Albuquerque off road

My brother's giant Surly Ogre, and my Stumpjumper FSR, perhaps slightly-too-small for its rider.

The weekend before last, we made a quick trip down to New Mexico for a niece's fifth birthday party. While there, my brother Chris and I snuck out to do a little riding in the foothills to the East of town. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun.

My bike for the trip was my 2006 Stumpjumper FSR. I still haven't decided whether I'll keep it, so I thought that it might be a good opportunity for further evaluation. Plus, it was a lot easier to fit in the van than the Pugsley. I made sure I was equipped with tools, tubes and water, but somehow overlooked until too late that there would likely be any number of things along the trail to make pincushions of the tires. The Stumpjumper has non-slimed, standard-tubed tires. I decided to tempt fate anyway.

The dam at the trailhead.

Cholla: beautiful but barbed. 

Prickly pear in bloom.

The day of the ride was uncharacteristically overcast, which was quite welcome to me as I wasn't ready to plunge into hardcore heat just yet. We started with a few miles worth of easy climbing, peppered with a few breaks to look at flora and fauna. As anticipated, there was no shortage of several kinds of cacti, but to my relief, none of the dreaded goat head thorns seemed to be around. Provided a rider pays attention, cactus is not too difficult to avoid, but an area strewn with goatheads is much more problematic.

Climbing...

Sweating...

Embedded rock gardens to keep things lively.

Lots of rollers, but trending unmistakably upward.

The trail surface was varied between gravelly, rocky, and sandy, and the views were great. There was also quite a bit of fauna to see among the flora, though some required a keen eye to see. The terrain rolled by and after an hour or so of climbing with a few small descents sprinkled in, we made it to the apex of our route.

A bull snake sunning itself on the trail. 

The area has a vast network of well-marked trails, some of which are part of the Albuquerque Parks system and others of the U.S. Forest Service.

I found these concrete waffles to be an ingenious tool to mitigate erosion and maintain trail integrity.  

My brother often runs these trails, though I can't help but think of knobby tires when I see views like this. 

On my Stumpjumper, the descent was fast and swoopy; pure dust in the teeth fun. I was halfway down before I remembered to switch the rear shock from the stiffer "ProPedal" setting to the luxurious "Open" setting. With the shock in "Open", the bike makes me feel nearly invincible, in a fun but potentially dangerous way. If I had a bike like this in my pre mortality-conscious days of 20 years ago, I would have really been able to get myself in a lot of trouble. As it is now, I get to glimpse blinding speed and superhero status with the foresight to pull back before it is too late.

One of the few places on the way back down that I had to stop and wait for Chris to tell me which way to go.

Difficult to see with my lousy phone cam pic, but there's a lizard in the lower right third of this photo.

A view of town below.

We took a few minutes to mess around on a concrete drainage ditch with slanted sides. 

As kids on BMX bikes 30 years ago, we would have been all over this thing. As 40-something old guys, we were a bit more measured, but still had some fun.

In the end, I made it through the ride without getting a flat, but I also became convinced that tubeless tires are the way to go. I would have spent a bit more time having fun and a bit less thinking about the needles everywhere. Overall, the Stumpjumper performed flawlessly, and has further muddied my opinion as to whether to keep it.

On the positive, it is a well-engineered superbike (at least for 7 years ago, which is new enough for me) that I picked up on the cheap; something of which I would/could never buy the full-priced new equivalent. As a full-suspension bike, it really can do some things that I have to acknowledge a rigid bike can't. It is incredibly fast and fun to ride.

On the negative, it's a size large, which is borderline too small for me, and I remain convinced that a 29er is better proportioned for my height. As a full-suspension bike, it also has the hassles of shock and pivot maintenance. Though I've owned suspension before, there's a reason I gravitate back toward rigid. But it is cheap and fun.

So, I remain undecided, and will probably keep it for further evaluation, for at least the time being. That is, unless some fervent (size large) reader out there wants to make an offer I can't refuse to take it off my hands. Perhaps its parts will someday make their way to a 29er frame, for which I'll sell the Stumpy and Fox fork to finance.

Visit to Albuquerque, Part 2

Three girls in a treehouse.

Following our Paseo del Bosque Trail ride (detailed in Part 1 here), we did a bit more exploration around Albuquerque. It's a pleasant city that somehow feels smaller than its population of a bit more than half a million might suggest. Traditional New Mexican architecture abounds, and really contributes to a well-defined sense of community. The way space is used here, both public and private, differs from that of other areas of the Rocky Mountain West enough so that it feels as though it is another culture. Sure, there are malls and tract houses here and there, but much of Albuquerque has a very distinct flavor that I find very appealing.

My brother constructed this treehouse in a very artisanal manner, typical of many of the projects he's built around his house.

Look Daddy, no hands.

With little precipitation, old Volkswagens seemingly live forever here.

A little early morning hula-hooping in pajamas and cowgirl boots.

She's still got it.

An Alexander Calder-esque mobile of my brother's creation.

Scout claimed this as her cozy spot during our visit. 

Convex mirror fun.

Albuquerque is apparently experimenting with a variety of bike infrastructure implementations. Unsurprisingly, many of the bike projects are infused with art, either in a supportive or integrative capacity. A wide variety of styles and designs of bike racks pepper the landscape, along with more ambitious projects, such as bicycle boulevards and trail systems. I saw a lot of ambient bike use, including families on bikes, commuters, crusty old-timers on weathered cruisers, college kids on fixies, and even a bright red Big Dummy for which I was too slow with my camera. It's a great city for biking, as hills are gentle and key destinations are within easy reach. I wasn't able to sample the bike shops of the area, such as Two Wheel Drive, but I hope to during the next visit.

Lil Sis appreciated this sleek bronze jaguar bench.

Bike racks in front of the Albuquerque Museum.

This area was full of hipster hangouts and people on bikes. 

A Kokopelli-inspired bike rack.

The morning that we left, we accompanied Chris and Hazel on their ride to school. It was a perfectly clear Albuquerque morning, and we even spotted a hot air balloon on the horizon. Riding to school is fun any time, but it's especially enjoyable to see two eager seven year-olds pacing each other, while not forgetting to stop at stop signs. It's hard to believe how quickly they grow into autonomous big kids.

After a seven-hour drive, we were home. It was a bummer to leave a 75 F degree spring day in Albuquerque and arrive to a less-than-welcoming 24 F degrees in Denver. I like snow as much as the next person in Colorado, and I know we need the precipitation, but after three straight weeks of Spring snowstorms and unseasonably cold temperatures, I'm done with it. Here's to the hopeful arrival of actual Spring weather.

The morning after was a chilly ride on frozen disappointment.

Our annual backyard finches have already had their chicks, who are cuddled for warmth on a cold day.

Visit to Albuquerque, Part 1

Seven year-old dirt bikin' cousins; each sporting pink and polka dots in her own way.

Update: See Part 2 here.

It had been quite some time since we traveled to another place as a family. So, this past weekend we took a road trip to visit my brother Chris and his family in Albuquerque. Between the two groups, we have a lot of girls and a lot of bikes, so naturally this situation called for some riding. Luckily, Albuquerque has a lot of great places for bikes, and among the best for biking families is the Paseo del Bosque Trail.

Scout and Pugsley are just as happy in the warm and dry as they've been in the cold and snowy.

My sister-in-law Jen recently surprised my brother with a new bike as a gift: an enormous XXL 24-inch frame Surly Ogre 29er. It was the first new bike for Chris in 23 years. He gave me his previous new bike in 2006, after 16 years of heavy service. In the interim, he had been riding his original mountain bike that he bought with earnings from a job at Dairy Queen during high school, a 1989 GT Avalanche that I rebuilt for him several years ago. The old GT had been his commuter/do-it-all bike, going through numerous drivetrains and a couple of DIY paint jobs. He deserves a lot of credit for making do with an existing bike, but as with any infrequently maintained machine under constant use, at some point it just makes sense to start anew. When Jen asked me to surreptitiously help her in the search, I didn't hesitate.

Chris remarked that it took him a while to become accustomed to riding the new bike, and I don't doubt it. At six feet, six inches tall, it's probably the first bike he has had as an adult that actually fits him. Curiously, at 6'1", I was able to ride his Ogre without feeling too stretched out, and cleared the top tube, if only by a slim margin. However, I would likely feel uncomfortable on the bike in rough trail conditions.

A big galoot on a giant Ogre.

One of the many snazzy houses along parts of the trail.

After inevitably taking a bit more time than expected both in exploring the trail and in the general nature of any activity involving a gaggle of kids, we neared one of our planned stops. We were met by a familiar-looking Gypsy on a familiar-looking bike, who led us into the Old Town Farm. Nicholas and Lael are world-class bike adventurers who have lived on the farm along the Bosque Trail for much of their time in Albuquerque, where they landed long enough to spend the winter.

The Old Town Farm is an idyllic oasis along the river, full of gardens, animals, old buildings and sundry equipment. The two adventurers seem to lead charmed lives, as one would be hard pressed to find a more pleasant place to winter in Albuquerque. One of the features of the farm is Bike-In Coffee, a food and drink establishment housed in a vintage RV, and which caters to bike traffic along the trail. Lael and Nicholas are naturals to operate such an enterprise; their fine rhubarb cake, chai lattes, hot cocoa and conversation were much enjoyed by our horde.

Rolling past the paddocks on the way to the farm.

Bike-in Coffee would do well in a lot of places. Great idea and execution.

It's unlikely that many Pugsleys have seen as many miles and places as this one.  It's in need of a new owner, so if you're in the market for a well-equipped fatbike with good karma, contact Nicholas.

Lael's seasoned '08 Raleigh XXIX in the foreground, Julie's new-to-her '09 Raleigh XXIX in the middle, and Jen's '99-ish Gary Fisher Big Sur with a Trek tagalong.

24" Surly Ogre, Trek Mountain Lion, and Kona Makena.

Getting close to closing up shop for the day. Lael's got a new pair of the Clarks boots she favors for seemingly all things, short of winning ultramarathons.

Sky-high five. 

Meeting Nicholas and Lael on their way to the Colorado Trail last year captured her imagination on what can be done by bike. We'll be keenly following their European travels.

Jen and Rosa are under way. Doesn't Jen look like she could use a nice steel 29er with a more upright riding position?

The farm's circa 1938 or '39 Ford truck.

Nicholas and Lael have ridden in some very scenic areas along challenging routes, and in a broad variety of locales. As impressive is the way in which they live; life on a bike encourages material simplicity, and a portfolio of experiences accrues value more dependably than many other investment possibilities. While it's not feasible for many of us to pursue the same path, a lot can be said for attempting to limit material accumulation and enjoying life as it occurs.

I bought this Revelate Sweet Roll bikepacking bag from Nicholas, who is dropping ballast in anticipation of a new adventure. I hope to put it to good use this year.

Back on the trail, this time on a paved stretch, though I stuck to the dirt alongside. 

I chatted for a while with the rider of this heavily modified three-speed mixte, and only thought to get a photo as she rode away.

At the end of our ride, kids, adults, and even dog were tired and hungry. We ended up at El Pinto, a restaurant and manufacturer of one of my favorite brands of salsa. Overall, a great day in Albuquerque. Part II coming soon.