Monday, August 19, 2013

Leave Your Car Behind - Santa Fe Rail Trail

Santa Fe is 100% a walking and biking city. We haven't had a car here (except when we rented one to get up to Taos for the weekend), although Allyson's dad is letting us borrow a car starting this week. The city of Santa Fe is totally manageable without a car. We just hope to see more of the state, and need a car to do it!

However, if you are planning a long weekend in Santa Fe, you could easily do it without a car. You can fly into Albuquerque and get a shuttle right to your hotel or to their downtown stop for $28. Just bring some good walking shoes for your Santa Fe weekend. And to get a little farther than your feet can comfortably take you, rent bikes. And because I would be a lousy public health professional if I didn't say this, WEAR YOUR HELMETS! So many people around here don't, but please note that the drivers around here are BAD. I trust that you can ride a bike safely, but I don't trust the drivers. Just wear your helmet. 

Because we are going to be here for three months, Allyson found us both bikes on Craigslist when she first got here. We put them to good use yesterday when we took off from our casita on Old Taos Highway and headed across town for the Santa Fe Rail Trail. 


The trail officially starts in the Railyard Park at the cross streets of Manhattan Ave and Market St (conveniently close to REI), but you can catch it at various street crossings. We picked the trail up on 2nd Street, right by the 2nd Street Brewery (older location...there is another one right in the Railyard). The trail is 18 miles long, one way. We didn't have it in us to do the whole thing, but we got a good way down the trail. Much of the trail is pretty even surface and hard, but the farther out you get the more single track, rocks, loose dirt there is. The trail is also pretty hilly. I'm a runner and I don't cycle as often as I should. I'm not used to the constant intervals of cycling. Downhill is nothing but fun and uphill is a killer. I loved it. 







Parked our bikes at 2nd Street Brewery for some much needed calories and refreshing beverages. It was tough to get on our bikes and cycle the 4 miles uphill back home, but not sure we would've made it without the food and caffeine! We'll be hitting the trail again very soon. It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning!

No comments:

Post a Comment