Ride to Sandia Crest in Albuquerque, NM
by brandon on Oct 17, 2011
Ride Dates:
| Start Date: | Oct 17, 2011 |
| End Date: | Oct 17, 2011 |
Distance: 60 mi
Rode on:
"Suzuki SV650"
Rides for this Report:
Ride Report Discussion:
Go to the discussion thread!
Go to the discussion thread!
I didn't wake up this morning with the intention of riding, but as the day drew on I felt like getting out on the bike. I decided I was going to pack a lunch and ride to the top of the Sandia mountain via the Crest road. Overall from my house it's about a 60 mile round trip.
I strapped my rain gear and a water bottle to my toprack mount and threw my lunch in a backpack and headed out. It was pretty warm leaving my condo (about 68 degrees). Once I got behind the mountain the wind had really started to pick up and the temperature was gradually dropping. By the time I had got to the Crest road, the wind was really roaring.
On my way up I only got stuck behind one vehicle and was easily able to get around it in a passing zone. The temperature dropped even quicker on the way up. About 9,500 feet I started to see some snow patches in the shady areas next to the road.
I went to the overlook where you can see the entire city of Albuquerque and snapped a few shots, then tried to find a place I could eat lunch. I decided the crest itself was way too windy and cold, so I went down about a mile and found the 10k Trailhead and ate there.
After eating I started my descent. I was pretty much free to enjoy the road for myself until I reached the Sandia Peak Ski Area parking area and got stuck behind a couple cars. Fortunately over the next mile or two they all pulled over and eventually I was able to enjoy the descent unimpeded. The temperature quickly warmed back up again, but the wind never really died down. Coming back through the canyon to Albuquerque the wind was coming straight at me at really quick speeds, so that made it a little hairy.
It ended up being a nice break to get away from the computer for a couple of hours. I highly recommend this ride to anyone in the area.
Some Photos (you can also see more on the actual ride page):
My SV650 at my condo with the Sandia Peak in the background
Eating at the 10k Trailhead
I strapped my rain gear and a water bottle to my toprack mount and threw my lunch in a backpack and headed out. It was pretty warm leaving my condo (about 68 degrees). Once I got behind the mountain the wind had really started to pick up and the temperature was gradually dropping. By the time I had got to the Crest road, the wind was really roaring.
On my way up I only got stuck behind one vehicle and was easily able to get around it in a passing zone. The temperature dropped even quicker on the way up. About 9,500 feet I started to see some snow patches in the shady areas next to the road.
I went to the overlook where you can see the entire city of Albuquerque and snapped a few shots, then tried to find a place I could eat lunch. I decided the crest itself was way too windy and cold, so I went down about a mile and found the 10k Trailhead and ate there.
After eating I started my descent. I was pretty much free to enjoy the road for myself until I reached the Sandia Peak Ski Area parking area and got stuck behind a couple cars. Fortunately over the next mile or two they all pulled over and eventually I was able to enjoy the descent unimpeded. The temperature quickly warmed back up again, but the wind never really died down. Coming back through the canyon to Albuquerque the wind was coming straight at me at really quick speeds, so that made it a little hairy.
It ended up being a nice break to get away from the computer for a couple of hours. I highly recommend this ride to anyone in the area.
Some Photos (you can also see more on the actual ride page):
My SV650 at my condo with the Sandia Peak in the background
Eating at the 10k Trailhead
on May 20, 2012
by