Jacque went to Albuquerque today whilst I determined to get on the bike and eat up some miles no matter what.... as long as it didn't rain all day like it did yesterday.
It didn't. Today started out a bit gloomy and cloudy but the sun was providing large blue-sky gaps so it looked good. Since my front shifter on the 2-wheel was not working sufficiently to access my highest gear, I had to work on that first. After a couple adjustments in the control cable length, it started shifting between all 3 rings on the front crank. I started to saddle it up with all my riding junk, water bottles, pannier with battery and supplies, etc, and was almost ready to embark on today's wonderful adventure. The cell phone rang and it was my sweetie Jacque sweetly suggesting I load up the tandem Terratrike instead and meet her in town for a joint ride on our favorite avenue.... The Bosque Trail. This did not require much arm twisting, so I parked the 2-wheel recumbent and hitched up the trike trailer and loaded the Terratrike aboard and headed for town. I had to stop twice: The first time I noticed a black strap on the trike flapping dangerously in the breeze. Turned out to be a loose foam wrapping on Jacque's rear seat stoker handlebar. About 10 minutes later as I was roaring down I-40 at about 65 MPH, I saw a faint flutter of yellow in the rear mirror and then was horrified to see Jacque's overhead shade assembly sail completely off the trailer - out from underneath the trike - and flutter like a wounded kite off to the side of the freeway. Thankfully this meant it was not going to be run over and shredded, though I was a couple hundred yards beyond it and dared not to back up on the shoulder with all the oncoming traffic to retrieve it. I had to hot-foot it back on foot to get it picked up and back in the trailer, where I secured it with a weight to keep it held down in the trailer, which I had neglected at first.
We just hauled this same rigging and trailer about 1500 miles behind the RV on our recent trip, so it was a bit puzzling to suddenly encounter such difficulties.
Jazzy and I finally arrived in Albuquerque, picked up Jacque and Tink, and whizzed down to Tingley Beach to begin our ride.
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| Jacque in the Shaded Stoker Seat |
This fall weather is just downright enjoyable. It was a bit cloudy at times but the temperature was just cool enough to be wonderful and likewise with the fitful breezes we encountered.
We rode the southern leg of the Bosque Trail today. Normally we encounter a scraggly coyote about 2 miles south of the Hispano Cultural Center along the trail and have been within a few dozen feet of him a couple times, which of course worries us about his intentions though he's never acted aggressive towards us or our doggies. Today we saw him not at all, either coming or going. Which is a wonderful thing, after all.
We did encounter -of course- the usual dogs inside their fenced properties which fiercely chase us along the perimeter of the fence barking ferociously. Our pups were controlled enough today that they barely growled back at them. Another walker with an unrestrained largish brown dog was encountered but he failed to threaten us too. Great riding. We encountered only a few other cyclists, including one who stopped alongside us during a break and asked bunches of questions about the trike since he and his wife have been considering buying one for themselves.
Jacque does not enjoy this southern loop of the trail, as it goes through part of the South Valley with lots of graffiti in some places and I-25 and South Broadway traffic coming close in others. The return loop on the southern end is surrounded by junkyards and heavy-industrial buildings with less than enjoyable views. I guess I enjoy it more since it reminds me so much of Grants NM in the days when I was living there as a young pup.
Stopping at the Tingley Beach park area is always a treat both for the relatively clean bathrooms, ducks swimming and quacking all over the waterway, and the ever present little toddler kiddos who ooh and ahhh over the doggies and the trike, in that order. And, of course, the occasional ice cream snack.
Ride Started: 1:38 PM Ride Ended: 4:44 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 67 F Highest Temp: 78 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 16.04
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.3 MPH 7.4 MPH 24.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
3 hours 2 mins 2 hours 9 mins 52 minutes
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