The bike tour headed to the southwest earlier this week as while pretty much everything is closed, the parks/trails are not. With that, with no flu symptoms, the cleanest hands out there, social distancing whenever possible (my friends can attest to my social distancing as I was doing it even before it was prescribed), extended leg room and no one sitting next to me on the plane as the airports were a bit on the lean side, this scribe headed to Albuquerque Sunday to pedal the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. The local area had not put any social restrictions when I got into town Sunday so it was business as usual but Monday was another story. You can take your beverage out on the patio (Route 66 viewing was outstanding) but no indoor sitting at the bar. Check. My biggest worry of the trip was hearing that all domestic flights would be cancelled immediately and I would be a local for the near distant future. If it happened, it would suck but there could be worse places to be. If the call came through, I was ready to have my work computer shipped over, find a place with temporary lodging and deal with it. It did not happen but by the time I left town yesterday, it was becoming a ghost town.
All illness talking aside, the intention of the trip, the mountain biking, was outstanding. The folks at the bike store supplied some great recommendations for an old rider like myself, well past his hardcore days (don't think I ever reached hardcore status). The foothills of the Sandia Mountains supplied some beautiful views west into the city without having to bust your ass climbing a hill to see said views. Attached below is a short clip of the trail views.
Get out and enjoy the parks all you hermits out there.
Thank you New Mexico!
Trail Head
