[terry b]

About a year ago, my work hours changed. I'd worked from 8 to whatever forever, and now I was looking at 7 to whatever. Not happy about getting up an hour earlier, I tried to find the bright side and realized that I might be able to get a ride in after work during Standard Time. Not a bad trade-off that resulted in an increase of of about 1500 miles a year.

Here in the desert, the typical winter afternoon temperature can be about 50 degrees. Not the same 50 as a sunny winter morning, but certainly not uncomfortable. It gets pretty bone-chilling as the sun sinks below the mesa (I live and ride down in the Rio Grande valley) but 15-20 miles is almost always possible. Plus, what could be a better brain-drainer after a day of work.

This first pic is the sign as you enter my village. We have a police force known for its "speed management." We're also "animal friendly" meaning lots of cows, horses, chickens, pigs, goats and sheep. Very typical for someone to move out here from Albuquerque and buy the "farm kit." We are also home to a lot of Coyotes, which having developed a taste for Llasa Apsos and Shi-tzus, are becoming less and less liked by the urban-turned-suburban gentlemen farmers.

 

[terry b]

Sandia Mountain

We had out first good snow earlier in the week, and the top of the mountain got 36". It's a typical fault-block mountain, and not really a part of the Rocky Mountains that veer west up by Santa Fe (north of here.) Sandia means "watermelon" in Spanish, and the mountain is known for changing to that color at sunset.

 

[terry b]

Flood Control

Here's a shot down the Harvey Jones Flood Control Project. Designed to handle 100 year flood levels, it rarely gets any water in it. Since we're in a 30 year drought, and this is desgined for a 100 year deluge, does this mean we can expect some rain in 70 years?

 

[terry b]

From the top of a climb

Most of the roads in Corrales start down by the Rio and head up the mesa, almost always directly east to west. They follow the old lines of the Spanish Land Grants that were given by the King of Spain to the settlers. As the later generations have sold them off for subdivisions, the road have followed the old boundary lines. Corrales itself is pretty interesting place. From the land grants in the later 18th century, it was used for a long time as a place to store the livestock for Albuquerque (hence the name.) It later evolved into an immigrant farming community, followed by a counter culture enclave and lately into a well-heeled bedroom community for the nearby city. My street has double-wides to do-it-your-selfers to million dollar remodels to older adobe homes. A real mix. This shot is from the top of one of the roads I like to climb. It looks across the valley to Sandia Mountain.

The Rio Grande Rift is actually one of the deepest rift valleys in the world. The offset from the top of Sandia (10,700') to the true bottom of the rift is more than 26,000'. The valley as we see it today is the product of a millennia of sand and gravel fill being deposited by rivers eroding the Rockies to the north.

 

[terry b]

The other end of Harvey Jones

Snow melt backing up in the flood channel. From the end of the canal, the Rio Grande is just the other side of those cottonwoods. "Bosque" in the words of the Spanish.

 

[torquecal]

Infectous

Alamogordo's putting in one just like that... must've used the same designer.


Nice pics Trogon!

Here's a shot down the Harvey Jones Flood Control Project. Designed to handle 100 year flood levels, it rarely gets any water in it. Since we're in a 30 year drought, and this is desgined for a 100 year deluge, does this mean we can expect some rain in 70 years?

 

[terry b]

Last shot of the ride

As the sun sets behind a Fremont Cottonwood, it's time to head home (1 mile from this point). Hope you enjoyed an introduction to my little burg.

 

[terry b]

we're lucky to live here

Hey, you used my other name Hacker.

 

[torquecal]

Forgot where I was...

But you're right, we are lucky to live out this way!

Hey, you used my other name Hacker.

 

[biknben]

That sign would certainly get my attention...

Many of the small town in my area fight the "sprawl" by really cracking down on speeders. People are driving faster to make up for their longer commutes. They are often forced to use back roads or residential areas to get around the worst traffic areas. We have areas of "Zero tolerance" or "Safe Harbors" where you will always find an officer.

I've never seen a sign like that. I wonder what kind of effect it would have near me.

 

[Caadrider]

Cool,

Very cool.....

 

[tmotz]

As the sun sets behind a Fremont Cottonwood, it's time to head home (1 mile from this point). Hope you enjoyed an introduction to my little burg.

Nice pics

 

[Crankist]

Good job Terry

Your next assignment should you choose ...blah blah...is to get some shots slogging to the top of Sandia Crest, and then with TdF fantasies - and no concern for your well-being (or those around you), helmet-cam your way down. And I like that history stuff, so more of that.
Mike

 

[crankset]

Nice bike!

I know this is a ride report but your bike looks super nice! I always like the more colorful Colnagos but yours looks great. Add to that the way you have it set up and you have quite a nice ride.

I have a tendency to always look at the bikes on pictures or wherever they are. If there's a bike in the picture, that's what I'll be looking at. I a lot of the time don't remember the names of the guys that ride around here, but I can tell you what bike they have!

 

[terry b]

I purposely picked that color scheme (AD20) because it is one of Colnago's more sedate paint schemes. Thanks for noticing.

 

[rfrancisco]

Nice Pics

Really nice shots, what kind of camera are you using? Great looking bike too
Thanks Rick

 

[terry b]

I use a Canon ELPH S300 when riding. Nice and small, 2mp (although now it is available in 4mp.) Nice little camera.