For my excuse to ride the trike today, I had 3 packages waiting for me down in Tijeras, a few miles south of home and nearly at the bottom of a long series of hills via NM-14. I neglected to ask what size the parcels were, and, assuming they might occupy some space, I again hitched up the B.O.B, trailer. After begging the doggie's forgiveness for leaving them behind, since I needed the trailer space, I rode off alone.
I rarely ride this route due to the length and steepness of the hills involved, but it isn't all that bad. The worst part of the route is the narrow shoulder on North 14 and the absolute mess of the so called "Bike Path" running parallel to the road. When going uphill along this route I feel I should ride on the bike path, because I go so slow uphill. Even crawling along, the ruts, chuck and pot-holes, ridges along driveways and undermining tree roots make it a bone jarring experience that tempts me to just get out in traffic and ride on the smoother automotive roadway. IT, however, suffers the common malady of narrow shoulders, barely sufficient to squeeze the extra width of the trike's front wheels, and of course the trash and potholes that proliferate on each shoulder of the road. So ya risk your life, seemingly, no matter what you choose.
We just returned from a trip through Oklahoma, and hate all the nickel-and-dime stops we have to make to pay all the weird little tolls on the expressway. For BIKING, however, I've often thought I would be willing to pay fairly steep tolls to have some decently maintained bike paths to ride on. Oh Well.
The older I get, the more rest stops I take, which certainly deteriorates the average speeds on such rides. As does the mile up and down our goat path road to the pavement, which forces crawl speeds both directions. Good thing I don't much care what the average speeds are. Of course, I'd be thrilled if they increased as I get older and lazier instead of the other way round.
This video clip shows me entering the top end of the so-called bike trail which runs next to the main road with just a curb separating cars from bikes. It is rough and seldom repaired, and it is too much like riding a sidewalk next to traffic..... you're barely separated from the cars and it's very dangerous when going across driveways and intersections since few drivers watch their own roadway, much less a parallel bike trail, so they are NOT expecting to encounter cyclists in or entering intersections.
I finally made it down to Tijeras, after multiple rest and drink stops, and a couple of pee breaks. I was mildly dismayed to find the "three packages" were in fact fairly small envelopes that fit easily into one of my panniers, and I either could have left the trailer at home or brought Tink and Lilly with me.
I had thought about taking the long loop thru Tijeras, east on old 66, and back towards home via Gutierrez Canyon Road, but I realized if I took that several more miles it could easily be DARK before I got home, so I just retraced my route back north on 14 and Frost Road to home again.
Ride Started: 12:36 PM Ride Ended: 4:17 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.7 Ending Voltage: 13.0 Lowest: 12.8
Beginning Blood Glucose: 184 Ending BG Reading: 161
Lowest Temp 67 F Highest Temp: 78 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 15.52
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.3 MPH 6.3 MPH 29.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
3 hours 34 mins 2 hours 29 mins 1 hour 5 minutes
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