So you stuck your bike on the Rapid Ride* and went up to the Northeast Heights to visit Grandma? The utilitarian Paseo del Nordeste will get you back home. The trail begins at Pennsylvania, where your enjoyment of the wide, well-marked bike lane will undoubtedly be mitigated by at least one jerkface parking a car on it. Cars! Fuck ’em! Heading west means heading downhill. Since you won’t be occupied with pedaling, amuse yourself by admiring the Hahn arroyo on the north side of the trail or peering into the backyards that line the south side. (Confidential to homeowners whose properties abut the trail: Could you guys do more nude sunbathing, please? Betty Sprocket craves trailside titillation.) Be smart and slow way down at the low-visibility road crossings, and you’ll have a quick and easy ride to the junction of the North Diversion Channel trail.*A combination of bike and bus is a great way to get around Albuquerque if your quadriceps are daunted by uphill climbs. If you’ve never tried the Rapid Ride, you oughta. Here’s how: When the bus arrives, lift your bike onto the rack in the front, paying attention to the "front tire here" marking. Pull on the spring-loaded hook to extend it, lift it up and over your front tire, and voilà! Your velocipede is secure, and you’re ready to ride. Be sure to have cash on you—the fare is a buck.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.Betty Sprocket's weekly trail tales will be here all summer.
