Nancy Cycles!

Nancy Cycles!
"You got to be careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there." ... Yogi Berra

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

On the Road to Abiquiu

same day -- Tuesday 9/29/2015 -- to Georgia O'Keefe country

I chose to ride in the van for the first part of the day. I shouldn't have. We were told the big bad stinking hill had returned and this time it was 5.5 miles long and just as steep (the last one was 3.5 miles and was hard!). The hill would start 5 miles from our hotel and there was no place that the van could stop to pick us up at the base of the hill. So we could not ride the first five miles and then take the bump up the hill.

I was very disappointed when we got to the first five mile mark, the base of the bad hill, and there was a HUGE parking area that the van could, and did, pull into to supply water to those who were riding those first miles. Our driver apparently did not know there was a place for the van to pull into, so I (and Ina) missed our desire to ride at least the beginning of today's route. As we drove up the big hill, it turned out to be not as bad as the one we did a couple of days ago. It was a climb, and not an easy one, but the huge grade lasted about half a mile or so and then had some down and up and flat and up (unlike the last one I had ridden). So I was also disappointed to not give this one a try.

But the ride from the top to our destination was not only all downhill, it was a gorgeous ride. As we know,, pictures will not do it justice, but..

 

We passed through the little village of El Rito

 

 

There was not much on this road -- including traffic -- except beautiful countryside. We had two lanes to ourselves for much of the time. Once in a great while a vehicle would pass us. No towns except for El Rito.

 

 

 

 

 

Judy glides down the hill into the mountains

 

Ina's happy

 

Allison too

We stopped to visit the ruins of an old church.

 

 

 

 

 

Mud and adobe brick walls still standing after hundreds of years.

We arrived at our hotel in time for the picnic lunch that our guides had prepared. After a brief rest and a shower we were off to visit artist Georgie O'Keefe's home. We had a tour guide walk us through and tell us the history. Photos were not allowed inside the grounds. We could take them only after exiting the home.

 

Designated as an Historic Landmark in 1998

 

 

Walkway to the garden in the rear, and the side entrance to the house

 

Main entrance to the house. Large door for horse entry to the courtyard; small door is the "pedestrian door"

 

This is our last night together. We had a fun time at dinner in the warm outdoors with a fine light breeze. We shared lots of laughs and stories and will now prepare four out final half day.

 

2 comments:

  1. It is all so different over there. Thanks for the photos.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Meta -- this was a beautiful riding day.

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