Start the morning with a delightful breakfast at the Old PERA building on Paseo de Peralta. Then slowly wind your way up Don Gaspar to Old Pecos Trail, cross over I 25 and head west onto Rabbit Road. Follow Rabbit Road for 4 miles as it twists and turns towards your first break. After a quick turn, the lovely park at Oshara looms with tasty treats and hot coffee. After a quick warm up and bathroom break, you can start to shed some of your jackets into the safe hands of your friendly volunteers. Two quick turns and you are on the Dinosaur Trail and riding towards your encounter with a couple of full scale Dinos! Watch out for the speed bumps or ride on the paved biking trail that parallels the road. After 4-5 miles, bid goodbye to the dinosaurs, and carefully pedal your way through a couple of turns to arrive at the frontage road.

Enjoy the mountain vistas as you work up an appetite for your next break. Make a left onto Bonanza Creek and pedal to the next “sort of hungry” break at Set-2, the movie set for numerous Westerns, and more recently, the set for the TV series Manhattan. Enjoy the rolling hills and work up a sweat as you pedal close to the halfway mark and your relaxing gourmet lunch. Head south on NM 14 for a few miles and then turn onto NM 42 and be ready for lunch in 1.5 miles. Turn left on Haozous Road and leave your bike with the trusty volunteers. Stroll the Allan Houser Sculpture Gardens either before or after your delicious lunch.

After satisfying your hunger and resting your seats (sorry, no bun massages), begin the journey home. Remember, according to the laws of nature, what goes down must go back up! Continue southeast on NM42 towards the lovely village of Galisteo. Watch out for traffic on the narrow road and be sure to ride single file. Fill up your drink bottles with Gatorade and water and refresh yourselves with fruit at the scenic Catholic Church. And watch out for the nasty goatheads.

After your short refresher turn left and head north on NM41 to start the graaaadual climb back to Santa Fe. Enjoy the views of the working ranches as you pedal towards Lamy. Make a left onto US285 and take advantage and pedal the 7 miles north (and uphill), to the “Can I make it back?” break. At the end of US285 cross over at the blinking light, into the parking lot of Café Fina. Get yet another treat, pump up your tires and get set for the final push back to the Old PERA Building. Make a right out of the parking lot and climb your way past Harry’s Roadhouse to the intersection with Old Pecos Trail.  Look familiar???  If not, then you are lost!! Turn right onto Old Pecos Trail and then right onto Zia East.  Follow the painted green arrows as you wind around St. John’s College towards Alameda. Ride SINGLE FILE and watch out for those aimless tourists. Left on Paseo de Peralta and turn into the Pera parking lot AFTER Kakawa Chocolate.  

Get off your bike, stretch and relax with another delicious spread. Talk with your fellow riders about the wonderful experience you have had and how you look forward to the Santa Fe Gourmet Classic the next year.  Don’t forget to retrieve your belongings!!