Autumnal Equinox

I forgot today was the Autumnal Equinox until I listened to Garrison Keillor this morning on Writer's Almanac.  It was a beautiful morning, albeit a bit crisp. The wind was picking up, possibly in anticipation of the thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon, so I abandoned my original ride plan of doing the Bandelier loop in favor of riding the hills, where there is some tree cover and where a quick retreat home at Il Falco speeds (or in my case, Il Fatto speeds) is possible if bad weather closes in.  Besides, once it really gets cold, there will be more than enough excuses to stay below 9,000 feet.

Nice day on the bike. Just be careful of the sand on the curves, courtesy of recent heavy rains. Happy first day of Fall, folks! Almost time to dig out those headlights, too, and fully festoon that commuter bike with short-daylight garb.

Elk: Nature's SUV, and almost as predictable as the human variety.
Topping out on NM-4 in the Jemez

One of the false flats along NM-4 heading into the Jemez

Fire damage in the distance, somewhere past American Springs

Descending School, Los Alamos, NM

Near top of Camp May Road. 
Last bit of pain before heading home.

Rewards of riding