Day of the Tread
I don't know where to even begin on this ride. We went to Albuquerque not quite knowing what to expect, but let's start with, it was a HOOT!
I have ridden the Bosque Trail many times, but that is about it. When coming up or going down Tram Way Blvd I would always see cyclists creeping up it or flying down and always wanted to do that hill. Here was my chance! The ride started at the Embassy Suite hotel right down town, so we figured we would just stay there as it would be handy. We woke up all excited to see what was to meet us. We had heard, and saw on the web, that you could dress up. Oh my gosh! Cyclists are such a creative group given the opportunity. Here are a few of the sights:
We of course were met by a few gouls, goblins, and a one lady with crows stuck to her....road kill gone bad I guess. But this lady was a great. Don't know if you can tell, but that bike has been completely covered with what looked like she took plastic bones, split them down the middle and reassembled them to her bike frame. Pretty cool, and pretty realistic!
To start off the ride a beautiful balloon lifted off flying the American flag from it's basket and a woman with a voice that was just as beautiful singing the national anthem. There were no words really for that site and the picture hardly does it justice.
The ride started off down Mountain, but as you got close to the Bosque these signs replaced others. What more can a cyclist ask for but their own Blvd!
Not to mention our own speed limit. Bet you won't see an 18 mph sign anywhere else.
Then it was onto the Bosque Trail. It ran about 10 miles before we tuned onto the street.
All along the route were musicians of all sorts. We were first met with a mariarchi group, then the Indian dancers (no pictures of the first groups as yours truly took a dead camera and had to wait until a convenience store popped up).
I have to say that the bagpipe fella was my all time favorite though.
This is one of my riding buddies, or Bird Man for the day. I couldn't pass up the Hummingbird road sign.
This was at the top of the climb at the base of the Sandia's. It was a climb, one of those 7 mph if you were lucky. Good thing I can ride slow, real slow. All I could think of was flying back down to the Bosque. But my dreams were quickly blown away....really. Somewhere between the bottom, getting to the top, sucking in some air, and scarfing down some orange slices the wind picked up, one of those wonderful cross/head winds. I had to work my tail off to get up to a whopping 26 mph while holding on. All went well though, and the bagpipe guy was still at the bottom.
Soon we were back on the Bosque with its yellow trees and underpasses.
Going by a park near the Old Town I spotted these two young folks on low-riders. If you haven't been around these bikes they are truly works of art. I have seen them for years and always thought it would be fun to build one, but oh well.
After seeing this pic, I decided I actually did dress up.....as a licorice jelly bean in beads! Those beads were doing some clacking coming off the top.
I saved my favorite for last to share with you guys. If this guy didn't win the prize, the judges were blind!
He had a nasal cannula, bandages, etc, even the ever present hospital gown with the 'fake' bum shinning through.
He couldn't have had a real hospital bed with more life saving equipment on it. He rode the same route I did with all that stuff flopping in the breeze. I can only imagine what the passer-by's thought!
I had to leave out the guys dressed up as bumble bees, the disco guys, the guys in bright tutu's, and the group of Queen of Hearts, King of Hearts, and one Joker, amongst others. I never would have gotten back to the hotel!
It was a wonderful ride and only 364 more days until the next one.
Happy Halloween, fellow biker's!
I have ridden the Bosque Trail many times, but that is about it. When coming up or going down Tram Way Blvd I would always see cyclists creeping up it or flying down and always wanted to do that hill. Here was my chance! The ride started at the Embassy Suite hotel right down town, so we figured we would just stay there as it would be handy. We woke up all excited to see what was to meet us. We had heard, and saw on the web, that you could dress up. Oh my gosh! Cyclists are such a creative group given the opportunity. Here are a few of the sights:
We of course were met by a few gouls, goblins, and a one lady with crows stuck to her....road kill gone bad I guess. But this lady was a great. Don't know if you can tell, but that bike has been completely covered with what looked like she took plastic bones, split them down the middle and reassembled them to her bike frame. Pretty cool, and pretty realistic!
To start off the ride a beautiful balloon lifted off flying the American flag from it's basket and a woman with a voice that was just as beautiful singing the national anthem. There were no words really for that site and the picture hardly does it justice.
The ride started off down Mountain, but as you got close to the Bosque these signs replaced others. What more can a cyclist ask for but their own Blvd!
Not to mention our own speed limit. Bet you won't see an 18 mph sign anywhere else.
Then it was onto the Bosque Trail. It ran about 10 miles before we tuned onto the street.
All along the route were musicians of all sorts. We were first met with a mariarchi group, then the Indian dancers (no pictures of the first groups as yours truly took a dead camera and had to wait until a convenience store popped up).
I have to say that the bagpipe fella was my all time favorite though.
This is one of my riding buddies, or Bird Man for the day. I couldn't pass up the Hummingbird road sign.
This was at the top of the climb at the base of the Sandia's. It was a climb, one of those 7 mph if you were lucky. Good thing I can ride slow, real slow. All I could think of was flying back down to the Bosque. But my dreams were quickly blown away....really. Somewhere between the bottom, getting to the top, sucking in some air, and scarfing down some orange slices the wind picked up, one of those wonderful cross/head winds. I had to work my tail off to get up to a whopping 26 mph while holding on. All went well though, and the bagpipe guy was still at the bottom.
Soon we were back on the Bosque with its yellow trees and underpasses.
Going by a park near the Old Town I spotted these two young folks on low-riders. If you haven't been around these bikes they are truly works of art. I have seen them for years and always thought it would be fun to build one, but oh well.
After seeing this pic, I decided I actually did dress up.....as a licorice jelly bean in beads! Those beads were doing some clacking coming off the top.
I saved my favorite for last to share with you guys. If this guy didn't win the prize, the judges were blind!
He had a nasal cannula, bandages, etc, even the ever present hospital gown with the 'fake' bum shinning through.
He couldn't have had a real hospital bed with more life saving equipment on it. He rode the same route I did with all that stuff flopping in the breeze. I can only imagine what the passer-by's thought!
I had to leave out the guys dressed up as bumble bees, the disco guys, the guys in bright tutu's, and the group of Queen of Hearts, King of Hearts, and one Joker, amongst others. I never would have gotten back to the hotel!
It was a wonderful ride and only 364 more days until the next one.
Happy Halloween, fellow biker's!
