Beasts and the Beauty

Tracking With Usual Gaps In ABQ and Tijeras Canyon

I had a Doctor's Appointment in Albuquerque today so I thought I'd be brave and ride all the way there and back on the bike.
I've ridden the same route, a bit farther north, to work, back when I was gainfully employed, but have previously always scheduled Rescue Lady (Jacque) to come pick me and the bike up for the return trip.  Several years ago I made 48 miles with a trip into Albuquerque and back but gave out on the return trip in Tijeras and called for the rescue operation.  I would have done the same today but Jacque was not available so I rode the entire distance and finally cracked one of my long term goals:  50 miles in one day.
Since I was smoking downhill toward Tijeras on North-14 and my daughter Sarah works at a thriving business right on that roadway, I stopped and said "HI!" and refilled my newly-emptied water bottle from their cool fountain.
ATTENTION Tijeras Canyon and North-14 cyclists:  There is a PUBLICLY available Porta-Potty located in the Exerplay parking lot about half a mile north of I-40 just south of the Chevron service station, on the west side of the road.  And, unlike most such public potties, this one is spotlessly clean..... A word to the wise.

On the way westbound across Albuquerque following my old dedicated bike paths, I saw some weird obstructions in the shade of a few tall trees overhanging the path.  It was two lumps of something, and as I approached closer, it turned out to be two teens with backpacks and assorted homeless-looking stuff just lying across the path sleeping.  I pulled up next to them carefully to avoid hitting them and asked aloud:  "I take it you two are Okay?"  Their response was a bit less than friendly so I rode on and ignored their invective.  Who am I to interrupt someone's nap in the middle of the bike path in the middle of the afternoon?
On the way home I was riding the same trail eastbound when I noticed a high speed rider coming up behind me hard and fast.  She turned out to be a she, and she called out as she passed, "On your Left!" and as she smoked past me I was shocked at how great looking her profile was.  I'll put it this way:  She looked almost as great as Jacque does riding a bike.
I made the trip TO town in about the time expected:  2 1/2 hours almost on the button. 
I found a low but shady tree just in front of the office and chained the bike to it and changed into a dry shirt (which I promptly stunk up).

I had projected the return trip to take 3 hours due to the fact that crossing Albuquerque west to east is slightly uphill and coming the same direction through Tijeras Canyon is a LOT more uphill than the other direction.  I overestimated my capabilities, of course.   I departed the Doctor's Office about 10 minutes after 3 PM and arrived home about 7:48 PM.  That included a LONG Soda and Shade Break at the Phillips 66 station in Cedar Crest on the way up North-14.
I was so heated up it hurt my head immediately trying to drink the cold soda, so I had to sip it carefully just a little at a time until I could cool down.  After at least 30 minutes of recovery I re-saddled up and made the last 4 miles to the house.
Popped some painkillers in anticipation of sore muscles tonight while sleeping..... Sigh

Ride Started:  10:57 AM    Ride Ended:  7:48 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.6       Ending Voltage: 13.0
Lowest Temp  75 F      Highest Temp:  98 F 
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  52.55
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
  7.5 MPH                               9.1 MPH                    34.9 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
6 hours 57 mins                     5 hours 47 mins         1 hour 9 minutes