Planning these bike trips is always an enjoyable, but challenging process. In addition to the usual logistical parameters to be considered: low-traffic roads, reasonable distances between accommodations, nice scenery and places of interest, in New Mexico you have to factor in some rather unpredictable weather. At elevations above 7000 feet like we had on much of this route, the window between roads being clear of snow and temperatures soaring into the upper 80s can be very small and usually occurs in late May or early Fall. July is "monsoon" season and thunderstorms can pop up in an instant, dropping temperatures by 20 or even 30 degees in a matter of hours. On the day John flew into Albuquerque (May 28th) there was a tornado spotted just a bit southeast of the city - unusual even by New Mexican standards. So on May 29, 2008 we set off on an 8 day, 400 mile ride starting and ending in Bernalillo (about 15 miles north of Albuquerque). We'd first head north to Cuba, Abiquiu and Chama, then cross briefly into Colorado heading east to Antonito before turning south through Taos and Santa Fe to return to the starting point. NEXT

The Route