Cochiti 45

   Flying the SSO colors in the SouthWest.



    Well I went in with the best intentions to ride the Cochiti 100. As it turned out I had a GREAT day riding just 45 miles. Matt puts on the New Mexico Endurance series and it is a really good time.Well, at least the couple I have done. The next one coming up is The Santa Fe Big Friggin Loop. I am planning on doing this one as well unless I can pull off the FireCracker 50.
Maha Makachut and Stefan were kind enuff to pick me up to drive to Cochiti at 6 in the morning. We got a delayed start and didn't pull into the Dixon Apple Orchard till 7:00 am. As we drove into the orchard we saw all the racers/riders taking off. So we would be riding alone to start. We got all our lycra on and took off for some fun up Dome rd. It is cool that soo many people showed up to ride in this cause it is grass roots with no entry fee and NO FRILLS. All about the RIDE.Ohh yeaa and some beer afterward.

Maka suiting up




Shade is seldom seen on Dome rd.




Stefan enjoying the fine day







Flowers are just coming out everywhere you turn these days





At the Motown-Dome rd. intersection that i went past until the nice guy on the moto that had cleared the trail prior to this event alerted me to the fact that this was the turn. He was saying that he and some other people from Los Alamos had made the trail we were about to ride. Hats off to him and his crew.
Also met up with Scott and Mark here




Stefan flying the Zia







This part of the trail was beautiful riding



Maka coming in for a little respite


Stefan anf MahaMaka enjoying some shade. Stefan said he was done when we got here.



Scott and Mark enjoying the day









On the kick ass descent down Medio Dia I lost my tubesock and Mark amazingly found it. Thanks Mark.
This was the demise of our second lap... ohhh yeaa and Marks ass hurt





I tip my beer to Matt for putting the SUPER fun ride/races together.


So we had a few beers there at the apple orchard and shot the shit. I got to meet Chris who lives in Albuquerque and Loves to ride bikes. He was on a DEAN i think. Hopefully he will take me on a ride soon up Tunnel trail into Otero.
As we were departed Stefan noted the stormy funnel looking cloud to the south as we got closer to 25 it became a full on Tornado. I shot some shots of it. It was incredable to see this in person.

It topped off a GREAT day






Then it said goodbye



   What is in your audio player? I have been really digging on Captain Beefheart: The Spotlight Kid. Also I see that Thurston Moore is gonna be coming out with a solo album soon. I heard a track from it and i was diggin it. Seems he did a bunch of the recording in J Mascis's studio and got him to do some leads on it. I LOVE music.
CIAO!

Wish My Kitchen Had This View

   Did my first ride of the year up to Glorieta Baldy the other day with Makachut. We had a great ride this day and I can only hope for many more rides of this caliber. There is a trail that goes from Thompson peak which sits next to Glorieta baldy over to Atalaya which I wanna do real soon. I think it would be fun to have someone drop us off and ride from glorieta over to Thompson then over to Atalaya. Lets Do It ! So Mark and I parked at the Baptist Center, there were lots of people there enjoying some Baptist activities, We went up the ghost town trail and up to the Tower and then descended the normal trail down.
2 RIGS in Marks truck, beside Mark's truck is Scott's truck. They got a earlier start.




The start of the ride is really nice climbing through a canyon










Then we stopped at ghost town for a refreshing pause.

I have been riding a IRD carbon fork on the 29er past couple of rides and i can say i enjoy it very much. It took about 2 lbs off the weight of the bike. The carbon really seems to take some of the chatter out of rigid fork riding.


Makachut letting us all know that ONE is all ya need




Then we climbed up into the fire tower for some first class 360 degree views.









Dopers Suck ??????

reluctantly we departed





This is gonna be fun


Always nice to stop here and soak in the views



Mark making it look easy










   The climb up to the fire tower is always a tuffy but it is all erased as you descend to the car. Can't wait to hit again.
   Scott at work was telling me about the meeting he attended put on by the Santa Fe Conservation Trust That gets all kinds of people together that have a stake in trails in the Santa Fe area. They have all kinds of BIG plans for Santa Fe trails. One of which is connecting the Dale Ball North trails to the Nuns corner trails. YOOHOOO . They are gonna get my money and time.
   Coming up this weekend is the Cochiti 100 put on by local Hammerhead Matt, who seems to be winning everything he enters. I think i will give it a try.
   What is in your audio player? I saw the SSO site and he mentioned he was rocking Grinderman. So i picked it up and i am enjoying it. It is Nick Cave in a streamlined format. RAW sort of like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
            BYE!