Biking the Enchante Circle- Long but has pcitures! :)

[Pax]

Great ride report!! Like andtckrtoo I used to live in NM and love the Enchanted Circle, very cool pics!!

[spindizzy]

Great ride - way to go!

Btw, are you two wearing matching jerseys? Sweet!

[indysteel]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a completing such a challenging ride!

Do you know what how many feet of climbing you did?

[Biciclista]

I really enjoyed your story and your photos. PLEASE don't feel bad about walking up that hill. You rode over 86 miles, and for 1/2 of a mile you walked.
Nothing wrong with that. When I did Hurricane Ridge (an unrelenting climb) i got off and walked a few times, i just had to for the relief of doing something different!!

Your ride is a fantastic achievement all at high altitude, I'm very impressed!

[Aggie_Ama]

Thanks everyone, it was kind of fun to wait to write because I could relive my vacation. Truly New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment. I have been to 3 states (FL, CA and NM) in the past 8 months and only New Mexico felt like a strange, foreign land. It is very different but very cool. It is odd that both our east and west neighbors seem so different from Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas not so much but New Mexico and Lousiana are a different world!

Isn't it interesting how sometimes we can struggle on part of a ride that we thought would be easy, and fly where we thought we'd struggle? And then sometimes, the hardest steepest part really is the hardest steepest part.

Excellent way to put it. It is odd, mentally I thought I would just do fine on this ride, physically it took more out of me than I ever imagined. I will have to check out the Fatty article.

That was quite a ride! And you looked so fashionable doing it. I think I would have joined you with the push the bike up the hill party. Way to go and I know you must really feel like you've accomplished something. Can't wait to hear about your next year's ride.

Fashionable, ha! We normally don't do the Twinkies thing but we wanted to represent. I got a "Gig 'Em" somewhere between Questa and Taos. I feel disappointed in not making it up Bobcat Pass but no shame in attempting, even if you don't quite make it.

I know that is the one thing I have to be careful of whenever I get to my century ride - I love nature and wildlife so much that I will be stopping every 5 miles to take a pic!! Thank you so much for posting your ride and pics - you are an inspiration to me!!

You're too sweet, traveling with bikes is definitely our favorite thing to do. DH is much faster than me so he had plenty of time to take all these lovely photos. I think we had 30+ from the ride.

Great ride - way to go!

Btw, are you two wearing matching jerseys? Sweet!

Yep, matching jerseys from the MS150 team were on a couple years back. We don't dress alike often but sometimes for organized rides or like this one where we both brought that jersey and wanted to proudly represent Texas A&M on the roads of New Mexico.

[Aggie_Ama]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a completing such a challenging ride!

Do you know what how many feet of climbing you did?

Not a clue. The NM Touring site says over 5,300 elevation gain for riding the opposite way, which I believe is less than the Davis Mountains. It sure felt like more on my legs. I don't know but it sure left me humble to see what our Cali gals do!

I really enjoyed your story and your photos. PLEASE don't feel bad about walking up that hill. You rode over 86 miles, and for 1/2 of a mile you walked.
Nothing wrong with that. When I did Hurricane Ridge (an unrelenting climb) i got off and walked a few times, i just had to for the relief of doing something different!!

Your ride is a fantastic achievement all at high altitude, I'm very impressed!

Thanks Mimi. I think I forget when I feel disappointed in Bobcat Pass how much I get altitude sickness. I seriously didn't feel better until Thursday evening. I made it through but I do not do well with altitude. One good thing is it means I lost weight there! Walking, hiking, biking and unable to eat a ton.

[Biciclista]

Thanks Mimi. I think I forget when I feel disappointed in Bobcat Pass how much I get altitude sickness. I seriously didn't feel better until Thursday evening. I made it through but I do not do well with altitude. One good thing is it means I lost weight there! Walking, hiking, biking and unable to eat a ton.

You had altitude sickness the WHOLE TIME?? i am speechless!
when race horses perform like you, it is said that they have a lot of heart.

[Aggie_Ama]

You had altitude sickness the WHOLE TIME?? i am speechless!
when race horses perform like you, it is said that they have a lot of heart.

Mild but yes, almost the whole vacation. Only Thursday afternoon, Friday and Saturday morning did I feel fine and then I had a blistering sunburn! My altitude sickness is a pretty bad headache and nausea. When I get at altitude (or at least this time and in Ft Davis) I have to force myself to eat or I would just as soon only drink water. Even then it is about half what I would normally eat. Also just some fatigue plagued me the entire trip. It was much worse this time even though I got a prescription to help speed up the acclimation.

[jesvetmed]

So glad to finally get the Enchanted Circle report and pics! IT looks like a LOT of open road.. congratulations on getting through it -- no matter what it took! I hope that you enjoyed the rest of your trip out there. It must not have been too awful if you are already considering doing it again!

From someone who has never ridden more than 45 miles in a day, I am in AWE.

[Susan126]

Wow great report on your awesome epic ride! I would love to do it . . . I'll have to put it on my "rides I want to do" list!

Thanks for the report and the pictures! Enjoyed reading all about your adventure.

[arielmoon]

Good for you and thanks for sharing your experience! I just love your matching jerseys!