Bikes

Riding The Bosque In The Fall

\ Sep 27, 2018

3 min read

While riding with a shiver that is no longer warmed by the 8:30 sun you begin to wonder … WTF happened to summer? Wasn’t it just last week that we reached another all time hellish high? Helmet hair was oh so much more then just flat, back then, just a minute ago. Well, welcome fall.

This inevitable change is not a bad one, simply a turn of the proverbial wheel moving us ever forward to the next tomorrow. With summer’s passing and the icy hands of winter approaching, take a moment to stop at the Bosque and smell the last of the fading roses.

This is one of the best times of any season to get out and put some rubber to the road. It’s no longer too hot to move and not yet cold enough to rid the trails of the fair-weather riders. The trees are beginning to drop the clever façade and show their true colors. The Bosque is bustling with the frantic activities of fall prep for all the river creatures. Such is a spectacle that should not be missed.

The Bosque trail is a 16-mile paved multi-use path that spans from Alameda to Rio Bravo. At Rio Bravo the trail does continue and loops back around to meet the trail once again. Aside from the paved walkway there is also a series of packed dirt trails that run right up to the river. There is nothing better then riding down along the path and then back up again using the trails.

The packed trails are situated among what is said to be the largest concentration of cottonwoods anywhere. The cottonwoods are old and welcoming. Watching these giants slowly change into twisted, bare and gray megaliths can only truly be enjoyed while riding. Only then can one see and hear all the wonders of the winter preparations taking place under the canopy.

The Bosque is home to a variety of animals as well, including many migratory birds, beavers, porcupine, turtles, snakes, toads and rabbits just to name a few. This is an important time for the preppers so the animal activity is insane. You will not go 10 feet without seeing some covert creature cross your path on his way to the next errand.

While prepping may seem like the way of the wise and completing that list of errands is always in the forefront of the day’s mission, remember the Bosque and how it calls out to you, the bike rider. Experience the fall and take a moment, not only to smell the roses, but also to slow down and enjoy the ride.