Pack waiting by the door ready to go. The coolness of the early morning an hour before sunrise. I'm heading out for my first hike since my auto accident in Mexico (previous post). I'm anxious, a bit nervous about going for a 20 miler in the Sandias on legs that haven't covered a trail of any sort in four months.
And then I remembered.
Dang! #@%$#%$#)!!!!&(*&&%&%!!!!
The Sandias are still closed on account of fire danger and stupid people.
So instead of shots of South Sandia Peak and the meadows at Deer Park, I can offer only this pic of my Jamis road bike. I switched out my Vasque trail shoes for my Sidi racing shoes, my indestructible, twenty-year old Sportif canvas shorts for my padded Louis Garneau bike shorts. My Eclipse and I did sixty plus miles, including a climb from the Rio Grande to the bottom of the Tram. I'm guessing at least a 2,000 foot climb in elevation. It felt good.
A great ride. I think my stamina is back. But, nonetheless, it wasn't the plan.
I learned from the Tram ticket taker that the night before some guy had sneaked into the Sandia Wilderness. I've never seen a backcountry ranger in those mountains, so the chances of apprehension are minimal. Unless you suffer a heart attack and call for help on your cell phone. After the helicopter pulled him off the mountain, as he was in the ambulance heading for the hospital, the rangers handed him a citation. He'll get a bill for the rescue when they add the numbers.
Biking's great. But I want to hike the mountains out my back door! So come on rain! Freshen the high country, sprinkle your blessings on our Sandias, and may the yellow USFS tape across the trail be gone!
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