May 1, 2006

  • Day 8 - Monday, May 1 - Day off in Albuquerque


    We had the day off, but it was important to stay moving so I went for a long walk first thing in the morning.  I walked over to the university and then through downtown to old town.  Athena and Quela came down from Santa Fe and we went to lunch and then headed to Acoma Pueblo.  Acoma Pueblo is the oldest continually inhabited settlement in the new world and was founded around 1150.  It's a pueblo built high on the mesa with spectacular views.  We took the tour which was very interesting and walked around a bit.




    The tour guide told us all about the spanish missionary Father Ramirez who converted the indians, forced them to construct a church using timbers hand carried from Mt. Taylor 30 miles away, and then sold their children into slavery to purchase church fixtures.  The Acoma people finally had enough when he bashed an alter boy in the head with a chalice and tossed him off the mesa.  And yet they're all still Catholic.  And here I'm ready to become Episcopalian over the marriage thing.  Kinda makes you think.  We decided my Acoma name was Joseph Light in the Mocassins.


    Then we went to El Malpais national monument before heading back to town.




     


    Day 7 - Sunday, April 39 - 145 Miles!


    I rode 145 miles, more than I'd ever ridden, from Gallup to Albuquerque.  The first thirty miles were a grind, up about 800 feet to the continental divide.  My knees were stiff and it was cold but I grunted my way up the hill.Here's a pic of my roommate Klaus and I at the marker. 



    The rest of the day was much improved.  We caught a tailwind and a gentle descent and I made it into Grants in no time.  We got off the interstate right before we hit town and rode sparsely populated side roads until after the Laguna Pueblo.  And it was beautifl.  The rest of the ride into Albuquerque was a long, dusty grind but I made it around 4PM.  I ate an enormous amount of  food and finally went to sleep.