I like to schedule an early season century to motivate me to stay in shape over the winter and get back on the bike early.  This year it was the Santa Fe Century on May 19th.  Santa Fe is at 7000 feet  elevation in the desert of northern New Mexico.  We flew out a few days early and met up with friends and family – a group of 9 people. We discovered that United Airlines has hiked the one way fee for a bike box to $200 but we were committed at that point.  Note to self: in the future ship the bikes and the hell with United. (I sent them back via Fedex using www.bikeflights.com for about $80 per bike.)

With my sister Duffie and her husband Charlie we did a ride up to Santa Fe Ski Basin a few days before the century.  That was a tough 13 mile climb of 3500 feet.  The view was spectacular and the descent was a thrill.  At the bottom my hands were black and blue from the death grip I had on the brakes.  But I had a big grin on my face.

Sunday – the day of the SF Century – was perfect weather for a long ride, cool enough in the morning to wear a light windbreaker which I shed at the first rest stop.  Some of our group was way off ahead (Larry and Gary) then Chris and I rode together – well we met up at every rest stop – and Duffie and Charlie approached the ride leisurely.  The day was made all the more pleasant by a light haze to keep from roasting because this is a ride through 100 miles of desert – ‘a whole lot of nothin’.  We also were quite fortunate that there was not much wind.  I’ll confess I’m not a huge fan of the desert, it just doesn’t sing to me.  Duffie sealed the deal when she warned me to be careful if I step off the road for a nature break. “look out of rattlesnakes, scorpions and fire ants… and don’t touch the cacti.”  Fortunately the ride organizers provided six rest stops and I enjoyed every damned one of them.

I also enjoyed the 14 mile flat straight shot at the south end of the route from Cedar Grove to Stanley.  I connected up with a young woman and we paced each other for about half the stretch until I got a tired trying to keep up with the whippersnapper and she rode off solo never to be seen again… until the finish.  This ride was a big help for my cycling technique.  I have always struggled with flat roads and gentle grades.  The SF Century has lots of these and I was able to ride them better than I expected.

However there was also “Heartbreak Hill” which broke my heart.  I walked most of it because the 15% grade and high altitude was too much for me.

Speaking of the finish… this was one part that the organizers really screwed up.. The last turn from Route 285 to the Old Pecos Trail was not marked and I went straight down Rodeo Road to St. Francis Drive and I had to “sightsee” my way back to the official finish.

Side benefits of this ride are enjoying the town of Santa Fe with it’s great food and cultural assets.  We stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe next to the Railyard District where there are many excellent galleries and the Saturday Farmers’ Market.

It was a great start to the season.