New Moon, New Year, New Decade.....

ccording to some Native American tribes, January is the month of the Full Wolf Moon. This full Moon appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages. It is also known as the Old Moon. To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next full Moon, in February.

I started off the new decade by making some changes in my lifestyle that I hope will lead to better mental and physical health. So far it seems to be working.

My first ride in the new decade came not on the first, but on the 2nd of January, at the local cold-weather standby, the Cerrillos Hills Historic Park.



I was shooting a photo of this cool rock formation when a Raven flew past just as I opened the shutter:



In some native tribes the Raven is known as the "keeper of secrets." They hold the teachings of mysticism and magic. Ravens are linked to the void, where universal secrets are stored. Their inky black color is the color associated with darkness. The darkness is a place where unconscious fears live. Raven, a master magician, embodies the energy of transformation and shows us how to eliminate our inner demons. Seems I have much to learn from him.


A few days later I hit it again with CDaddy:



The follwing weekend brought a ride at the Galisteo Basin Preserve. We call it the Sphynx Trail for reasons that are not clear to me.




Tony's dog Lulu joined us. She is a natural trail dog but doesn't like having her picture taken.




I also got in a ride at Red Mesa, where the only picture I took was this one of Dillon rolling the Cheese Grater:




A week or two of decent weather was much appreciated. Then it was back to the cold and the snow.




That didn't keep me from getting in a nice hike through the snow to the top of Atalaya though.



Another storm is on the way. And so is springtime!

Thanks for looking!

The post with no name....

I don't really have anything to say here, I just wanted to put up some random pics from the past 2 months. Like this rainbow:





I last rode the Turner around 5 weeks ago at Cedro with a coupla friends. There was a little chunky stuff to play on:





Then we found what looked like a meth lab hidden out in the hills. Probably somebody just squatting on public land, but they had been there long enough to turn the place into a real sh!t hole:




I did a solo ride out near Cochiti Pueblo. The views were fantastic!







While I was descending a long arroyo the universe sent me a sign - but what does it mean?



Clearly something about Love. And plastic.


Thanksgiving came and went and I had a great post-dinner hike with my grandson Eban. I learn a lot from him.



Last weekend my special-needs friend Makachut put on his 3rd annual Punk Enduro, an undefined event that involves bikes, beer, trails, and informal competition. Good times.






Today I played hooky and rode at Cerillos Hills with a coupla friends.



There are literally hundreds of old mines out there. In fact, the oldest continuously-worked mines in North America are in the Cerillos Hills - turquoise has been mined here for over one thousand years.




We saw a Real Live Ghost Town!



Bikes back on the car...




And a post-ride refreshment!




Thanks for looking!

Shooting Stars

was out soaking in the Tub of Hotness just now (which is absofuckinglutely awesome when it's this cold out), and it occurred to me that it has been a long time since I saw a shooting star. I used to sit out there and tell myself "Okay, I'll get out when I see a shooting star". And I would usually see one within a few minutes. Which was really cool.

Now, everyone knows that shooting stars are God's brain cells exploding. Which makes sense - meteor showers happen on nights when God really feels the need to tie one on. The fact that they only happen a few times a year shows what restraint the Big Guy has, considering his responsibilities.




Anyhoo, thinking about shooting stars got me thinking about Bob Dylan. Huh? you ask? Well, one of my favorite Dylan albums, Oh Mercy, has a track called Shooting Star. As with all of the tracks on this album, the lyrics just cut to the bone.

Once again the world conspires to force me to review my shortcomings as a human being. And that's OK.


I could not find a decent video of Bob playing this song. But I encourage you to read the lyrics. And you can get a used copy of the whole CD for $2 plus shipping.

Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you.
You were trying to break into another world
A world I never knew.
I always kind of wondered
If you ever made it through.
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you.

Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me.
If I was still the same
If I ever became what you wanted me to be
Did I miss the mark or
Over-step the line
That only you could see?
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me.

Listen to the engine, listen to the bell
As the last fire truck from hell
Goes rolling by, all good people are praying,
It's the last temptation
The last account
The last time you might hear the sermon on the mount,
The last radio is playing.

Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip Away.
Tomorrow will be another day.
Guess it's too late to say the things to you
That you needed to hear me say.
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away.

Edit: I was driving to work the morning after writing this post and a song by Harper Simon (son of Paul Simon)came on the radio. The song is called - you guessed it - Shooting Star. And the last two lines of the refrain are "Someday, you'll find out who you are. Someday, you'll be more than just a shooting star."

Weird.

Rift Valley Trail

orthern New Mexico has a new trail system! How cool is that? Thanks to the hard work of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, we have new trails to ride outside of Taos. I hit them up today with the Taos director of Tourism, [B]Greg de Taos[/B]. While they may not have much in the way of technical challenges, they are skinny, twisty, flowy, and pass by some fantastic views of the Rio Grande Gorge.








These trails would be a great option for a second day in Taos after some hard climbing on the South Boundary trail. Some easy miles with not a lot of climbing to work the kinks out of your legs.








The scenery in NNM is always great, except maybe in downtown Espanola. But out here it was grand.








A fine ride on a fine day, followed by a fine selection of fine homebrews served up in some fine glassware.



Get on up there and check it out!

Random Acts of Photography

o I finally did the "plane wreck" ride in the Jemez mountains. If you haven't been getting enough hike-a-bike lately, you should do this ride. It really delivers on the steepest crap you will ever push a bike up. A good solid 4 miles of the stuff. And to top it all off, you get to see a busted-up airplane! What could be better?



I'll tell you what's better: the rippin' descent down Medio Dia canyon. Seven-ish miles of pure adrenaline.

OK, so Anthony was still climbing in that pic. Give me a break. When the downhilling starts, there is little time for photography.


Tim Wise aka Sweetleaf making it look easy:



Sometimes a safety meeting is called for.




After you cruise through the meadows,



you come to the cabin:




Someone was watching Anthony. The opposite of Big Brother - Little Sister!:




Too much fun will make your head feel like a mushroom.



A week later I rode to the San Antonio hot springs with Tim and Mark. A more beautiful place you will not find.




Looks like someone exceeded the weight limit for this bridge:






Here come the merry pranksters - Tweedledum and Tweedledipshit.




I did a solo ride today. I am finally willing to consider that summer may be drawing to an end:



The Rig got a new wheel set:





Another storm rolls into northern New Mexico. Will this be the one to bury our higher trails for the season? I hope not.




Thanks for looking!

Autumn Colors

ere in northern New Mexico we get four distinct seasons. And my favorite by far is Autumn. The weather gets perfect - cool nights to make you sleep good, brisk mornings, and warm afternoons. But the best part is the amazing colors that bust out everywhere.



Everywhere you look are brilliant colors.




Even down on the ground.





Everybody raves about the aspens, but the cottonwoods put on a pretty good show also:


The only down side to Autumn is knowing that winter is coming. Bummer.



Thanks for looking!