Modern Vespa

Two Miles High Ride - Albuquerque to Sandia Crest (10,678 ft.), New Mexico

This ride may not be epic but the ride is a 27 mile mountain climb to over two miles above sea level!!!

On August the 23rd our ride meet up at the Chevron on Central for a brief howdy hi, we then roll out east on old Route 66, then onwards on north 14, to Coffee at Dawn (a GREAT little coffee shop on the Turquoise Trail that bikers of all types meet up at) for brunch after we had our fill of burritos and coffee we rolled on up to The Tinker Town Museum (www.tinkertown.com) for a walk around their awesome museum for a few hours.

We then continued on to Sandia Crest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandia_Mountains), as you climb the mountain the temperature drops anywhere from 10-30 degrees depending on the time of the year, this ride started at about 80°F and at the peak the temp was much, much cooler, I did not have my thermometer on this trip but we all put our jackets liners in .

This ride is just breathtaking, the scenery, the views from the crests observation area are stunning and the road is nothing but pure crazy fun switchbacks!

So, if you ever make it out to Albuquerque I do suggest this ride (and the complete Turquoise Trail!). And if you would like some local company or a guide then visit the D.C.S.C. Forums at www.dukecityscooterclub.com make a post and let us know when you'll be in town with your bike and I'm positive we could work out a ride!

I hope you make it out!

Now some photos of this particular ride...





















































































































































RIDE HAPPY!!!!!!

Richard

Thanks for posting. This really brings back memories from the few years in the '80's that I lived there. Always liked the ride up the mountain. An yea big tempertures change, summer or winter.
Is that restaurant, Ponderosa, on 14 south of I-40 still there and runing?
Thy have some pretty good food if I recall.