sections due to wilderness designation. Lack of signage was brought up, a constant and ubiquitous problem with area trails and access issues (see Deception Peak ridge trail above).

A fascinating and enlightened discussion by all. Recommended.

Google Groups - Fat Tire Society

Related Posts:
 - Trail Running Santa Fe Baldy and the Three Peaks
 - Ski Touring Deception Peak
 - Explorations in the Pecos - Nambe Creek Trail-160
 - The Columbine Hondo Wilderness Addition - Taos/Red River

Santa Fe Rail Trail Improvements - Updated

Kid is my co-pilot

The Rail Trail’s transformation from footpath to transportation infrastructure appears to be moving along. Phases two and three of the recent engineering improvements, a five mile section from the Spur Trail to Nine Mile Rd then on to Avenida Vista Grande in Eldorado, are just now nearing the end of nine months of work. The most notable addition is the new trailhead at Nine-Mile Rd including a built-out underpass of the tracks. Many of the previously straight sections along the trail now curl and meander through trees. I'm a fan.

The trail has been undergoing re-alignment, re-surfacing, and erosion protection over the last several years, all part of a long-term effort of the NM Dept of Transportation who manages the railroad easements in partnership with Santa Fe County and SFCounty Open Space who manage the trail. The first improvement phase from Rabbit Rd to the Spur Trail (~1.5mi) was completed in 2013. Parking and trailhead reconstruction went in the year before that. There's another three phases of trail work planned out to the junction with Highway 285. Phase four would complete improvements through Eldorado. The last two miles of the rail into Lamy are privately owned and no trail exists there. Funding for this long term trail work sources from county gross receipt taxes and federal highway administration grants.

The new alignment at Nine-Mile Rd, passes under the trestle

From Nine-Mile down to the trestle

New erosion armoring

Sunflowers and meanders

Realignment and clouds

Related Posts:

 - Santa Fe Rail Trail - Re-Imagined

 - Trail Improvements Page
 - Cycling Zia to Nine Mile Rd
 - Arroyo Hondo Trails and Preserve

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

Acequia Trail Underpass Scheduled this Fall

Artist's rendering of the new underpass. Much larger than the Zia Rd crossing.

The final public meeting for the Acequia Trail Underpass was held last night. Groundbreaking for the project is expected in as soon as 6-8 weeks. Construction of the entire project is expected to take approx. 9 months, with a focus on completing the tunnel and disrupting traffic on St. Francis much quicker than this. Unlike many Santa Fe developments, this is a project that directly benefits those that live here. It bears remembering that the construction of St Francis Drive back in the 60's divided neighborhoods and projects of this sort begin to bind them together once again.

The meeting was an open house that drew the regular crew of cyclists, urban planners, and grumpy neighbors to discuss the project with the designer and city park and trails managers. Part of the project design was completed by local landscape architect Solange Serquis whom entertained my many questions. I was especially fond of her use of trees and rock work to lighten up what has always been a sad and dusty intersection. Unusually, several city councilors were in attendance (Bushee, Lindell, possibly Rivera) though I didn't get a minute to chat. Wasn't certain if they were there to be seen as part of such a large non-motorized infrastructure project or perhaps to get a feel for the public mood of such an undertaking.

Cross section view of traffic overhead, the underpass, and east/west entrances

This major piece of the city's urban trail network has been in planning for at least seven years if not longer. Dozens of public meetings led to this point. Big discussions three years back focused on whether the transportation link should be an overpass or underpass, with many elected officials advocating for a more visible, possibly iconic overpass at the city's busiest intersection. The majority of trail users backed the practicality and ease of use of an underpass (a no-brainer in my opinion). The two valid criticisms of the project at this time were user safety (minimized with several lighting and design elements), and the price tag. Cost estimates were large enough that the underpass was designated a non-priority project in the city's transportation plan with maybe an 8-12 year time horizon. This was until a $3.8m federal grant came through last fall and suddenly the largest and most visible non-motorized transportation project in the city's plans was green-lit. The incoming federal dollars equate to $7 in matching funds for each $1 of invested city funding for this project. Or when compared with the $15m in city voter approved trail bonds since 2008, this sum equals a direct return on public trails infrastructure investment of 25%. This is a straight up coup, and whomever wrote up that grant application deserves free drinks and several million hi-fives.

The overview drawings. Railyard Park at right. 

Well then, exciting times and lots to think about. Will the project be complete for next year's May Bike-and-Brew event? Unlikely I suppose. Will complaints from the pending construction traffic be loud and bellicose? Undoubtedly, but this would surely be the case for any road construction anywhere in town for any reason. In return for a few months of traffic cones the planned improvements will be of use for generations of Santa Feans. Will this project lead to more private investment and revitalization in nearby neighborhoods and/or along the nearby St. Francis and Cerrillos corridors? I'd assume yes. How soon until an underpass is feasible along the Santa Fe River Trail at Alameda? I'd guess it's a ways out unless another generous federal grant were to come along to grease the skids.

Update: Trail project delays run into Spring of '16

Related Posts:
 - Acequia Trail Underpass Funding (2014)
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass (2012)
 - Area Trail Improvements Page
 - Improvements to the Santa Fe Urban Trail System (2012)



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

Greatest Dad Wins

Been developing some mad dad skillz of late. The kid and I bike the RailTrail out to Eldorado, practice beisbol in the yard, practice beisbol at the track, discuss the cool comic heros/villains, and watch the track World Champs on the computer. He knows who Leo Messi is, Clayton Kershaw, and Mike Trout.

Turns out there's a whole other level of dad-game I was unaware of. Credit to the Desert Babe for finding this montage of dads casually preventing tragedies while not toppling their drinks. Much to aspire to here. Napping back-handed infant-save dad is good but there's an argument to be made for out-of-nowhere almost bike crash into parked-car-save dad for the win. Carry on gentlemen.




Related Posts:
 - Family Addition (Aug 1, 2012)
 - French Alps Freeskiing - Candide Thovex
 - Cobra Kai Sensei was a Dick