Santa Fe Ski Area Loop

Paige and I decided to take a ride out in Santa Fe. It’s a loop I’ve done several times with Sue, but this time, Paige and I decided to add on some more miles by starting at the Chamisa Trail Head. We started up an immediate climb that would bring anyone’s heart rate to inhuman levels. Thank goodness, that plateaus after about 15 minutes or so.

We took Chamisa to the Windsor Trail, and from there, I started dealing with a slow leak in the rear tire. I kept hopping off the bike and pumping the tire up with air hoping the Stan’s would fill the leak—no luck. I eventually had to hop of the bike and deal with removing a tubeless tire off its rim…not easy at all. Eventually, some guys came biking by and were able to get the thing off from me, and I was good to go from there. Yes, I played the “helpless female” because I was sick and tired of working on the thing…being a chick has its advantages. Turns out Stan’s wasn’t working because it had turned into some sort of fungi looking Stan’s turd rather than the nasty milky/oily substance it normally is. Guess it’s time to add new Stan’s in the front tire if the rear is like that already.

Well, with totally cold legs by now, we headed back out on Windsor to the Big Tesuque Trail, coming out at Hyde Park Road and the little camping/picnic area. Great spot for a quick pit stop, then on with the ride. The temps were remarkably nice and the shade on the trails was very pleasant. Some storm clouds were brewing far off in the skies, but for the most part, bright blue! We made it up to Aspen Vista Road and climbed and climbed (Matt says about 4000 foot elevation for us today!!) until we were ALMOST at the radio towers ready to take Sunset Trail at the Santa Fe Ski area down to the ski base and then hook back into Windsor from the road.

Unfortunately, the last of the plan was foiled by rain, and lots of it!! We decided, smartly, to turn around on Aspen Vista Road. We took that to Hyde Park Road and had to take pavement back to the car. On Aspen Vista Road (dirt road that is no longer accessible by motor vehicle), we got a nice down pour. It caught everyone by surprise. I was shocked at the number of bikers, hikers, dogs, babies, kids—you name it—out there on the trail still! Everyone was making a mad dash back to the base. Well, it was a good ride nevertheless!

We topped off the bellies at the Santa Fe Bakery. I had a burrito and Paige had a chicken wrap. Excellent food! I brought home some good fruit bars for breakfast tomorrow and Paige snagged some croissants. Good enough to call it a day!!

Ride Stats

• Ride Time: 3:23 hrs
• Total Time: 5:30 hrs (my flat didn’t help matters)
• Distance: 24 miles
• Average speed: 7.8
  
• Average heart rate: 148
  
• Calories: 1706