Days 11-12
April 16-April18
We left about 8:30 under drizzly and super foggy conditions with temps in the low 40s. By the time we hit New Mexico, about an hour in, the skies had brightened but temps remained in the 40s. We crossed the Sandia mountain range into the high desert of Albuquerque, with elevations ranging from 4,900 to 6,700 ft, at about 1pm. We were excited to gain another hour with the change in time zone, but didn’t get to take advantage of it since we had so much difficulty finding the Truman Gate into Kirtland AFB. Apparently the other gates can’t accommodate trailers. After all the frustration, we were finally settled in and very happy we persisted in finding the Base Family Campground.
After we were set up and ate lunch, we checked the app Trailforks to find the closest mountain bike trails. We settled on the Coyote Trails in the Cibola National Forest on the eastern side of the Sandia range. When we arrived, we were fortunate to find two Air Force guys just coming off the trails. They gave us the Intel on the trails and where to head. So we hopped on our bikes and started exploring. The trails at times were fun and flowy, but mostly there was a lot of rugged terrain with lots of chunky and challenging rock gardens. We got in about 4.5 miles of trails and when we returned to the parking area the guys were still there. We chatted about the area and they suggested we try the Pine Flats trails about 6 miles up the road. So we put it on our bucket list for tomorrow. When we return to the campground, we decided to get our food shopping, food prep and laundry done; and of course relaxed and caught up on our show A Million Little Things. (Eddie is really starting to annoy me.)
The following morning we woke up to super windy (20mph) and chilly conditions. Temps had gotten into the 30s overnight. We were really happy to find that the trailer held heat pretty well and we were toasty warm throughout the night. After brunch, we headed over to the Petroglyph National Monument Visitor’s Center to get information about the different Petroglyph sites. We chose Piedras Marcados Canyon because it was a short hike with over 400 carvings that was pet friendly and we knew Tucker would be able to handle it with his bad knees. There were over 2,800 petroglyphs along the 17 miles of volcanic escarpment. Each carving held deep cultural and historical significance to the Pueblo and Spanish people. Most if not all could not be interpreted due to sacred, cultural and contextual reasons. We enjoyed exploring and locating 100s of petroglyphs along our hike. It was fun imagining the artist carving each one and wondering what his intention for its meaning was. Of course we had our own interpretations!
Before heading back to the campground, we decided to explore a little of Old Town Albuquerque and scenic Route 66 through the city. We enjoyed learning about the cultural and historical significance of the city while taking in the sites. We were impressed with the cleanliness and ‘upscale’ modern feel of New Mexico’s largest city. We learned that the economy of ABQ centers on science, medicine, technology, education, entertainment and culture. Kirtland is home to Sandia National Nuclear Security Labs. Definitely a place we would love to return to for a longer stay.
After grilling up and savoring one of the T-Bone steaks that Lisa and Joey graciously gave us, we decided to head up to the Pine Flats trails back at the Cibola National Forest. We climbed quite a bit up the mountain road to the trailhead. It was amazing how much the temps dropped as we gained elevation. We took a look at the trailhead map and decided to head out on Deadman to Ponderosa trail. The climb with the altitude and trail conditions to the summit were pretty challenging. Lots of rocks and boulders, but surprisingly, no roots! We kept reminding ourselves how much fun it was going to be on the way back down. We caught a few cross loops and connector trails along the way that had a few little fun and flowy spots. After 4.5 miles, we reached the summit, took in the views and then put our heads down and enjoyed Deadman’s downhill. Two miles of fast twists and turns that brought us back down to the truck and ended our mountain bike adventure in New Mexico.
We survived another super chilly night and now we’re ready to head west over the Rio Grande and Continental Divide into Winslow. See you in Arizona!
