Last May, we rode a very smart looking Eddy Merckx carbon fiber bike up to the serene El Sanctuario de Chimayo northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico. (See Pilgrimage to El Sanctuario de Chimayo.) This year we were back in Santa Fe in preparation for their famous Century ride.
We arrived on Mothers’ Day Sunday and spent the afternoon visiting with mia madre, Dorise, e figlia, Katie. It was a day of celebration and acclimatization. The altitude in Santa Fe is 7,000 feet, and during the first couple days in the high country, one must demonstrate a certain amount of respect.
On Monday, Katie and her friend, Scott, treated me to a hike up the mountain trail above Rio En Medio in the high hills above Tesuque. Kate and Scott do a lot of hiking and snow shoeing in the mountains, so ole Dad tagged along pacing himself, enjoying the streams n waterfalls, and hoping the hike would benefit his days in the saddle.
On Tuesday, dad was back on the bike heading up the long hill from Nambe to Chimayo. But this time, instead of turning left down to Chimayo, I continued up NM 503. The road climbs in fits and spurts towards 7,000 feet and descends into a beautiful valley and the hamlet of Cundiyo. Then it’s back up 400 feet out of the valley. Once over the top gorgeous views spread forth in every direction before you scream down a series of switch backs into Rio Chiquito. I could smell the brakes burning in protest as I hung on for life, limb, and skin.
At Rio Chiquito, 503 joins up with Route 76 between Espanola and the hill towns along the High Road to Taos. As I circled back through Chimayo, I vowed to be a man and return to the big climb out of Rio Chiquito to Cundiyo.
New Mexico was bone dry from little or no spring rain when I arrived. But Wednesday showed the promise of precipitation in the west over Los Alamos and the Jemez Mountains. I set off towards the grey clouds and Los Alamos in hopes of riding a 30 mile loop around White Rock and Bandelier National Monument. You can begin this ride in Los Alamos or turn off NM 502 on Route 4 and park on the wide shoulder near the intersection of Route 4 and East Jemez Road.
The route rolls easily over to White Rock. Then you descend lazily to 6,200 feet and gradually climb back past the entrance to Bandelier about 12 miles to 8,000 feet before returning Los Alamos on Route 501. Just past Bandelier, it began to rain. Ahhh! Damn!
Oh well, it was still a great ride in spite of wet socks, etc. Too bad we couldn’t enjoy the scenery from Bandelier to Los Alamos.
The rain increased steadily from Wednesday night into Thursday. My legs welcomed a break, and we used the time to recon the Century Route. The thirsty desert came alive in the blessed moisture, and our dry dusty Tano Trail turned a quagmire in the steady rain.
Friday dawned blue, as the desert spilled forth fresh fragrance. It was time to become a man. We pursued a rite of passage reversing Tuesday’s ride in order to face the climb from Rio Chiquito to Cundiyo.
I again parked in Nambe just up 503 from the main highway between Santa Fe and Espanola. We began with a very smooth gradual climb from 5,800 up to 6,200 feet before dropping into Chimayo. El Sanctuario was full of tourists, so I continued up the road to Route 76 and turned right towards Truchas.
My plan was to loop back up on 503 at Rio Chiquito. But my legs felt fresh as the desert flora, and Truchas lay only 6 miles up the road. Actually, it was 6 miles and nearly 2,000 feet, as Route 76 rises in little fits and big spurts. For the most part, the local traffic gave me a wide berth as I trudged for Truchas.
This legendary Spanish settlement and Hollywood movie set perches on a high plateau beneath the tallest mountain in New Mexico. It is a safe haven for the decedents of the penitential Spanish conquistadors and a small colony of artists. Anna Kerin’s gallery is located in an old Spanish chapel just above the main part of town.
I walked into the old chapel and chatted with Craig Scogin who taught photography at the Art Institute in Atlanta. His work was exquisite (www.desertlens.livejournal.com) and another artist displayed very cool bells fashioned from old gas cylinders.
Riding down off the Truchas plateau is long and fast with the wind rushing through Frank Weldele’s custom fitted ear plugs. I smoked brakes on the approach to Rio Chiquito and turned left on 503. Suddenly it was wonderfully quiet and peaceful, time to collect myself for the knee buckler of the day. According to the GPS, the climb is a third of a mile culminating at 18%.
Now, we have the firm of Binkley, Gras, and Rawlins here in the Upper Left Hand Corner of Illinois…..but not at 7,000 feet. It was a delirious thrill to master this climb, and be rewarded with a splendid aroma in the valley cradling Cundiyo.
Two 16% spikes out of Cundiyo, and I sailed down to Nambe ready for Sunday’s challenge on the Santa Fe Century.
