My friend Dana and I decided to ride up in the Sandia Mountains again. We try to make it a weekly ride all summer, because we love riding our beautiful Sandia trails and exploring new trails.
In fact, I did a bunch of research and mapped out a couple new trails for us to ride on this day, and I created a fun loop ride.
I also wanted to ride part of the route in reverse just to switch it up for me so I don't get bored always riding the same routes in the same direction. Doing this also helps me memorize trails so if I ever do get turned around, I will recognize where I am and can find my way.
Our first trail was so lush and green with tall trees and lots of aspens, too.
Dana and her Arab mare.
There are a few knee knockers on the trail as well as a couple boulder steps, but they make the trail interesting and fun to ride. The pleasant aspect of this trail is that isn't very steep as it travels across the eastern side of the Sandias up towards the Crest.
We rode the to the end and turned to ride up to the Crest Trail.
Dana and her mare enjoying the route and trusting that I would not get us lost. And I never do!
When we reached Table Rock, we tied up our horses to enjoy a relaxing lunch with breathtakingly beautiful views!
Apache resting on the Crest above 10,300' elevation.
This is me......on the edge!
And Dana, too! Check out that mountainside covered in aspens!
This is such an awesome lunch spot. Even has a comfortable bench, too!
I sat beside this colorful rock while eating my lunch and I just had to take a photo of it. I follow the rule of never taking home anything I find out in nature, but instead taking photos as my keepsakes and memories.
Anyway, this baseball sized rock was quite impressive to me.
I walked out to the edge of the cliff and took a mountain selfie!
Amazing views!!
After lunch, Dana and I took photos of each other from Table Rock.
Then we headed back down the trail. The views were just incredible!
The northern section of the trail is easy to traverse because it is mostly flat.
The trail is lined with baby evergreens. Many are perfect Christmas tree height.
And there are also groves of aspens!
Lots of aspens!
Many are very young. Riding through them is like riding through an Aspen Nursery.
Dana and her mare surrounded by aspens!
Aspens! Aspens! Everywhere!
And then we rode 10K Trail back down the mountain.
Not too many aspens on this section of 10K Trail, but the trail travels through thick, dark, green forest that feels kind of mysterious.
I didn't take anymore photos during this part of the ride because 10K has quite a bit of technical sections, lots of roots and boulders to negotiate over, and a quite a few knee knocker trees to squeeze between.
When Dana and I had first arrived at the parking lot in the morning, we were the only two vehicles. When we finished our ride in the afternoon, there were another two trailers that pulled in behind us.
They returned to their trailers soon after we returned. And one of the riders was someone that I'm friends with on Facebook and have met once in person. Small world!
And behind my trailer a car parked. But I had just enough room to load my mare.
My awesome Apache mare, post-ride, enjoying a drink of water and a well deserved rest after a fantastic ride in the Sandia Mountains.
Life is Good!!
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