Mountain Biking - Back from New Mexico!

Well boys and girls we're back from an awesome three days of riding. The scenery was spectacular and the trails were too cool. Grueling at times but worth every gasping minute. We rode the Windsor Trail on Friday in Sante Fe. It was an 8+ mile climb but then it was 8+ of downhill. At least 20 stream crossings.
The next day we rode the South Boundary in Taos. The first 3 or 4 miles was climbing to about 11000 ft., (no oxygen), but then it was mostly downhill for a total of about 24 miles. One stretch was called "Heaven on Earth" and it was. Didn't get any riding pics on the South Boundary. Too busy riding!
On Sunday before we left we caught the ski lift in Albuquerque to the top of Sandia Peak and rode downhill for about 8 miles. Didn't have much time before we had to catch the plane.
Here's some pics if anyone's interested.

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/Shawn1.jpg
Shawn catching some air on the Windsor.

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/Steve1.jpg
Steve climbing.

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/me1.jpg
Me gettin' wet!

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/Windsor1.jpg
Part of the Windsor Trail. On the right you see the stream we crossed multiple times.

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/Windsor-top.jpg
Top of the Windsor just before starting the downhill.

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SouthB1.jpg
Meeting of the minds on the South Boundary. There were 11 of us on that ride.

The next 4 pics are scenery pics from the South Boundary.
http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SouthB2.jpg

http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SouthB3.jpg
http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SouthB4.jpg
http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SouthB5.jpg

The last pic is of Sandia Peak taken from the plane.
http://members.home.net/dirtgrinder/SandiaPeak.jpg

Dirtgrinder,

Thanks for sharing your trip. It looks like it was a lot of fun.

You transported me there while at my desk.

DG...great pictures. It looks like mountain biking heaven. Were most of the trails singletrack? Did the altitude affect you much?

I definitely need to add New Mexico to the list of "must ride" places.

Thanks Carlos. All of the Windsor was single-track. Very little of the South Boundary was fire road. Maybe a mile total if that much. It was great! :) The altitude was noticeable though. I was worried about altitude sickness but felt fine the whole time. Just noticed the thin air on the climbs. Especially on the South Boundary. We started at about the altitude we finished on the Windsor. Plus we climbed 8+ miles the day before we did the SB. I think that had to make a difference too. But that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! :D DG

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about makin' my lowly fire road look absolutely bleak! You lucky bastud...:D

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er

By the way, did you stop off in Flagstaff at any point? I saw a car driving around on campus with the license plate "JnyBrvo". :)
Nope! We flew in so I didn't have the Bravo-Mobile with me. :D
Besides, if I'm ever in Flagstaff I'll be sure and look you up! DG

Mountains!!!! Real mountains!!! Get me out of the south please!!!

It looks like you had a great weekend of riding. Will this become a yearly ritual?
Did the whole crew fly in from Mo?

I can't imagine trying to climb at 11k ft. I was hurting at a lowly 9k in Tahoe. So many places to ride so little time (and money).

Fubar, if you are looking for some epic riding in the South head up to North Carolina. Some of the best riding in the country are in Tsali and Pisgah.

Originally posted by Joe Pozer
It looks like you had a great weekend of riding. Will this become a yearly ritual?
Did the whole crew fly in from Mo?

We'd like to make it a yearly ritual if possible. But we'd like to go somewhere different next year. Maybe Moab?:) Always seemed like the MTB Mecca to me.
Shawn and myself flew in from Jeff. City and Steve flew in from KC. The other guys in the South Boundary pics were from another group we rode with. DG