Bosque Ride coming soon
Several SOB members will ride a very popular loop ride of the Bosque in Albuquerque on Tuesday, May 15. This ride is about 35 miles and is relatively flat. Those who rode this ride a few weeks ago report a great ride with time to stop for food and refreshment on the way. May is a great month for ideal weather to do this ride.
Meet at 599 Railrunner station at 9:30 a.m. with departure at 10:00 a.m. Carpool to Albuquerque.
Any questions and to indicate interest, contact Ruben Cedeno at: rscedeno8@gmail.com
Las Vegas 2 day
15 Riders and 2 wonderful Sag drivers ( Bud and Berry) made the round trip to LV this weekend. Good weather, no rain, head wind coming back but not too bad. No major issues. Did see some rain drops after we got there, but none while riding. Christine and Dave treated us to a wonderful lunch when we got back to their house, complete with appropriate SOB recovery drink. 15 of us stayed at the Plaza Hotel and we all ate dinner there on Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning. The hotel did a great job, bikes in rooms, nicely organized tables for dinner and breakfast, good service. We also said hi to Sheriff Longmire while in LV. Few pictures below, other action pics at this link.
At the start in Pecos, Christine and Dave’s in background.
Hotel is on the left in background.
Dinner at the hotel.
Bike MS Pedal Los Pueblos
May Ride times
Losing another 1/2 hour of sleep in May! Tuesday and Saturday rides ALL start at 0930.
Thursday rides for the first part of May are at 0930 as well. Later in the month the last two Thursday rides start at 0900. So check the calendar.
Out of laziness on my part and as a challenge to the rest of you, unless great pressure is exerted, my plan is to keep the Tuesday and Saturday rides at 0930 throughout May. So some weeks late in the month, Thursday will be at 0900 and Tuesday and Saturday at 0930. Here’s a strategy: Arrive at all rides at 0845 and just wait for them to start. 😉
Stay Safe.
SOB Riders Tackle the Los Alamos Loop, Parajito, and Bandelier!!
SOB Riders headed to Los Alamos to tackle the loop!! IT WAS A PERFECT DAY TO RIDE!! We assembled at Smith’s in Los Alamos, divided into groups and began the trek.
The first challenge for some was to conquer Pajarito Ski Basin Climb. We were soon reminded just how tough this climb really is!! Great view!!
Then it was around the loop to Bandelier National Park with the descent into the canyon, a recovery at the Visitor Center and a climb out of the canyon to White Rock.
The final challenge was the climb up the truck route back to Los Alamos and Smith’s parking lot. GREAT decision to ride the loop earlier in the year!! The weather was perfect!! The Los Alamos Loop provides a lot of personal challenges with varying routes and difficulties. The different ride options and great views make this ride a most do event. After the ride we regroup at the Parajito Brewpub and Grill to relive our adventures, and enjoy lunch and brew.
Overall we rode 41 – 47+ miles with 3,100 to 4,500+ feet of ascent.
ANOTHER AWESOME SOB RIDE LIVING THE SOB DREAM!! YAHOO!!
Taking the “New Guys” on a Trek to the Cell Tower!!
Our Tuesday Ad Hoc Ride from DeVargas Center was a PERFECT day to ride. We were joined by two new riders – Rob and Jay. The decision on where to ride was simple… where should we take the new riders! We wanted it to be a memorable ride so we decided to loop around Santa Fe including the Cell Tower. We headed around the dump to 599, and then put together a couple of fast pacelines down the frontage road. Then it was out to La Cienega and the Cell Tower. WHAT!! At the top of the climb it turned into a SPRINT to the Cell Tower!! REALLY… AN UPHILL SPRINT FINISH?? Sorry… no sprint points awarded for the finish!! You can’t go to the Cell tower without the getting the required cell tower photo! (Joe behind the lens).
It was time to head back to DeVargas… IT WAS LUNCH TIME!! After the ride we regrouped at Rowley Farmhouse Ales for lunch and a meeting with Agent Scully. The Green Chile Tuna Melt and Mac & Cheese w/bacon were the meals of choice!!
Overall, it was a GREAT 44+ mile ride at 17 MPH with 1,900+ feet of ascent. IT WAS JUST ANOTHER AWESOME DAY OF RIDING LIVING THE SOB DREAM!! YAHOO!
Rob and Jay… hope you enjoyed the ride!
Riding the Bosque Trail… Eat at the Range Cafe in Bernalillo!
Last week after abandoning the Club ride out of San Felipe Casino, the SOB Riders headed to Albuquerque in search of a “reduced wind” ride. Based on Bob’s recommended, we end up on the Bosque Trail. Perfect decision!! SOB Riders enjoyed a 33+ mile, flat and FAST ride, with dramatically reduced wind. After the ride we gathered at The Range Cafe in Bernalillo for lunch and refreshments (Margie from Bernalillo behind the lens). Also… Thanks to Lynn for sharing GREAT pictures of the Bosque.
What looked like a bad day to ride turned into ANOTHER… AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE. YAHOO!
In memory of Joel Stein
Joel Stein died this past Sunday evening. Joel has been in poor health for some time. Joel was one of the two or three founding members of Seniors on Bikes. Prior to living in Santa Fe, Joel and his wife, Mary, lived briefly in the Boulder, Colorado area where they founded the SOB group there. When they moved to Santa Fe, they reproduced the same concept.
Joel was a friend to all who knew him and Mary is a delight to be around. Prior to moving to Colorado and New Mexico, Joel worked at the major investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald in New York City. Joel retired a few years before Cantor Fitzgerald suffered the greatest loss of life of any company when the five floors it occupied in the World Trade Center were destroyed in the terrorist attack on 9/11. Joel lost many friends, he said one time.
Jim Halquist attended an event Monday night and learned of Joel’s passing and alerted my by phone this morning. Very few current members of SOB knew Joel, as it has been many years since he has ridden or attended any of our events. Still, his passing for those who knew him is important to know.
When information about services is available, it will be posted here.
Bill Pollock
Groups v2
Seems yesterday’s post was not clear. The ride groups A / B / C that we use on Thursdays are unchanged. There was a website feature that has been removed, which was also called groups. No reason to rehash its use or non-use but you may notice you are getting fewer emails regarding New rides. Or you may not notice. Either way, not to worry.
All rides are still in the calendar. Special rides should be notified via a blog post.
Website note
We have eliminated the Groups. I bet you didn’t even know we had any groups. Not the A B C groups, but the Road Ride / Social Groups. If you were getting occasional emails with messages about new rides (events) being posted then you were in one of the groups.
We were no longer using the groups, especially after we eliminated Off Road rides and now we have a standing ad hoc ride on Tuesday and Saturday so, not much need for them. If you still want to set up a special ad hoc ride then just post on the blog and add the ride (event) to the ride calendar.
Also, especially for new members, but for everyone as a refresher, check out the revised Help page. Click the Help menu icon.
Stay Safe.
Bosque Trail April 19 – Little Wind
Thanks to BobB for recommending that we drive from San Felipe down to ABQ to avoid the winds. Here are some highlights:
The bench and plaque for Lee Hilley whom we remember on our Pecos memory ride:
Some wildlife (geese, an egret, and yellow water iris) (did not get the sandhill crane or roadrunner that I also saw):
And being passed by the portion of the A group known as Blue Bayou:
And the Wind HOWLED!!!
On Thursday, forewarned of increasing winds later in the day, the SOB Riders thumbed their noses at Niltsi and departed toward Madrid and Stagecoach Summit (Ortiz Pass). The ride out of the 599 Station to Lone Butte Gas Station was uneventful; but we were facing an increasingly strong and gusty wind. The climb out of Cerrillos to Madrid was brutal. On the last downhill into Madrid we were able to muster an impressive 8 MPH!! But our thoughts of misery were wiped away knowing we would soon be sitting at Java Junction enjoying a refreshing cup o’joe (Joe behind the lens).
Undeterred by Niltsi, we pushed on to Stagecoach summit. Once at the top, the swirling, gusting headwind made for a tricky and sometimes scary descent. By now, the SOB Riders were focus on just making it back to the 599 Station. The winds had built to 30 MPH gusting to 40 MPH as we began our trek up Highway 14. The strong and gusting crosswind made the trip a “white knuckle” event. At least the wind was pushing us toward the edge of the road and not toward the traffic. At times it seemed as if Niltsi wanted to sweep our wheels out from under our bikes. Exhausted and battered by the wind, the SOB Rides made it back to the 599 Station and promptly headed to the Blue Corn Cafe and Brewery on Rodeo Road for well deserved nutrition. The End Of The Trail Brown Ale, an American style brown, has a nutty flavor with hints of chocolate and caramel and a medium body. It is smooth with a malty and slightly hoppy finish. It was the fitting brew to end this epic ride.
Overall it was a a 43+ mile exhausting trek at 15+ MPH with 2,400+ ft of ascent. Just another…
AWESOME RIDE AND ADVENTURE LIVING THE SOB DREAM! YAHOO!!
Ride to Rio en Medio… For The Birthday Boys
SOB riders met at DeVargas Center Tuesday for a trek to Rio en Medio. It was a beautiful day to ride!! A sunny blue sky was the perfect match for a cool spring day. The group also welcomed home Tom and Lu from their escapades in Arizona. There was the ritualistic climb/sprint up Old Taos Highway and the rocket descent through Tesuque to the 592 Turnoff to Rio en Medio. But the real climbing was about to begin!! Most of us had forgotten the the steepness of some of the ascents to the end of the Rio en Medio Trail; arriving ragged and short of breath!! Time to rest and “GU UP”. Some callously disrespected the regulatory signs…
But we all gathered for the “confirmation of the climb” photo at the end of the trail…
It’s time for the descent; but not before one last climb to the midway regroup point…
But wait… what about the birthday boys Bob Bogart and John Veilleux, both celebrating 70+ years of fun and adventure!! We proceeded to sing “Happy Birthday” much to the amusement of the local coyotes!! It was time to rocket back to Tesuque, climb up to Tano Bridge and meander back to DeVargas Center just in time for lunch and refreshments at Betterdays!! Overall… 26+ miles; 2,400+ ft of ascent; at a respectable 14+ MPH.
ANOTHER AWESOME RIDE AND ADVENTURE IN THE LIFE OF A SOB!!
Another ride of the Albuquerque Bosque
Those who rode the Bosque Trail in Albuquerque recently had such a good experience that a similar ride is already planned for May 15. Think about joining in the trip. The new ride will be a little different but still contain the elements that made it such a good trip. Fairly flat, easy ride with some distance on the paved trail along the Rio Grande. And a couple of stops for food and brew.
The participants will meet at the 599 Railrunner station at 9:30 a.m. and depart in a car pool by 10:00 a.m. for the drive to Albuquerque. The group will return to the 599 station shortly after mid-afternoon.
Ruben Cedeno is organizing the activity. Reach him at rscedeno8@gmail.com
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Great story about guy who finished last in Paris Roubaix
The moral is, NEVER GIVE UP!
Watch the video, as he is cheered by fans after fixing flat.
Compendium of Rides – First Week of April: 100 miles and 6,500+ ft Ascent!! YAHOO!!
3 Apr – A Climb Day to the Hyde Park Ranger Station
Under cool, blue sunny skies SOB Riders began a 20+ mile, 2200+ ft ascent ride to the Hyde Park Ranger Station. The climb up Bishop’s Lodge Road was the warm up for the wicked transition across Barranca Road and Sierra del Norte to Hyde Park Road. After the steep climb up Sierra del Norte across to Hyde Park Road, we welcomed the slow steady climb to the Ranger Station. We regrouped at the Ranger Station and layered up for the descent back to Santa Fe. Here is the group at the Ranger Station (Alex behind the lens). With little traffic, it was a rocket descent down Hyde Park and Gonzales Road back to DeVargas Shopping Center. We celebrated our achievement at the Betterday Coffee Shop and Restaurant in Solana Shopping Center.
5 Apr – A Trek Out Old Santa Fe Trail with a Loop Around Santa Fe
A whole gaggle of SOB Riders assembled at Museum Hill for a SOB Club Ride around Santa Fe. John led our group out Old Santa Fe Trail climbing to the end of the Trail. We descended the Trail and Two Trails Road with an excursion through Seton Village before rolling down Old Las Vegas Highway to Old Pecos Trail. At Old Pecos Trail it was time to battle the winds down Rabbit Road, Dinosaur Road, and Los Pinto to the La Cienega Water Tower. After a regroup it was “PacelineTime” back to 599. At 599, the “SOB Premier Racer” (You know who you are – Barb!) took control and set a quick pace back to Museum Hill. No lollygagging authorized with this group!! Overall we covered 48+ miles with 2,500 ft of ascent. But a ride is not a ride without nourishing the body!! The group assembled at 2nd Street Brewery (Original) for lunch and a round of cheer, with Larry and Bob enjoying free beer!! (Ernie our waiter behind the lens)
7 Apr – A Cold and Windy Start Turned to an Epic Ride – YAHOO!!
What started as a small group of SOB Riders looking for the nearest Coffee Shop for warmth, turned into an epic ride around Santa Fe. Huddled together whining about the cold, our plan was a quick out and back to the Betterday Coffe Shop. But after battling the cold climbing the 599 Frontage Road out of El Camino Real Academy, we were greeted with blue, sunny skies. YES… it was going to be another awesome SOB adventure!! We quickly abandoned the plan to regroup at the Betterday coffee shop and instead threaded our way through Las Campanas to the Tano Road Bridge across to Bishop’s Lodge Road and back into Santa Fe. Energized by the ever warming, sunny day, we raced around the city back to El Camino Academy. Meanwhile, back at the Ranch House grub and refreshments were being prepared. Here are the SOB Riders at our best!! Overall, we covered 30+ miles with 1,732 ft of ascent.
Epilogue
It was a great week of riding… 100 miles; 6,550+ ft of ascent. But best of all was the SOB camaraderie… it just keeps on giving!! It was just another week-long, awesome adventure living the SOB dream!! YAHOO!!
Ride Fast; Ride Safe!!
Saturday April 7 info
The Las Vegas ride has been postponed until April 28 – 29. Everyone who signed up for the ride has been notified. The weather this coming Sunday is forecast as super windy, with gusts up to 50 mph in the Las Vegas area. So we put the ride off till late April in the hope the winds die down. If you want to join the rides, just go here and register. No cost to register. We are staying at the Plaza Hotel in beautiful downtown Las Vegas (NM) the night of April 28.
The regular Saturday rides for April are on for the 7th at the usual locations.
Remember Bike Swap is also this Saturday April 7th. Near Rob and Charlie’s bike shop in the parking lot. Sale starts at 10 am.
Compendium of articles on Hwy 41 Assault
Was reading today’s email from Spin Doc and browsed over to BikeSantaFe website. Was pleasantly surprised that the once moribund website is alive. Several articles on cyclist pressure to City and County for equal treatment under the law. Here is the link to the BSF page with the compendium of articles from local media on the assault and attempts to encourage equal treatment. http://www.bikesantafe.org/assault-on-highway-41-reaction-and-action/
BTW, compendium is my new favorite word, in case you haven’t noticed.
The email with the link to RWGPS has not been sent to you yet
Ian will be sending it soon. It will either come from Ian or from Santa Fe SOBs. I don’t know which. Maybe Ian can let us know.
It’s April. No foolin’
The ride season starts this coming Thursday, April 5, at 10am at Museum Hill. Also note that all rides for April, including Tuesday and Saturday will start at 10am unless otherwise noted.
Here is a compendium of information that we have prepared for your riding pleasure. You will have a better experience if you read it BEFORE you get on your bike. (Reading while riding is discouraged). Don’t wait till Thursday morning to start! And, just so you are prepared, there will be a simple test. Did you find your way back to the start at the end of the ride?
Quick Review of Group Ride Safety
For the first (and only the first) ride, I have included the PDF route slips on the ride detail page on the SOB website. After the first ride you will have to learn how to print these route slips yourself via RWGPS. Or use your cell phone or use your GPS head unit. Or follow the ride leader.
We need you to sign the Waiver for 2018. If you have not done so already. Click this link and follow the instructions. You can also pay your dues from that page.
We currently have 113 people who have completed the arduous membership process for 2018. Congrats if you are one of them.
SOB Members hit the trail!
The Bosque Trail, that is. Thursday, March 29 was the day for several SOB members to car pool to Albuquerque and ride the Bosque Trail. Everything went well. A little wind, but nothing to discourage the ride. And a number of beer stops eased any pain.
Photograph by Ruben Cedeno
Submitted by Bill Pollock
B Riders enjoy the sunshine
Last Thursday, near the Community College, the B riders took advantage of the stop sign to warm up in the sun.
Champion bicyclists call the B group riders “stalwart.”
Message from Judy and the Board to Membership
We are about to start another great season with our SOBs. One of our challenges is that the membership has grown and we have more cyclists than ever joining the Thursday rides, as well as Tuesday and Saturday. On the one hand, this is a very good thing, we love to see us “older” folks out there enjoying ourselves with friends and getting the benefits of exercise regularly. But, the challenge is the size of the groups and making sure all of us are safe.
We are on roads that we share with cars and they are bigger and much more powerful than we are. We all (cars and cyclists) must learn to share the roads. And we all know these “rules” but just need to be reminded of them.
-We stop at all red lights!
-We slow way down/stop at stop signs and make sure there is absolutely no car in sight.- each person is responsible for themselves, no yelling all clear!
-Ride as far to the right as is safe. Do not ride to the left of another rider for long periods of time. If you are passing, then pass as fast as possible. If you cannot pass without impeding traffic then wait until you can.
-When a right turn lane comes be especially careful. Cars may expect you to turn right and then turn right into you when you continue straight. Ensure no cars are turning into you if you have moved into the right turn lane to allow cars to pass or because there is no other shoulder. At a traffic light, do not ride into the right turn lane. Stop behind the last car in the straight lane. If the only lane is right and straight combined then take whole lane behind last car and take lane through the light, then pull right after crossing intersection.
if there are parked cars take the lane to protect yourself from opening doors
-Single file is best on most roads, unless there is a shoulder and two cyclists can be within its boundaries
-When a cyclist passes another cyclist always do it on the left and say something: ” on your left” or “Hi.”
-If the group is larger than 6 or 7 cyclists, break the peloton up into two or more groups to allow cars to pass and pull in.
-When a bunch of cars are lined up behind the group-pull over in the first safe place and let the cars go by.
-When we regroup, we get completely off the road so cars can get by and see around us. This may mean adjusting some of our traditional regroup points.
-Use hand signals and acknowledge a driver when he treats you well, and do not argue with a bad driver or use any gestures that may incite a driver’s anger
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RIDER SAFETY. DO NOT LEAVE IT UP TO THE RIDE LEADER. THE RIDE LEADER IS NOT A POLICE OFFICER. If you have a cyclist in your group who is having difficulty keeping to these safety guidelines he/she could be endangering the group’s safety and it is your responsibility to COURTEOUSLY remind that rider to adhere to our guidelines. If a rider continuously refuses to ride safely, then he/she may be asked to no longer ride with us. In these days of drivers inattention, i.e. cell phone calling, texting, just not paying attention, we need to do the best we can and be on the defensive. We ask everyone, to bicycle and drive safely.
PS. The board decided to sign up with RWGPS as a club. That means all paid up club members can use all the RWGPS features for free! That’s right, ignore the message about needing to pay for the ride cues on your phone. Yahoo! You can also print the ride cues at home if desired. Explanations coming soon. All paid up members for 2018 will be given information on how to access these features. Stay tuned.
Thursday Ride Plan for 2018
The board and the ride leaders have made a few changes to the Thursday ride plan for 2018. We’d like to explain them so please read.
First off, we have done away with Club20 for this year. We are still going to have a sign in sheet at the start but we are considering eliminating them in the future.
For A rides. We are going to try to always have an A and an A- ride every week, even if we only have one ride leader. The A- group is intended to ride the longer distance of the A rides but at a slower pace, compatible with everyone riding that day. The A racer group (you know who you are) should click this link for instructions on how to load their GPS gizmos with the route and will be responsible for leading themselves should they want to ride off the front. We are going to ask the ride leader, if there is only one, to lead the A- ride. If there are two leaders that day, then each group (A, A-) will have an official leader. Of course the racer group can ride at the pace of the A- group if they are so inclined. We are going to solicit a HERO for A- group but we will not require one.
For B rides: Rather than have 3 different distances, we are going to have 1 B ride route and distance. The B+, B, B- groups will still exist, and will determine the pace of the ride, so the B+ will be energetic, the B will be medium, and the B- will be relaxed. Ride leaders and HEROs will be assigned to every ride.
For C rides: There will continue to be only one C ride distance. However, if there are more than 15 C riders, the ride leader may choose to break the group into two groups with a varying pace. If this happens, riders will be asked to help lead and HERO the two groups.
For B and C rides, when the ride start is out of town a long distance, we are going to have an alternate in town start for those groups. We have done this in the past for the Mora / ElDorado ride but this year we are doing it about 8 times. Details will be given on the ride calendar but rides like Taos and El Rito will have in town starts for B / C groups. We hope that the existence of the A- group will allow B riders to join an out of town ride if they desire. Also, an A rider with a tight schedule can now easily ride on a Thursday with one of the B groups.
Also, in general, we have tried to cluster the out of town rides toward the beginning and end of the year, rather than in the middle. This will hopefully provide less chance of thunderstorms disrupting the rides and allow us to start rides earlier during the hottest months since we will not have to add an hour drive to the start time.
There will be another post in the near future with a refresher about how to access upcoming ride information.
We are aware that mid-course corrections may be needed and we are willing to listen to comments and adjust as needed. Stay Safe.
Special ride Saturday, 10am DeVargas
We plan to ride for about 1.5 hours and then head over to the Plaza to join the Students March for Safety. This will replace the usual Saturday start at ElCamino. We figure to be back at DeVargas between 11.30 and 11.45 to change and start walking. B/C riders, love to have you join us! See link for March info!
Reminder: Thursday Ride Start is at DeVargas!
Still 11am.
Look for a note about Saturday March 24 ride coming Friday. We are looking to join the march to the Plaza around noon, just not with bikes, so probably starting the ride earlier and leaving from (where else) DeVargas.
Doug is back home!
Good news: After 2 weeks in the hospital following the road rage incident on March 1st, Doug finally left the hospital on Friday and is now at home. Recovery from all of his injuries will take some time but he looks forward to when he can ride again with the SOBs. He welcomes visitors but please call him first. If you need his number email admin @ santafesobs . com and I will send it to you.
Ed D is also improving. He says: My ribs are still sore, but another week or two and I should be able to do heavy breathing without them hurting too much. I have been getting out a few times for short rides. Larry, Monica and I met in Eldorado for a ride of about 20 miles for me, they went longer.
Bud B says his hands are a bit better and I have seen him ride at least once on the trainer without hands (I didn’t see that, he posted it). Hard to grip anything (brakes) at this point until casts are removed.
I know that we wish everyone a speedy and full recovery.
Early arrival necessary for Montoya funeral
Judging by the number of attendees at the Rosary Sunday night for Ramon Montoya, we recommend that SOB members planning to attend the 10:00 a.m. funeral service Monday should plan to be seated by 9:20 a.m. SOB members will be amazed at the number of friends and family honoring Ramon.
Bill Pollock
Ramon Montoya Obituary
The services for Ramon Montoya on Monday, March 19
10:00 a.m. at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 511 Alicia Street, Santa Fe (corner of Hickock and Alicia Street)
A Rosary is also scheduled at St. Anne’s at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 18
This Obituary provided by Rivera Family Funeral Home
Biography
He married Socorro Ortiz in 1957 and they had 9 children, Magdalene, Charles, Ernestine, Angela, Daniel, Gloria, Phillip, Diana Lehman (Mark) and Veronica Cedeno Montoya (Douglas). They were blessed with 24 grandchildren: Diego, Miguel, Naomi, Natali, Isaac, Joel, Josh, Hannah, Jacob, Krystine, Katrina, Laurie, Steven, Mario, Therese, Angelo, Jennifer, Michael, Jessica, Sarah, Hannah, Eric, Jared, and Derek. There were 18 great grandchildren: Madalyn, Julia, Elijah, Juliana, Josiah, Amaiyah, Malachi, Aaliyah, Judah, Titus, Sharahla, Ella, Christina, Jocelyn, B. Arron, Demetrio, Anthony, and James. Honorary family members: Patricia Marciano, Kirk Allen and Cindy Montoya. Ramon is also survived by the many special friends from the Seniors on Bikes club, the Chavez Center, and everyone else he met during his lifetime. Ramon was quite the social butterfly.
Ramon was an avid bicyclist skier and swimmer. He belonged to the Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes (SOB) Club. He rode in the Santa Fe Century, Enchanted Circle Bike Tour, La Tierra Torture and a few other races. Ramon won numerous medals and awards in the Senior Olympics for biking and swimming at the County, State and National levels. He represented New Mexico in the 2005 National Senior Olympics in Pittsburg, PA in biking, for his age group. When he wasn’t swimming competitively, he enjoyed swimming every morning at the Chavez Center, then socializing with his friends in the hot tub. Ramon took up skiing when he was 60 years old. He skied at some of the top resorts in Colorado, Lake Tahoe, Taos, and Santa Fe. He loved staying active.
Ramon worked in the parts department of Santa Fe Motors for twenty years, and then worked as a purchasing agent for the State of NM, until he retired in 1996. He was a member of the Pojoaque council of the Union Catolica del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus and the Union Protectiva de Santa Fe. He also enjoyed working in his yard, spending time with his family, and socializing with his many friends.
He loved being adventurous and traveled to Venezuela and Argentina to spend time with his daughter, Veronica, who was working there.
The family of Ramon would like to thank the following organizations that provided excellent and companionate care he received: Santa Fe Fire Department, Christus St. Vincent Hospital Emergency Department, Surgical Department, Pulmonary Care, Critical Care Department, 2200 Nursing Unit, Christus St. Vincent Heart and Vascular Clinic, Presbyterian Medical Group, University of New Mexico Hospital and Ambercare Hospice. They would especially like to thank Dr. Derek Batson with Christus St. Vincent.
Pallbearers are: Miguel Gonzales, Isaac Montoya, Mario Montoya, Jacob Esparza, Angelo Montoya, and Anthony Bowker. Honorary Pallbearers: Diego Gonzales, Michael Bowker, Josh and Joel Montoya, Derek Cedeno, Eric and Jared Lehman and James Fullem.
A Rosary will be held at St. Anne’s Church, on Sunday, March 18 at 7:30 pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Anne’s Church, on Monday, March 19 at 10:00 am, with burial to follow immediately at Rosario Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers or money, please make a donation in the name of Ramon Montoya to the St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, 455 St. Michael’s Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505.
SOB’s at City Council Meeting March 14
First off, Many Thanks to All who attended the meeting. Great showing!
The photo below was not in the physical paper (it was in the online article below).
If you did not see the article in the paper or online, here it is:
Good News For Cyclists
Check out this article from NY Times:
Date change for Ramon Montoya service
The day of the service for Ramon Montoya has been changed
When: Monday, March 19, 10:00 a.m.
Where: St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 511 Alicia Street, Santa Fe. The church occupies most of the block along Alicia Street, between Hickock Street and Aqua Fria.
There will be a Rosary at the Church on Sunday, March 18 at 7:15 p.m.
Parking is a struggle during the day of the service. Friends may want to consider car pools.
Bill Pollock
Ramon Montoya–an original member of SOB
Our colleague, Ramon Montoya, died this morning following hospitalization and treatment for heart issues. Ramon was in UNM Hospital through much of February for some surgeries to the heart and returned home March 1. But his condition worsened and he was placed in hospice care at his home in Santa Fe a few days ago. I was fortunate to be able to visit Ramon with George Gamble yesterday and we talked with him about a ride we did with Jim Halquist, Mary Clark, and Frank Battaglia out of the community college in Las Vegas, NM that was a beautiful ride climbing into the hills above the city. Ramon remembered it and appeared glad to reminisce about it. I had taken some pictures along, but his glasses could not be found at the moment. But he remembered the ride.
Ramon may be the only SOB who can trace his N
ew Mexico ancestry to the late 1590s, as an ancestor who was a sergeant in the Spanish army arrived in New Spain and settled in the Nambe area. There he married a woman of the Nambe pueblo and many generations later, Ramon maintained the influence of the family. Ramon grew up in Nambe and on a bike ride through the pueblo, Ramon pointed out his grandmother’s house in which he lived.
Later Ramon moved to southern California where he worked at Douglas Aircraft where several of his four daughters were born. Ramon had several grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren.
Many of the SOBs found Ramon to be the guy who would do anything to assist another rider–fixing a flat, riding back to get his car to return and take an injured crash victim to urgent care. Many in recent days have described Ramon as a “really sweet man” with all the meaning that description the words mean. Ramon entered an earned gold medals in several Senior Olympics, including going to the nationals in Pittsburgh, PA several years ago. Ramon reported that the humidity in the summer in Pittsburgh is not meant for human kind.
There will be a service for Ramon on Tuesday, March 20. The time and location are yet to be determined. A new post will be presented when that information is available.
Important! Location Change
Due to overwhelming demand (and fear of wind) we are moving the Thursday ride start location to DeVargas for the rest of March starting this coming Thursday March 15. Still 11 am. Parking: Please park in the area near where the Xmas tree sale was. We want to park in a different area, away from the Thai restaurant. A!so on Tuesday. Thanks.
Road Rage incident Thursday Mar 1.
Many of you have heard about this unfortunate incident last Thursday. I was reluctant to publicize it since I did not want to confuse or prejudice any investigation with emails and blog posts and newspaper reports of differing information. Also I want to respect everyones privacy so I will only use first names.
The SOB’s were riding toward Galisteo on 41, about 15 of us, around noon (lots of blinking red lights in our group). We were buzzed at high speed by a small white Honda full on the horn, straddling the double yellow. (no one in oncoming traffic BTW)
After driver passed he stopped and backed up toward the peloton. One rider, Doug, went down extremely hard (unclear to me exactly how he interacted with the car, others had a clearer view) and he remains in very serious condition at Christus with numerous broken ribs and a cracked pelvis. Two other riders (Ed and Bud) also went down hard as well but did not require immediate hospitalization. Bud has broken bones in both hands, Ed has cracked ribs and a concussion. After some shouting with stopped riders, the driver then drove away. We got the license number and he was apprehended by SF County Deputies and escorted back to the scene. At the scene he was interviewed and then left to drive away. Deputy confirmed to me that he admitted to stopping and backing up. Some riders have been interviewed by sheriff subsequently, others have not. At the scene we called 911 to get an ambulance and to give 911 the license number of the driver who caused the crash. That’s where I know the situation to be right now.
Doug will be in the hospital for quite some time and if you want to visit him that would be very helpful. Email via the contact page and I will get back to you with more information on how to find him at Christus. We have asked him to let us know if he needs anything and we will pass that on. Wishing everyone a fast and complete recovery and all of us safe riding.
Santa Fe Century & Senior Olympics – Volunteers needed
Hi Everyone, Just got an email from Sandy Blakeslee about help needed for this year’s Century Ride.
The Other Saturday Ride
Over the past three years, a group of SOB riders who often ride in the “B” rides on Thursdays meet to do a ride of 20-25 miles on Saturday mornings..Everyone is welcome, and there have been requests apparently for the information to be posted on this SOB web site.
We have had as few as 2 riders on cold days to 15 on nice days. Both men and women. We decide on a route at the parking lot. We are riding at a “B” ride speed–average speed of 11-13 mph for the ride. There are a lot of route options from DeVargas Center. We know that many SOB riders want to ride on Saturdays, but prefer a ride of about 2 hours because of other activities.
We meet at the same location at the DeVargas Center as the Tuesday rides do. And we meet at the same time as the Tuesday and Thursday rides and the longer Saturday ride. Currently, we are meeting near the old 5 Star Burger (now Thai Bistro) in front of Albertson’s. And this month of March, we are meeting at 11:00 a.m.
Questions can be sent to me at pollockb@aol.com or telephone at (505) 470-6241
Bill Pollock
March Ad Hoc Rides
For now we will continue to start at 11am. We will lose an hour of warming time come DST. However, should it warm up toward the end of March we can adjust back a half hour. I will try to remember to post if we do that.
Thursday rides will move back to El Dorado. So for those who are calendar aware, the upcoming Thursday ride will be where ??? If you had to look at your phone you are not calendar aware. (I don’t think there is such a thing but there should be so I made it up.)
Cycling Safety review in preparation for upcoming season.
YouTube Link if you can’t get the video to load by clicking. https://youtu.be/MgMYKNoCXFs
Volunteer Opportunity – Be a Steward on a County Trail – from Steve Griego
Steward Workshop:
Maria Lohmann sends the following: Steward workshop walk and talk presentation with consultant Tony Boon is open to anyone who might be interested in being a steward on any County trail. She expects the program will be approximately 3 ½ hours give or take. Currently Steve Griego’s name is posted as RT steward, and he suggested she remove it since there will be a changing of the guard; however, her preference is to add additional steward names to the current sign. It would be nice if we had several more RT stewards to help with monitoring protocols, whatever they be. We will find out.
March 5, 9 A.M. Rabbit Road TH
From: “Maria E. Lohmann” <melohmann@santafecountynm.gov>
We are wrapping up the Rail Trail Management Plan. We would like to provide a hands-on training for all Rail Trail volunteers to go over the recommendations in the plan. Tony Boone, our trail consultant, will be out with us to go over the recommendations and reasons for the recommendations as well as the new monitoring protocol. Please join us and share the invite with anyone interested in volunteering with us at the Rail Trail.
We will meet on March 5, at the Rabbit Road Trailhead at 9:00 am. Again, please share this invitation!
Thanks,
Maria
—
Maria Lohmann
Senior Planner—Open Space and Trails
Santa Fe County Planning Division
102 Grant Ave, Santa Fe NM 87504
The Ride Before the Storm… Just Another Awesome Adventure!!
Saturday, 7 SOB Riders braved the howling 15-20 MPH winds for a “Before the Storm Ride” around Las Campanas. We departed El Camino Academy and caught a stiff tailwind up the 599 Frontage Road, meeting Bob and Bud who got an early jump on the start time from Bob’s House. We headed up to the “mailboxes” then completed the Las Dos climb and the lollipop before battling the wind back to the “mailboxes” for a regroup. Here’s a picture of some of us on Las Dos (Joe behind the lens).
The sun was disappearing, the wind was stiffening, and the storm clouds were forming in the West as we headed home via the Las Campanas outer loop and Caja del Rio. We celebrated our “Ride Before the Storm” at the 2nd Street Brewery (Rufina) – we logged 29+ miles and 1700+ ft of climbing… just another day in the saddle!!
ALL IN ALL… IT WAS JUST ANOTHER AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Tidbits I forgot to add last time
It did finally occur to me….
Update on our membership. As of Sunday AM we have 81 members who have paid and have signed the waiver. We have 9 who have paid but not signed a waiver and another 4 who have signed a waiver but not paid. Still time to beat the April rush. Click this link to start or complete the process.
Someone asked me about bike insurance. The place we get ours is velosurance.com.
Very interesting article about rear view mirrors from the current Bicycling Mag.
Bicycling Tidbits
REMINDER: If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes and fill out the survey.
Good rides on Thursday. Large turnout. One group did the Galisteo Loop. One group went to Stagecoach. Two groups did a form of the prison loop. Not as windy as Tuesday or Saturday last. Still hoping for some real winter weather but …
Photo (thanks Tom) of some of us refreshing at the truck stop cell tower. Next refresh was at the Ranch House for those on the wimpy ride.
Three Rides in One…
SOB Riders showed up in force on a windy Thursday!! One group of 20 SOB Riders headed out under sunny, bright blue skies from the 599 Station down Hwy 14 to Lone Butte Gas Station. At Lone Butte, one group turned right on Bonanza Creek heading to the Cell Tower and La Cienega. A 2nd group made a left turn at Hwy 42 and rode counter-clockwise around the Galisteo Loop. The 3rd group headed down Hwy 14 to Madrid to inspect the Stagecoach Summit. Yes… it’s still there. Here’s the picture of 6 at the Stagecoach Summit (Joe behind the lens).
The wind was an unwelcomed training partner all day long. Those making it back to the 599 Station early enjoyed the refreshments at the Ranch House. The remaining stragglers arrived after the festivities. The Galisteo Loop riders logged 48+ miles and 2,400+ ft of climbing; the Stagecoach Summit riders logged 43 miles and 2,600+ ft of climbing; and the Cell Tower/La Cienega ridersp logged 27+ miles and 1200+ ft of climbing. It was a great day to ride!! Those not joining us, don’t pass up the best Winter riding we have had in years!! Hope to see you soon on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday ride!!
OVERALL, ANOTHER AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Winter Riding… Break Out The Suntan Lotion!!
9 SOB Riders gathered at the El Camino Real Academy under bright, sunny blue skies and warm temperatures for a Winter day of riding and climbing. We were joined by Niltsi, the Navajo Wind God; a training partner we just didn’t need this early in the riding season. The SOB Riders headed out from the El Camino Real Academy; up the 599 Frontage Road into a STIFF headwind; across to the Las Campanas Mailboxes, for an out and back around the Lollipop. We stopped for a pictures on the Lollipop (“E” behind the lens) before getting a welcomed wind assist climb back to the mailboxes. If you haven’t ridden the Lollipop… you’re missing a fun ride!!
Regrouping at the mailboxes, we circled Las Campanas on the outer loop to Calle del Rio. We were blessed with a WIND ASSISTED “screamer” down Calle del Rio to the 599 Frontage Road, then back to the El Camino Real Academy. Overall a GREAT ride… 1:45 riding time, 26+ miles, an average speed of 15 MPH, and 1,500+ feet of climb. But a ride is never complete without after the ride refreshments and nourishment. We finished the ride with an enjoyable late lunch at the 2nd Street Brewery on Rufina (SSB#3). This is Winter SOB cycling!!
Another AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Judy prepares for home trip
Judy is set to leave Kona on Thursday night and she will arrive in Santa Fe Friday afternoon. There is a 4-hour layover in Phoenix, but the medical people told her this would be good because she will want to move around a bit after the long ride from Hawaii and the ride to Santa Fe.
Judy has been using a cane in preparation for the trip. She does not plan to use a walker on the plane.
It’s a good thing she is leaving tomorrow as her supply of wine has run out. And the roommate who was moving into the room? Didn’t work out, since Judy only listens to classical music. And her roommate only listened to ukulele recordings. Besides, Judy doesn’t do the hula either.
To celebrate the departure, Judy has her Uber driver scheduled to take her to a coffee shop she found and liked on the bike tour. And Judy says she had a great time on the tour and felt strong and ready for it. Even with the injury, Judy had a great time on a bicycle!
This will likely be the last report. As Walter Cronkite said at the end of his newscasts, “That’s the way it was. Good night!”
Winter… Yes…We ride; we climb!!
Thursday the SOB riders departed Museum Hill, out Old Las Vegas Highway to Canocito Hill; then back through Seton Village to Museum Hill. It was a great day to ride!! For folks that have not climbed Canocito Hill, it is about 3/4 of a mile long with an average 7% grade, with the steepest grades running 11-13%. Here’s the SOB Riders at Canocito Hill Summit and on the descent (Joe behind the lens). It is definitely a close in training opportunity for Heartbreak Hill.
It was fun to get out and ride with the group again in January!! The sun was shining, the wind acceptable, the climbs and descents awakening!! All in all, the ride was about 30 miles with about 1,800 feet of climb. Yes, the weather can be cold January through March, but layer up and get out and ride!! We do not get a lot of great riding days in January and February. Take advantage of the good weather to get an early start on the 2018 season!!
Another GREAT SOB Ride and adventure!!
Judy taking country strolls
Judy gets gussied up
The report below is written by Judy’s sister, Cassie
Wednesday report by Judy
Below are notes that Judy herself sent this morning.
Continuing good news
The note below is from Judy’s sister, Cassie, late on Tuesday night.
Monday update for Judy
Below is the message I received this evening from Judy’s sister, Cassie. In the message is a request from Judy to hold calls for a couple of days.
Sunday evening report on Judy
Talked to Judy on cell a bit ago. She continues to recover. But things are slow this early. Judy anticipates being moved Monday to a skilled nursing facility in Kona. She is glad of that because Kona is where the airport is. A quick exit to look forward to. Judy thinks she will be there 10 days to two weeks. She knows that, as much as she wants to return home, that she is not ready for a flight yet. Knowing Judy, 10 days looks good. And Judy has learned that the surgeon inserted two rods: one to the femur and a second to the hip.
The room at the hospital is very nice and the green landscaping outside the window is very nice. The BAC group has been fantastic in its support. She thinks the assistant director staying nearby will probably depart when she is transferred to the nursing facility.
Judy said the accident occurred as the group was riding downhill (not steep). The winds were strong cross winds. Sometimes the riders were sheltered behind a ridge or bank and sometimes not. It was on one of those occasions when she emerged from the protection of bank that an especially strong gust just picked her up and slammed her down. Her leg was in intense pain immediately. She wanted to lie down on her back but it hurt too much. Another rider helped hold up her shoulder to ease the pain a bit. The ambulance came very quickly. It was a narrow road, so when the ambulance started to drive down to the hospital, all the cars on the road pulled off quickly to enable the ambulance to hurry down the road.
Judy reported that the riders did have rain, wind, cold, and beautiful riding weather, so it has been an adventure for sure.
Look for another report tomorrow.
Bill Pollock
Saturday evening Report on Judy
I just finished talking to Judy on her cell phone. She is doing very well, but anxious to get home as soon as possible. That, she said, may be in a week. Judy has been up three times today to make brief walks in the room. A little pain, and very slow steps. But steps they are. She will soon get dinner, the first food she has had in 2 days. Her room is very nice with a large picture window that looks out on landscaping. The staff at the hospital are helpful. And Judy has full confidence in the surgeon.
The only injury she sustained is the hip and leg on the left side. The rod enables her to put weight on the legs so that she can walk sooner.
Judy is not sure when she will move from the hospital to a rehab facility. Judy looks forward to the progress, though.
Another update scheduled for tomorrow.
Late update on Judy
Good news at 11 p.m., Friday. Judy’s sister, Cassie, just got off phone talking to Judy’s surgeon. Surgery went very well. Took longer than planned. Pelvis OK and does not need further work. Inserted rod in femur. Judy should be released Monday, but will need a week or two of rehab before flying home.
More updates to follow.
Another injury for Judy Costlow
There is limited information available at this time, but Judy Costlow reported this morning (Friday) that she was injured riding on a bike tour of the Big Island of Hawaii. The group faced tremendous winds all day and yesterday afternoon, a gust of wind blew her over. Judy is scheduled for emergency surgery this afternoon on a hip. Judy hopes to schedule air transportation back to Santa Fe as soon as possible following the surgery. We hope to hear more from Judy very soon regarding the outcome of the surgery. We believe she is in Waimea.
Bill Pollock
website is back up
You should be able to access the website via https://www.santafesobs.com
The old URL https://sfsob.cosine-santafe.com will no longer work. However it will redirect to www.santafesobs.com. In any case you should update your bookmarks etc.
Some links in the site MAY be broken or may go to the old URL and give you a security error. If you find a broken link let us know. Email admin at santafesobs.com and tell us what you were clicking on that gave you the security error. Whoever finds the most broken links will get to be a wheel suck on the back of the peloton for one ride. You won’t have to pull at all. I am aware that the detail ride pages don’t load the google maps of the start location. Working on that.
website issues
We are experiencing an issue with our SSL certificate. We are working to resolve it. Until it is resolved you may get a scary warning from your browser that the SOB site is not secure. It is really not a huge issue if all you are doing is looking at upcoming rides. We should have it fixed in a day or so. We’ll let you know. You can continue to view the site by ignoring the warnings which might entail clicking the advanced button on the warning webpage and proceeding despite the warning. Since this is a transitory issue we are not going to issue detailed instructions.
Lightweight Cycle Touring
Hi all, I have been blogging my bike tours and written a few articles on a website called Crazyguyonabike. While hanging around this winter driving Cyndy nuts waiting for my hand to get better so I could ride, I revised an article I wrote on “Traditional Lightweight Touring, vs Bikepacking”. The article was selected to be the featured article on the Crazyguy website.
If you are interested in some of the details on how you can gear up for a lightweight bike tour, you may want to check it out, it can be found on the Crazyguyonabike featured article homepage: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/featured/?o=1mr&doctype=article . BTW, I hope to try out some of these bikepacking strategies on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this summer if all goes well. It’s the 20th anniversary of the GDMBR so there should be a fair number of folks on the route and a good time to ride it: https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/great-divide-mountain-bike-route/ .
First in the hearts of the SOBs
That would be Steve G, who set an alarm (why else would he be up so early?) so he would be the first to join for 2018. Congrats Steve! We got his waiver and $ at just after 0400 this morning. That’s 4 am for most folk. Ken C was 2nd at a more sane, but still way too early 5:20 am. As the memberships continue to pour in, my count as of 1730 (5.30 pm) is 20. There’s still time to beat the April rush! But only about 90 days. Don’t delay. The amount of space on the first ride is limited to 1,000 so don’t get left out. Here’s the link to get started.
Join SOB’s for 2018
Happy New Year! Now is the time, the time is now! Join now and avoid the April rush. Our 2018 membership drive is now open and ready for you. Our crack tech team, working throughout the Xmas holiday, without any mind altering substances, has devised an even simpler and less expensive process for 2018. All the details are provided on the Join / Renew page accessible via this link or from the main menu of our website. Highlights: No need to download a PDF, print it, and fill it out. (will wonders never cease?) AND membership fee via PayPal is a mere $20 even.
January Rides
Will continue at 11 am. Location for Thursdays in January will be Museum Hill. Of course, as always, weather permitting, should we ever get snow or rain again.
Final days to order jerseys etc.
The store is open for ordering till the end of the week. Then we Will Place The order In Early January. Should you have any questions as you navigate through this process, please reach out to your customer service representative, Kelli Lockey, at klockey@hincapiesports.com, who will be happy to assist you.
For women, if you are considering a 2XL, L, or S Axis club jersey, we have these sizes available for sale by folks who did not get a good fit. Never worn. Contact admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com if you are interested.
Place Your Order
1. Visit https://order.hincapiecustom.
2. If this is your first time ordering with Hincapie Sportswear, click on “Create Your Account Now.”
3. If you have ordered with us before, click the “Log On” icon in the top right corner of your screen.
4. Enter access code: SOB
5. Add any items to your cart that you would like to order.
6. Once you are finished with your order, please log out. The order will save until your team’s payment is open.
To Return to Your Order
1. Follow the link provided here: https://order.hincapiecustom.
2. DO NOT enter the access code. Instead, log in using the “Log On” icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Next, enter access code: SOB
4. To add items to your cart, click on the item you would like to order from the main screen.
5. To edit or remove items from your cart, click on the cart icon in the top right corner of the screen.
6. Once you are finished with your order, please log out. The order will save until your team’s payment is open.
Our end of the year Party is Thursday-Dec 21st.
Hi all you SOB’s,
Just a reminder-Our end of the year Party is tomorrow-Dec 21st.
It is in the El Castillo Community Room
250 E Alameda Thursday, Dec. 21st at 6 PM Bring your favorite dish to eat! RSVP to Lore Thorpe lorethorpe@gmail.com
Let us know what food you are bringing and if you have a warming plate to keep food hot. Also BYOB and all you Moab Alumni-bring your wine glass!
Parking is always an issue, but I suggest you park in the lot across the street in the School for the Arts, or behind El Castillo on E DeVargas street and walk down the little alley way to the front of El Castillo.
Important Info
1. Fit kit will be at the Holiday Potluck this Thursday. Then I am sending it back. Even if you’re not staying for food and drink, at least it’s warm and indoors. Easier to try stuff on that way. Click link for time and location.
2. Holiday Potluck is this coming Thursday. See link above for time and location.
3. If you cannot make it to the Potluck but need to try stuff on, email admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com to make alternate arrangements. If I don’t hear from you, the kit goes back Friday.
4. Merry Christmas, etc.
Grand Opening of Acequia Trail Underpass
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate Grand Opening of Acequia Trail Underpass
The City of Santa Fe’s Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC) invites you to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Acequia Trail Underpass on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 1:30 PM at the northeast corner of the intersection of St. Francis Drive and Cerrillos Road.
The Acequia Trail Underpass crossing at St. Francis Drive, safely connects the Santa Fe Railyard multi-modal transportation hub to the city’s Rail Trail and Acequia Trail, which are multimodal urban trails that extend south to Rabbit Road, and west to Rufina/South Meadows.
The public is encouraged to walk or bike to the event. Parking is also available at the City’s Railyard Garage, from there a short walk south on the Rail Trail. Light refreshments are kindly being donated by Whoo’s Donuts and Starbucks Coffee.
Contact: Leroy N. Pacheco, Telephone: (505) 955-6853, lnpacheco@ci.santa-fe.nm.us
Fit Kit is here
I will bring it to the Saturday Dec 16 ride, and also the upcoming Tuesday ride and Thursday ride, weather permitting. See this link for locations and times. You don’t have to ride to try something on. You do have to be there before the ride starts.
And I will bring it to the Holiday Party on Dec 21. After that I will send it back. If you need to make special arrangements contact admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com.
Ordering is open. Instructions are here. You do need to create an account at the Hincapie website since the order process is different this time.
Safe bike? Or goofy bike?
You decide.
New jersey shorts etc orders
The store is open for ordering. Fit kits are ordered. Will advise when they are here. Should you have any questions as you navigate through this process, please reach out to your customer service representative, Kelli Lockey, at klockey@hincapiesports.com, who will be happy to assist you.
For women, if you are considering a 2XL, L, or S Axis club jersey, we have these sizes available for sale by folks who did not get a good fit. Never worn. Contact admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com if you are interested.
Place Your Order
1. Visit https://order.hincapiecustom.
2. If this is your first time ordering with Hincapie Sportswear, click on “Create Your Account Now.”
3. If you have ordered with us before, click the “Log On” icon in the top right corner of your screen.
4. Enter access code: SOB
5. Add any items to your cart that you would like to order.
6. Once you are finished with your order, please log out. The order will save until your team’s payment is open.
To Return to Your Order
1. Follow the link provided here: https://order.hincapiecustom.
2. DO NOT enter the access code. Instead, log in using the “Log On” icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Next, enter access code: SOB
4. To add items to your cart, click on the item you would like to order from the main screen.
5. To edit or remove items from your cart, click on the cart icon in the top right corner of the screen.
6. Once you are finished with your order, please log out. The order will save until your team’s payment is open.
TIME CHANGE TO 11 am
We’re moving to 11am starts effective immediately. So Tuesday Dec 12 and on will be 11 am.
Ruminations on Power Meters
While waiting for it to warm up, I asked Rick G to share his thoughts on using a power meter. And of course, I am always willing to share my thoughts. AFAIK he and I are the only ones in the SOBs with a meter. He has had his for about a year. I have had mine for about a month. If you are interested, read on. If not, Saturday looks like it should be warm enough and the snow melted enough to get outside again. Hope to see you.
Rick G – Thoughts on Using a Power Meter
I have the Powertap P1 Pedals with dual sided measurement. Powertap also sells the pedals with single sided measurement. I got the dual sided pedals because I have a left knee that has had many operations and I was hoping to find out the strength in the left leg versus the right. Bob indicated he has a 55/45 L/R balance. Mine is the opposite 45/55 L/R balance. All I found out is my left knee is weaker which I already knew. How to make that leg stronger I have not figured out.
I got the pedals a little over a year ago and have mainly been watching the numbers. I plan on using the pedals to establish a base fitness level and get a little faster. I’ll start this training after the first of the year. One problem with training is that if you want to get faster you also have to go a bit slower to build up your base so that your body is able to burn fat as well as carbs when you are cycling in an aerobic manner. This info came from a book – “Base Building for Cyclists” by Thomas Chapple. I’m never going to be a sprinter so endurance is what I am after. Group rides don’t work very well for doing this so this kind of training does need to be done separately from the group rides.
Using heart rate as a guide for perceived output never worked for me. What I have found when using power is that it is easier to track your exertion level (at least for me). To work out the power zones I did an FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test on my trainer. You input the number (FTP) that you get into software or into your cycling computer and it establishes the power zones. What I used the pedals for this year was to no longer aim for distance as a measurement of what to shoot for when training for a ride. For instance, in training for a century ride I used to aim for 75 to 80 as my longest ride and figured I could go the extra distance to finish the century. I now shoot for an IF (Intensity Factor) and using a chart in a book I have aim for a finishing time and use the chart to determine a TSS (Training Stress Score). You don’t need to figure your intensity factor as modern Garmin and Wahoo cycling computers do that for you. So I use the TSS as a guide to the output necessary for a predetermined century finishing time. Using this method, I was able to do an under six hour century for the first time.
By the way the Wahoo Element Bolt has little lights that can show you what zone you are in. When you see red you know you are going hard and you can’t sustain that output for long. Yellow indicates moderate output and green indicates you are in the zone – below or right at FTP.
I use Training Peaks as the software. An annual subscription for the software is $119. It might be cheaper to use WKO (also from Training Peaks) since it is a standalone product and you only pay once. But I just don’t care for the interface being a mac guy. I’ve tried Golden Cheetah too and I don’t like its interface either. With a Garmin or Wahoo computer you can automatically upload the results to Strava, Training Peaks, Ride with GPS, etc.
I think the simplest guide to power is “The Power Meter Handbook” by Joe Friel. If you are thinking of getting a power meter this is a good purchase.
Bottom line for me is I think I’m faster and more powerful now just watching the numbers and paying attention to which power zone I am in.
Would I recommend power meters – for me or others like me yes. There is a learning curve to figuring it all out and each person will have to decide for themselves if putting in the time and seriously training is something they would like to do.
Definitions:
Intensity Factor (IF)– the ratio of a rider’s normalized power to Functional Threshold Power (FTP). An indicator of how challenging the workout was in terms of intensity only.
Functional Threshold Power (FTP) – The highest mean maximal power a rider can sustain for 60 minutes.
Training Stress Score (TSS) – The workload of a training session based on intensity and duration.
Bob B – Power Meter Thoughts and Opinions.
I got my power meter about a month ago and have used it regularly since, both indoors and out. It is a pedal based power meter similar to Rick Gs. Both use Look cleats so if that bothers you, then a pedal based meter is not for you cause I’m pretty sure all pedal meters are Look cleat based.
Mine is a Favero Assioma Duo, there are sensors in both the R and L pedals so you get an independent measurement of power from both legs, rather than a single sensor which is then doubled. In my case I tend to see 55/45 L/R balance so doubling the L side would be a bit off. Possibly due to the new R hip? I got it from Clever Training via DC Rainmaker’s blog. If you don’t know who DC Rainmaker is or have never read his blog then I am going to say that you are not enough of a gearhead to benefit from a power meter. There are occasional sales so you can save 15% or so if you watch for one.
The thing works and seems to produce accurate readings. It displays power, L/R balance, and L/R pedal smoothness on my speedo (Wahoo Elemnt) although I still don’t really understand what the smoothness is supposed to mean. (And there are a seemingly endless set of other numbers that can be displayed, such as 20 sec averages, etc.) I got the pedal based meter in order to easily move it from inside trainer bike to outside bike, since I have two. Also in my case, my wife can also use it, although she is not a gearhead and is much less enthused than me.
The pedals install easily, they use a 8 or 10 mm hex and I can move them between bikes in about 3 minutes. Once on a bike you pedal around for a few seconds to a minute, then stop, unclip, and run a brief calibration, and then just ride. The calibration takes like 15 seconds.
Out on the road, or the trainer, you can easily see your power numbers although they don’t help you go uphill any faster. You do get a feel for what sort of power you can maintain for a long period and so you can modulate your effort to try to maintain that level without any guessing. The power number is instantaneous, as opposed to heart rate, which lags. And it compensates for wind, terrain, drafting, etc. When you are doing 200w (which is hard BTW) you are doing 200w.
So now what do you do with this information. Just looking at the numbers is not much help. This is where gearhead gets even more intense. In order to know what to do with this information you need to download it into a software package for analysis. The free one is called Golden Cheetah. There is also Training Peaks who have WKO for something like $100 a year? And after uploading your rides to this software, you have to look at various graphs and try to interpret what it all means. That is going to take several Utube videos and books such as “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” by Allen and Coggan to understand. Coggan is kind of the god of power meter training.
Here is a sample of one graph from Golden Cheetah for one ride, last Saturday’s group ride.
Pretty straightforward huh. The top red line is “stress” showing basically what you already know, when you are climbing a hill you get stressed and when you stop or descend you recover. Didn’t really need to spend a ton of money to learn that. The yellow is power. The grey is terrain. The purple is L/R balance. When the grey is flat that means we are stopped. The harder you climb, the more you get stressed, the longer it takes to recover. You can see toward the end that I was working pretty hard on Dinosaur where the power numbers are higher and the stress keeps going down. If this sort of thing has you turned on right now, then you are a candidate. If your eyes are glazed over then not so much.
You can also view data from days, weeks, & months worth of rides and combined with information from the book, you can attempt to understand your overall level of fitness and whether you are peaking for a particular event. I don’t have enough data yet, nor enough working knowledge from the book and the videos to make any sort of assessment. If anyone is interested, then I can update things after more time passes.
Riding outdoors with this thing is somewhat illuminating but I think riding on the trainer is where any sort of actual improvement will occur. I use a series of videos called Sufferfest ($10/month) that have workouts with targeted cadence, heart rate, and power. The video tells you what cadence and power to ride at and for how long, e.g. an interval. Each workout video is supposed to help with a certain type of training – speed, racing, climbing, endurance, etc. I can’t say that it works since I don’t have a double blind study to compare, but at our age I’m not sure how much improvement is possible, maybe just maintaining is the goal. Using the Sufferfest videos is more fun than staring at the wall, that’s for sure. They also have training plans included, each a 10 week program to get ready for something. And you can ride the videos with estimated power, which I have found is 15% – 20% high (200w estimated is way easier than 200w from the pedals).
One thing to note, most of the training plans and power based stuff in the literature is targeted at racers, not old folks in lycra. I can’t claim to have made an exhaustive search, but so far I have not found anything that targets us old folk as far as a training program. (If you know of something, post a comment.) However, if you are nerdy enough and willing to train indoors (or train outdoors, rather than just riding, but that takes even more discipline) then you might get some benefit from a power meter. Otherwise it gives you some data you don’t get while riding without one but you’ll have to determine if it is worth the cost.
If you have experience with a power meter, or just want to chime in, feel free to post a comment. We’ll respond.
If you read down to here, then treat yourself to a beer. You deserve it.
Last chance for fit kit requests
If you want to try on a jersey or shorts for the next order, please indicate here (click link) if you have not already done so. I noticed there are a good selection already requested. A note to the men. No one has requested the Velocity style jersey. I have one and I really like it as do several others. Especially now that it is the same price as the Axis style. You might want to try one on just to compare. Read more about all the jerseys and shorts here. Fit Kit will be ordered by the end of the day on Dec 6.
Yes… Winter Cycling has Arrived in Santa Fe!!
The SOB Riders gathered Thursday at the 599 Station for a Winter ride!! Yes… it was cold. Yes… it was windy… Yes… it was cloudy!! Yes… just another opportunity for SOB Riders to conquer the elements. We divided in two groups but road the same route – Down Highway 14, across Bonanza Creek Road; over to La Cienega (El Rancho de las Golondrinas); then back to the 599 Parking Lot. Those wanting extra miles, and punishment, headed up Dinosaur to Richards, around IAIA and back to the 599 Parking Lot. At El Rancho de las Golondrinas we regrouped for a picture (Joe behind the lens; Monica still on her bike.)
Some rode a short distance; some rode long. Some rode a slower pace; some rode fast. But we all rode, not letting a little cold weather dampen our riding passion!! Winter riding can be a hoot if you are dressed for the conditions. Remember… on these cloudy days we need to be seen! Wear bright clothing and don’t forget both flashing front and rear lights. Ride fast; Ride safe; Be seen!!
ANOTHER AWESOME SOB WINTER RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
RickG rubbing shoulders with greatness
For those not following RickG on Strava, he rode with Peter and Levi a few days ago to raise money for fire victims in Napa and Sonoma. There’ll be no catching him now!
December Rides
We’ll try 10:30 for a start time in December. Possibly move it to 11:00 if needed but there will be a post if that happens. Also, Thursday start location is El Dorado Agora Center. (You’re welcome Bill, Larry, and Rick)
Jersey and Shorts – New Orders Step 1
As part of the process to open the store to allow you to order Jerseys, Shorts, Bibs, Arm Warmers we need to get a fit kit. I need to know what sizes of the fit kit to order. If you are interested (there is no obligation at this point) and want to try something on, please click this link and put a 1 in the columns of the item and the sizes that you would like to try on. (If someone has already requested your sizes, no worries, just close the spreadsheet.) You can ask for more than one item and more than one size. (This way we will request only the sizes that people are interested in rather than 6 sizes of every jersey variation.) Thanks for your help. I will order the fit kits on Dec 7th so don’t delay filling in your size requests. More information on all of the items is available on this page (click the link).
Changes from the first order:
1. Velocity style jerseys are the same price as Axis style jerseys. This is about $15 less than before. (no refunds!)
2. Women’s Velocity Jerseys now have 3 pockets (2 before).
Please note that once we receive the fit kits, we only have a limited time when they will be available. They will be at the winter ad hoc ride locations (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for one week, and maybe at the winter potluck dinner and then they will be sent back. There will be a blog post when we receive the fit kits.
All short sleeve jerseys start at $66.76 each. Long sleeve jerseys are $123.19. Arm warmers $36.41. Shorts and bibs $79.76. Womens capri shorts $103.17
Also we have 3 brand new women’s club fit jerseys that did not work out for the folks who ordered them. Never worn. They would like to sell them. If you are interested, email admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com and I will put you in touch with the seller. The sizes are Womens Club Fit Axis jersey in Small, Large, and in 2XL.
It takes about 6 weeks for the orders to be manufactured after we close the store. Figure we close the store by the end of December. Items should be here mid February.
SOB Holiday Party
RSVP to lorethorpe@gmail.com
This is Winter Riding…
SOB Riders gathered at the El Camino Academy under bright blue skies, plenty of sunshine and NO wind!! It was hard to believe this was WINTER riding in Santa Fe!! 13 Riders looped through Las Campanas, made a quick stop at the mailboxes to strip off the cold weather gear, and then headed to a new “lollipop loop” excursion discovered by Bob and Barb!! WOW! A cool new loop that we will be seeing a lot of in the future!! (Joe behind the lens).
Then it was the long climb back to the Las Campanas loop and a return to El Camino Academy (Tom behind the lens).
Overall, we logged 30.5 miles, 1,680 feet of climb with an average speed of 16+ MPH on a PERFECT riding day in Santa Fe. We finished the ride at Rowley’s Farmhouse Ales, enjoying lunch and brew OUTSIDE under sunny, blue skies!!
ANOTHER AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Parking at DeVargas now through end of December
We have been asked to park near the old 5 Star Burger restaurant while the Xmas trees are being sold. Not where we parked last Tuesday . (extra miles)
See you there. Might be cold on Tuesday.
Happy Thanksgiving to all
- News notes:
We are going to open the Hincapie store for jerseys etc. in the next few days for those who would like to order. I will post when it is open. Product won’t be here for Xmas but you can give a picture.
Update on Irena’s condition. GoFundMe site has raised north of $10K. Still collecting. She will need all of it.
Great SOB turnout for Santafondo ride. I think we had over 20 riders with both 40 and 20 mile groups. Cold and windy but fun ride. Beer and pizza after.
This Thursday some of us are going to do a short early ride. 0930 start. Maybe 20 – 25 miles. Generate an appetite for turkey. Meet location TBD, email admin@sfsob.cosine-santafe.com if you are interested.
News of Interest for Nov 18
- SantaFondo ride for Irena is Saturday at 10am starting from Santa Fe Brewing. There are now 3 routes. 50 mile Galisteo loop, 40 mile out-back to Galisteo with lots of opportunity to shorten (e.g. return at RR tracks), and 20 mile prison loop. Hope to see you there. Bundle up if you are coming as it is forecast to be much colder than the last few days.
gofundme.com
- In case you missed the editorial in Thursday’s SF New Mexican:
Cyclists need to be able to ride safely, and for that to happen, Santa Fe must become more aggressive in setting aside bike lanes, training auto and truck drivers how
The Santa Fe New Mexican
- We had a great ride Thursday to the cell tower (Larry?) La Cienega, and IAIA. 33 miles in just over 2 hours. I think there were 15 +- of us at the start (and at the end). Lunch and beer at the Ranch House. We welcomed Pete, a new refugee from Durango to Santa Fe.
Photo courtesy of Tom. Stay safe. Ride more.
SantaFondo Saturday Nov 18
The woman who organizes the SantaFondo, Irena Ossola, is the cyclist who was badly injured on Friday on Alameda. See this SF New Mexican article.
She is in serious condition at UNM Hospital. I don’t know any more about the accident than was reported in Monday’s paper. However, I did find out from Brian K that her family would like the ride to go on and I think it would be great for as many of us as possible to ride to show her our support on Saturday.
The ride leaves from SF Brewing at 10 am. The “standard” SantaFondo ride is the Galisteo loop (50 miles). Last year a bunch of us did an out-back to Galisteo (40 miles), which is my personal plan for this year as well. You don’t have to ride that far. The prison loop via Lone Butte is a good shorter alternative (20 miles).
Let’s have a big SOB presence on Saturday!
Stay safe. Ride more.
SOB Distance Riders… Searching for Sunshine and Blue Skies…
Thursday morning SOB Long Riders assembled under heavy cloudy skies at the 599 Road Runner Station for an extended Counter Clockwise ride around the Galisteo Loop. The start was cold; but we knew we would find sunshine somewhere along the route. With a quartering tail wind, it was a quick ride down the I-25 frontage road and across Bonanza Creek Road to the Lone Butte General Store. Still searching for sunshine the riders headed to Galisteo. It was picture time in old Galisteo! (Joe behind the lens)
Leaving Galisteo, we found the sunshine and blue skies!! YAHOO!! The remainder of the ride was long but under sunny, blue skies… the long climb up Hwy 285 to Cafe Fina; into the wind along the Old Pecos Highway; then the final descent down 2 Rabbit and Dinosaur to the Rail Runner Station. Along the way, riders that rode to the 599 Station began peeling off to head home. Overall we logged 54+ miles, 2,680 feet of climbing, and an average speed of 16+ MPH. The ride lasted 4:30; with just over 3 hours in the saddle! Our HERO duty shout out goes to David and Christine. Yes, Larry found his headlight!!
YAHOO! ANOTHER GREAT SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Upcoming Events of interest
Thursday Nov 9.
Le Ride Film. One night only at Regal 14 (near Zafarano) 6.30pm
LE RIDE follows Phil Keoghan and his friend Ben Cornell as they attempt to recreate the original route of the 1928 Tour de france. Averaging 240 kilometres a day for 26 days, Phil and Ben traverse both the unforgiving mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, on original vintage steel racing bikes with no gears and marginal brakes. The documentary takes inspiration from the remarkable true story of Australians Sir Hubert Opperman, Ernie Bainbridge and Percy Osborne, and New Zealander Harry Watson as the first English speaking team to compete in the Tour de France. They arrived after six weeks at sea, under-trained and under-resourced, untested and completely written off by the French media. The 1928 Tour was the toughest in history – a hell on wheels race of attrition. Only 41 finished out of 161 starters yet remarkably three were from the Australasian team. This extraordinary story of achievement against the odds has never been told on film – until now. Click link to purchase tickets.
Also Thursday Nov 9. Meeting on cycling improvements in NM and Santa Fe.
6pm. Genoveva Chavez Center. This is a part of the NM Bike Plan. Even if you do not plan to attend the meeting please click the link and participate in the planning process. Take the survey. Review the interactive map and add your comments. Thanks. Click link for more information and to participate.
Saturday Nov 18. 2nd annual SantaFondo. Galisteo loop from SF Brewing on 14. 10am. Can also do out-back to Galisteo, like many of us did last year, so we get back for free beer. Weather permitting it is a good ride alternative to our normal Saturday ride.
From the organizer, Irena Ossola: Since last year was so much fun, why not do it again?! The 2nd Annual SANTAFONDO will be a meet up “fondo” ride from SF Brewing Company.
Let’s get out for a ride with some other cyclists and a great post ride beer. Before Thanksgiving turkey and the cold, come pedal for a Saturday morning spin.
Route: Galisteo Loop- down 14 to Galisteo, then across and up Old Las Vegas Highway, then across Rabbit Road back to SF Brewing Co.
1 beer post ride, from Irena
Distance: about 50 miles
Finishing Time: About 1, but depends on the speed of the ride
All cyclists are welcome!
Support: your flat kit and a cell phone
Thanks to the Brewing Company for donating the beer to Irena and for hosting the event!
Finally a fitting gesture from my newest heroine. Happened in Virginia, Sic Semper Tyrannis
Cyclist Lost Her Job After Raising Middle Finger at Trump’s Motorcade
I know someone in the SOB’s who’s jealous. First name begins with an “M”
Crusin’ in Moab
Headed south along the Colorado River
Corona Arch
Every rider took pictures
24 members gathered in Moab for 4 days October 26-31. The weather was perfect! Warm sun for riding. Cool nights for snoozing. No accidents. No incidents. The members made route choices and picked out routes they would enjoy. And get this–two days of riding were on flat roads through beautiful canyons along the Colorado River. And the ride in Canyonlands National Park was spectacular. Some climbing of about 1800 feet for the 34 miles. The ride in Arches National Park was curtailed for road construction, although three members did ride the park and pronounced the ride as spectacular.
The two rides along the Colorado were beautiful! Yellow leaves on the trees. The Colorado runs slowly in this area, almost looking like a lake. The first day out was 40 miles round trip. The ride in the opposite direction along the Colorado was 34 miles with a stop at the movie museum. Most of the John Wayne westerns were made at this spot. Right in front of the lodge, Wayne drove cattle through the river. That movie was called “Rio Grande.” And now we know why the movie showed a lot of green grass on the sides of the Rio Grande.
Great social hours high on the roof top of the Best Western every day and untold numbers of empty wine bottles donated to recycling. Everybody pitched in each night. And great restaurants. Even a night cruise down the Colorado where huge searchlights illuminated the canyon walls. This accompanied by the Morman Tabernacle Choir singing American songs about the beauty of the country and some patriotic songs. Several members were so moved that they tried to enlist in the services, knowing that they were seniors and would be rejected.
And Judy has an important announcement for you. The SOB Holiday Party is scheduled for Thursday, December 21. You won’t want to miss this affair! Take you cell phones out right now and enter this activity into your calendar.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Hello Santa Fe…this biker has arrived!
I just want to let all of my SOB friends know that I have successfully made it to Arizona. My newly built home has exceeded all of my expectations. Situated in the foothills of Dove Mountain and bordering the Tortolita Preserve the area is simply spectacular. Thus far the Del Webb community in which I live can only be described as “living on a cruise ship”. Plenty of things to do and lots of wonderful people to meet.
I am currently riding with the Dove Mountain bikers. Great riding and great camaraderie as we usually ride to a breakfast stop and then return.
Perhaps this summer, when the temperatures hit 110°, I will venture back to Santa Fe for those GREAT SOB RIDES as Joe Shaffer often writes. In the meantime, I will simply have to make do with our 70° winter temperatures. Brrrrrrrrr!
Live well and ride safe!
Day of the Tread
SOBs overwhelmed the Day of the Tread. There were so many of us there, we were forced to ride in 3 groups! (OK, we chose to do that). JoeS rode with his son-in-law on his first organized ride. A bunch of us went down Saturday, enjoyed the hospitality of USAF at Kirtland, thanks to Larry, and had dinner at Zacatecas (thanks to David and Michael for the referral). The really old SOBs rode the 50 mile out-n-back up Tramway. The young guns did the extra 30 miles adding in the Placitas climb. All told if I counted right there were 14 of us there. If you missed it, put it on your calendar for next year!
SOB Climbers Conquer Sandia Crest…
On a sunny but crispThursday, SOB Climbers met at the Post Office in San Antonito for the 14 mile climb to the summit of Sandia Crest. The wind was in our face for most of the climb. Climbing into the wind, in the shade, was cold; climbing with the wind, in the sun, was enjoyable. The views were spectacular!! We regrouped at 5 & 10 mile markers. However, sitting in the sun at the regroup stops, enjoying the view didn’t last long. There was more climbing ahead of us. After 2:30 hours of climbing, the summit was a welcomed sight. Time to warm up; grab some coffee; and take the photo (Thorsten, a German tourist from Hamburg behind the lens)
Then it was time to bundle up for the SCREAMING 14 mile descent down the mountain. The roads were clean, and in good condition (unlike the Santa Fe ski basin road) allowing the riders to exceed 40+ MPH on the descent. 30 mins later… it was over. Time for lunch at the Lazy Lizard!! Thanks Bob for scheduling the ride! We still need a makeup ride to Albuquerque; and a makeup ride to Placitas!! Next up… Sunday’s Day of the Tread!!
Time for a nap!
ANOTHER GREAT SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
November Rides
Yes, we ride all year! For at least the first two weeks we will continue to start at 1000. Depending on weather the start may move to 1030 for the last two weeks but there will be another post to confirm that should we decide to move it.
Tuesday Rides: DeVargas start as usual
Thursday Rides: All month (November) we will start at 599 RR Station.
Saturday Rides: ElCamino Academy as usual.
Again, all rides start at 1000 until further notice. (It should be an hour warmer due to the time change, we hope.)
Question: How did it get to be November already?
Valles Caldera Dirt Road Ride – CANCELLED
Valles Caldera Dirt Road Ride
This coming Sunday, 10/29/17, an off-road ride on the beautiful Valles Caldera NP. About 35 miles on good/fair quality dirt roads, cyclocross-type bike with 32+ mm tires or MTB ideal, bring food and plenty water, senior get-in-free national park card (or pay), and cool weather gear. Meet at Sullivan Field Lot in Los Alamos (across from Los Alamos High School on Diamond Drive) at 9:30am on Sunday 10/29 to carpool to the VC start. I can take 2 riders from SF area (call me, Rich 412-9484).
Thursday ride, October 26
Several members who are not riding Sandia Crest ride, but want to ride locally will meet at DeVargas at 10:00 a.m. Probably ride about 25 miles. Don’t put your bike away. A warm and dry winter lies ahead. Keep your riding level up! Don’t let it diminish now!
And shortly, Bob Bogart will be posting information about Tuesday and Thursday rides in November.
If you can’t ride Thursday, the ride next Tuesday, October 31, will be at its regular time of 10:00 a.m. and at the DeVargas Center. Be sure to ride on Halloween day so you will be comfortable eating all the candy you collect that night.
upcoming Oct 26 ride up Sandia Crest
We will meet at 0900 at 599 RR station to carpool. We hope to be at the Sandia Crest Post Office to start riding at 1000. Weather is currently forecast at high of 74 for ABQ. It will be much colder at the top of Sandia Crest so bring warm clothes to put on for the descent. If you are meeting us at Sandia Crest PO check this post for the exact location. We will try to find parking nearby the PO. Not exactly sure where, till we get there. Facilities at the nearby Cheveron gas station. Lunch at the nearby restaurant.
Fall Colors
For those of you wishing to see the fall colors WITHOUT a serious climb, you may wish to try the Paseo Real –> Los Golondrinas –> Los Pinos Road Loop. Quite nice regardless of which way you may choose to ride.
email from Kevin and Nancy
We saw the photo of the Hyde Park Fall Colors ride and wanted to tell you that we really miss riding with you all and enjoying the comradery, great routes, cool scenery and drinking beer…. we wish we were there now….love riding that hill! But instead we are currently eating yummy local food in the Pennsylvania Amish area as we continue our trailering travels across the US towards NH. One more long day of driving should get us back to the Granite State, where we will unpack all our goodies and then really have time to reflect back on all our wonderful NM experiences!
Feel free to give a shout to us anytime, and we hope to (see) you again in the near future!
Cheers to you all, you great bunch of SOBs!
Kevin and Nancy Mc from NH
(minor edits by moi)
SOB Saturday Riders Challenge the Wind…
Sunny skies… No; mild temperatures… No; calm winds… No!! But it was another great riding day in Santa Fe. Saturday’s ride was from El Camino Real Academy, up the 599 frontage road; across the taco (Paz) Bridge; down through town; out and around IAIA and back to the El Camino Real Academy. A 34.5 mile ride, with just under 2,000 feet of ascent, but only averaged 15+ MPH. Niltsi fought us throughout the morning; blowing 20 MPH winds mostly in our face. With around 2 1/2 hours in the saddle, temperatures only in the high 50s and 20 MPH winds, it was time for an “end of ride celebration” at the Santa fe Capitol Grill. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss our pace line techniques…
So ends… ANOTHER GREAT SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
Luncheon is today (Thursday Oct 19) after rides
In case anyone was confused by prior posts.
Tuesday fall colors
15 rode up Old Taos, Sierra del Norte, and Hyde Park to the Ranger Station. Beautiful day, colors were spectacular, air was crisp. Short but some good climbing. Lunch at Rowleys with a new menu. Highly recommend the Texas chili!
SOB Riders Master The Gila Monster…
Saturday, 3 SOB Riders tackled 110 mile; 10,000+ feet of climb at the Gila Monster Gran Fondo in Silver City, NM. Friday evening was a packet pick-up, early dinner and early to bed evening. With a cool 8:00 AM start our riders were met with a beautiful sunny, blue sky morning.
Then it was off to tackle the Gila Monster!! As the groups slowly spread out; it soon became a solitary ride.
But the scenery of the Gila Wilderness was breathtaking!! This is why we ride!!
But with all rides in the wilderness there are decisions to be made. At the T-Intersection, some went left to meet the challenge of multiple climbs; some went left for the final climbing ascent into Silver City!! There was no wrong choice for an SOB!! Climbing is in our blood!! What a weekend; what a ride!! Can’t wait to hear the stories!
ANOTHER AWESOME SOB RIDE AND ADVENTURE!!
New Mexico Transportation Dept. seeks comments on statewide bicycle network
Should you be so inclined, please click the link and work on some comments to improve cycling in NM.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – New Mexico transportation officials want to establish a statewide bicycle network and they’re asking for the public’s help.
The Transportation Department announced Wednesday that it has set up a website with an interactive map where cyclists and others can share information as part of the planning process for prioritizing routes that are safe and offer the most connectivity.
The agency has contracted with Bohannan Huston, Inc. and Alta Planning + Design to develop the NM Bike Plan. It’s scheduled to be done by summer 2018.
Officials say the plan will help guide roadway improvements and incorporate bicycle infrastructure such as wide shoulders or separate trails as part of regularly-scheduled maintenance or major construction.
Bicycle planning is also being done on the regional level in the Albuquerque area, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Farmington.
Moving On
I would like to let all of my SOB friends know that I am leaving Santa Fe. I have decided to move to the Tucson area. More specifically, I will be moving to a community located in Marana, Arizona at Dove Mountain.
I will long remember the many rides that I rode and the many riders that I rode with while a member of the SOBs. Most of all, I will remember those week-long rides in September in Northern New Mexico and Colorado.
Additionally, I will forever remember the kindness, care and consideration shown to me by the many SOB members following my accident last year. Your words of encouragement carried me through the lonely times of rehabilitation and recovery. Also, your great meals gave me the energy to persevere.
As the British poet T. S. Eliot wrote “to make an end is to make a beginning for the end is where we start from”. Therefore, I must end this phase of my life if I truly wish to begin a new adventure…a new life.
In closing, live well and ride safe!