Albuquerque!

Albuquerque is bike friendly!  Today we rode much of the very well maintained Paseo Del Bosque bike trail along the Rio Grande and through the woods bordering it.

Russian Olive trees (invasive species) were flowering all over and scenting the air with an almost overpowering fragrance that reminded me of overripe bananas. 

The Rio Grande is less than impressive. As Bob says, we have been spoiled for all other rivers by the Hudson. 

Late afternoon we rode the Sandia Peak Tramway. We thought it would be a silly touristy thing to do but that thought couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sandia Peak looks like part of an 10,500+ ft featureless dark mountain range from a distance.  But up close, it is a photogenic, fantastically eroded, steep, massive, mountain of granite.

The tram ride took us up 3,819 ft and over 2½ miles in 15 minutes. It is the longest aerial tram in the United States. What views! Important not to think how high off the ground you are.

Great views from the top. Lots of trails also, but we were too tired (or was it the elevation?) to do more than a bit on the "Crest Trail" and the easy “Nature Trail.” Hiking in snow halfway through May!