Biking the Rio Grande

Our house is just a few blocks away from the Rio Grande, and this has quickly become one of my favorite aspects of living in the area of town that we do.  The city of Albuquerque maintains a really amazing multi-use path along the river, through the protected bosque, which runs 16 miles one-way.  It's beautifully paved, crosses under all major streets, and has entry-points in numerous locations.  And from my front door, it takes me only 0.7 miles to be on the path!

Now that Daylight Saving Time has given me more light in the evenings (this is so refreshing to me- I'd forgotten how nice DST is after 5 years in AZ!), I actually have enough time in the evenings to come home after work and still be able to ride my bike 20-25 miles before it gets dark.  I'll be in the field for a while starting up again this coming week, but these last couple of weeks have been filled with really great early-evening bike rides.  And many of Albuquerque's famous hot air balloons like to fly in the evenings, so sometimes I get to watch them float over the river while I ride.  Not too shabby.

Back in February, when there was still lots of snow on the mountains. 

The Rio is to the left in this picture, on the other side of the trees.  To the right is a small irrigation canal, and behind that is a bunch of gorgeous ranches and mansions with horses and alpacas and ostriches and donkeys.

Standing on the Alameda bridge, right above the Rio Grande.