Valle Grande Loop

Today I decided to join four members of the New Mexico Advent Rider Group on a loop around the Valle Grande.

I was hurting on my right leg from a fall last week riding the back dirt roas of Madrid. We met at 1030 Hrs in Cochiti. I rode with Joey taking the old route 66 through Bernalillo, San Felipe Reservation straight to Cochiti. We then went through the mountains on the way to Jemez.

This is Joey's bike, he rides the smallest bike, but has no problem keeping up. In the background you can see Cochiti lake, the Sandias and in the valley below Dixon. Dixon is known for their good apples.

We then cut through some forest roads in the area of Valle Caldera, passing through some single track and the most technical trail of the ride.

We then started to climb through some very beatiful country.

We passed through some valleys and meadows like this one.

We crossed a stream.

And went by a few ponds. The area is beatiful.

We the started climbing, and soon we came to snow.

Up on high elevation the scenery was beatiful.

But the snow ould get worse.

We continued to attempt to proceed forward many times have to push the bikes through deep snow. This was very tiring but soon the snow got too deep and long. We had to turn back.

We then took another forest road and came to Abiqui. We followed the rivver all the way to Espanola where we stopped to eat.

I took some falls and bent my shift lever. I am also going to need to adjust my forks again. I agravated my injured right leg and when I finnaly got home at about 7PM, my right leg was bruised and swollen. Still I had a great time and I am glad I rode today. Now all I want to to take a shower and go to sleep.

View the Adven Rider Group Slideshow for all the pictures.