So what do we do about the Rail Trail closure?

 

Trail closure just south of St. Michael's Drive, looking south

The Rail Trail in Santa Fe is what could quite correctly be called the most important "bicycle arterial" in the city of Santa Fe. It provides connectivity to the Chamiso Trail as well as its own connections to the south end of Santa Fe, including housing and commercial activities on Zia and beyond, and the cinder trail all the way from Rabbit Road to Lamy. I think closing it without a plan socialized to the public is incredibly thoughtless or possibly, shows an incredible stovepiping of government.

 The issue is, a developer is doing serious digging just south of St Michael's Drive that likely has to do with the Cerro del Norte subdivision, and the Rail Trail is shut down for what looks like a month as the excavation and construction goes right through it. Seems odd, don't you think, that no one bothered to set out a well marked detour for bicyclists and pedestrians or consider the importance of the trail to users as part of a traffic control plan? After all, there are huge, practically glow in the dark signs directing motorists around the West Alameda Washout detour. Or are bicyclists and pedestrians irrelevant?

True to form, since government dropped the ball, people have pounded out a dirt trail in the space between the construction zone and the Rail Runner tracks. It isn't pretty, but I rode down there as I saw one walker headed toward the closure (photo above) and he was followed by about four others, one on a bike and the others on foot.

The newly pounded down dirt path around the construction zone, running along the rail tracks, photo looking north.

Well, here is one suggestion, courtesy of Tim Rogers. For southbound cyclists, ride the Rail Trail southbound to the Second Street crossing. Turn left onto W San Mateo (the street name changes at the Railrunner tracks). Make the first right, barely a tenth of a mile if that, onto Calle Llorca. Take Llorca past St. Michaels Drive to Siringo, turn right, jog about a tenth of a mile back to the Rail Trail/Chamisa Trail crossing and keep going. For northbound cyclists, do the reverse. 

 Just don't ride too close to parked cars on Llorca. I tried the route today. Works fine. Holler if you discover problems, such as the buried loop detectors on Llorca not seeing a bicyclist.  I think that road should be posted with signage showing that suddenly, a lot of cyclists will be there.

 Now, if the city would get with the program and have its various departments communicate with each other, we might not have such surprises.

Green line is the Rail Trail. I've penned in the detour in red. Chamisa trail split is just south of Siringo.

Fatal Hit & Run Go Fund Me

 

Perhaps you heard about the cyclist, Nathan Gray, killed by a hit and run driver on Old Pecos Trail on August 1st. Editorial here.

Apparently his family is suffering financial hardships on top of everything else. Someone has set up a Go Fund Me page for them.

https://gofund.me/cd656e69

 

Beware of Large Grey Vehicles on a Neutral Background

 I was headed home from the Plaza Pride celebration on Saturday. Got to the stop sign at the end of West San Francisco where it meets Paseo de Peralta, looked both ways while slowly moving forward, preparing to make the left and continue onto Camino de las Crucitas. That left turn from W. San Francisco can be a PIA in busy traffic. So, not seeing a vehicle, I jumped and started into the intersection while again looking both ways a second time. 

Whoops! Somehow, a large grey SUV on my left escaped my first notice. The motorist quickly slowed as I also hit both brakes, fortunately being Avid BB-7 disks. I brought the bicycle to a stop with the rear wheel a couple feet off the pavement, stabilized with my right foot on the ground, slightly to the right of the SUV's line of travel.

Needless to say we were both startled. I waved him by and apologized for my oversight. No harsh words or fickle fingers of hate were expended.

 Whew. Check twice, proceed once. Going through the same intersection today, I noticed a large bush on my left that screens some of Peralta, given it is a curve. I think that explains my goof. I looked to my left before I cleared a line of sight past the shrubbery! Remember, when it comes to staying alive in traffic, all the details matter!

Note the car about to disappear from my camera's line of sight as it enters the part of the right lane screened by the foliage.

 

Don't ever let a flag hit the ground. I almost made that mistake.

And dear NMDoT. I'll pass on more shrubbery.

 

 

Charles Pelkey Needs a Little Help

 

 Copying the text below from the Go Fund Me page. Might be time to help out a little. I did. 

In addition to his contributions to Le Tour coverage with Maddogmedia's Patrick O'Grady (those "Live Update Guy" funsies), Charles Pelkey, has been among other things, an editor at Velo News, a bike racer, often on NPR discussing the legalities (or lack thereof) of doping in pro bike racing, a legislator in Wyoming, and is a practicing attorney. 

So here is the elevator pitch, with a hat tip to David Stanley.

Charles Pelkey needs a little help

"I’m David Stanley and our good friend Charles Pelkey needs a little help. The Live Update Guy, the courageous cycling journalist, our compassionate friend – he is in the fight of his life. 

 

As many know, Charles is a breast cancer survivor. However, over the last 6 months, Charles has been struggling with massive circulatory issues. CP has not been able to work for the last 6 months. In addition, he has gone through 4 major arterial and vascular surgeries which total nearly 25 hours in the OR. 

 

While Charles has medical insurance, it’s all the other expenses that have been staggering. As a result, the family home is in jeopardy. That’s why, with CP’s permission, I ask each of you who has been touched by Charles as a friend or cyclist or colleague or reader of his work to make a contribution. Whether you can give $5 or $500, please think seriously and help out our friend in a most dire time."

Bike Santa Fe Mechanics Classes start 1/3, at Rob and Charlie's Bike Shop

 

Reposting here. If you think you need to learn more about how to maintain your two wheeler, please read on! You don't have to be able to fix bikes on the fly from a car during the Tour de France, but being able to do quick fixes in the garage or on the road is a valuable skill.

 

Bike Santa Fe mechanics classes will start Tuesday January 3rd, 6:30 pm at Rob and Charlie's bike shop, 1632 St. Michael's Drive. The schedule is:

Tuesday January 3rd
First class: Flat prevention and repair. Learn how to prevent flats and fix one. We will cover patching and replacing tubes.

Tuesday January 10th
Second class: Shifters and derailleurs. How to adjust shifters and derailleurs, setting limit screws and adjusting cable tension.

Tuesday January 17th
Third class: Brakes, how to adjust road caliper, V-brakes and cantilever brakes. We cover compatibility with brake levers, and briefly discuss disc brakes.

Tuesday January 24th
Forth class: Drivetrains and bearings. We cover chain wear, replacing cassettes and chainrings, and adjusting bearings. You will get to use a chain tool in this class.

Sign up by E-mailing  BikeSantaFe@gmail.com

Bring your bike to these classes. Hopefully we will have a wide array of bikes to work on.

cost is $10 per class, $30 for all four. 

Bike Santa Fe
More People On Bikes, More Often
bikesantafe.org   Like us on facebook
PO Box 6181, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Proud recipients of a 2019 Kiwanis Foundation Zozobra grant

 

 

 

The Frank Ortiz Dog Park Is No Place for Trail Riding

Annie endorses this message

 A week or so ago, I noted two signs in the Frank Ortiz Dog Park, both located in the main parking area, indicating no bicycling allowed on the dog park land. I contacted the city Parks and Recreation Dept, which authorized the signage. P&R put me in contact with the Dog Park Project.

Turns out there have been some recent and unpleasant interactions between bicyclists, dogs, and dog people. In one, mentioned to me by a pair of dog walkers, a bicyclist dressed down a dog person because the person's dog was off leash; the cyclist apparently not aware that this is a leash-optional park. In another case mentioned by the Dog Park Project, a bicyclist kicked a dog that ran up to and possibly interfered with the bicyclist.

I've been in contact with the Dog Park Project on this and endorse the restrictions. Bicycling among numerous off leash dogs belonging to other people can lead to unintended and potentially harmful consequences to both dogs and riders. There is no reason to risk this as there is a vast bike park, La Tierra Trails, just a stone's throw away and in fact trail access to La Tierra Trails is available just to the north, across Camino de las Crucitas, from the smaller dog park parking lot.

So the signage and restrictions are not to guard anyone's turf, but a prudent safety precaution. Please observe these controls. There are many, many great places for off road riding in and around Santa Fe. The Dog Park is not one of them. Thanks.