Ride Report: The Rail Trail – Santa Fe to Lamy, NM

Rail Trail

There are times when I wanna ride hard.  Punish legs, climb mountains, feel lungs rip through my shirt.  There are also times when I wanna marvel at scenery.  Scoot through trees, navigate rock gardens, descend on the verge of losing control… possibly losing control and eating handlebars, tasting blood mixed with sweat mixed with euphoria.

Lucy and Mama cruising the Rail Trail

And then there are times when nothing is better than a “family fun ride”.  When I get the 8 month prego wifey out and throw Lucy on the trail-a-bike and go out for a cruise.  I can chat with Angela, and listen to Lucy hooting and hollering as she mashes the pedals and “helps me” up the climbs.  These are the times when I’m glad the Rail Trail exists.  It’s Santa Fe’s version of the Animas River Trail in Durango (albeit without the gorgeous scenery and river crossings).

gratuitous sign shot

It starts in the Railyard near REI and parallels the train tracks as a paved trail for about 5 miles until you hit Rabbit Rd.  Then it turns into dirt and continues for another 11-12 miles as double and singletrack through El Dorado all the way to Galisteo Basin / Lamy.  It’s pretty mellow with a few short climbs/ descents.  Once you get out of town, it’s very relaxing and peaceful.  A perfect family ride, since you can make the ride as long or short as you like/ out-n-back.  It also passes right by the 2nd Street Brewery (in two spots – the original location and in the Railyard).  Hint hint.  Post ride brew for me and root beer for pregnant lady = smileys.

Seven more shoot days on Longmire (we’re on day 84 of 91 but who’s counting) and then road-tripping home and riding bikes as much as possible before Molly is born in early Sept.  Boy is life good or what???