Ok folks, this is going to be a short sort of post.

Well, we’ll see about that.

I started the day at the KOA and it was COLD. Like, really cold. I didn’t sleep well cause it was so cold. But the sun came up and it warmed up pretty quickly.

Around 9am I rode into Santa Fe. Santa Fe is an amazingly beautiful town. I love the way it looks. However, it’s like Bucknell Parents Weekend 24/7. Yes, it’s that bad. The tourists are uppity, the locals are self-righteous and uppity and generally it’s pretty miserable (except for the folks at the one bookstore and the gal at the cafe I went to).

It’s also an amazingly confusing town to get around in. Expect to get lost. You will most definitely get lost when visiting Santa Fe. But that’s ok because it’s such a pretty town.

I searched for a WiFi connection and the nice folks at the bookstore gave told me of a cafe that had it. After a short walk, I found it and got a bagel. The gal at the counter was almost offensively nice. But not in a fake way, so it was fine.

After a bit of that, I saw that it was looking like it might rain. Well that puts the damper on things (no pun intended). I was planning on about eight or so miles of dirt roads (and back) to the summit of La Bajada. But with clouds like that, I don’t want to risk it. Not this time.

I hopped on the scooter and rode out of town, getting lost in the process, but finding myself on top of a really great hill that gave me a view of pretty much everything. It would be amazing to live up here, but wow, expensive, I bet.

Finding my way, I followed the directions in the book that I was using (since my directions to the top of La Bajada were now pointless). I traveled six miles down a frontage road that the book claimed was Route 66 (though I sort of doubt it, but who knows). However, there was construction and the road was blocked, so back I went, got on the interstate and exited for the bottom of La Bajada.

From 1926 to 1932, Route 66 traversed La Bajada Hill, dropping 500 feet at at 28% grade using more than a fair share of switchbacks. You can read more about it here.

In 2006, we visited and climbed La Bajada. You can see the pictures here and here.

The interstate behind me, I rode a handful of miles to where old 66 used to be (which is why I find it hard to believe that that frontage road was ever 66). This road was paved. Good, because it really looked like rain.

But up ahead, this road turned an unnatural left. But heading straight was a dirt road that clearly used to be Route 66.

Yes, no day on Route 66 would be complete without a crappy dirt road and the chance of rain.

The road was only about a mile and a half long and in the distance you could see the switchbacks of La Bajada.

While we hiked it two years ago (the pictures I linked to above are pictures from that hike), we did it without knowing that the Native tribe that owns the land wishes for you to get permission before entering it. I didn’t get permission, so out of respect, I simply gazed upon it from afar.

And then I turned around and got out of there because it looked like it was about to rain and though it was only a mile and a half dirt road, I didn’t want to take my chances.

More interstate since Route 66 is on private land at this point…

Finally, the exit for Algodones! Here is where Route 66 supposedly corresponds with a drivable road. And from here I took it south through Bernalillo and into the northern portion of Albuquerque.

The road was stupidly busy and it just didn’t feel like 66. I took one picture – of a convenience store. That’s it.

During the ride, I somehow got in the middle of a fairly small biker gang, The Henchmen. I’m not really sure how they felt about a scooter riding in their pack, but it was accidental thanks to two lanes becoming one. I’m sure they survived.

I needed to buy some more soap as I was getting low. And hark! A healthfood store! I pull in just as it starts to rain. Nice place to be stuck (I’m boycotting rain for a bit). I bought a couple of bottles of water and a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap. I wanted to buy some veggie jerky, but they didn’t have any. They had some free range real beef jerky, but seriously, who cares? If you’re a healthfood store, please stock some sort of vegan jerky. Primal Strips are good. As is Stonewall Jurque (though most folks I know don’t care for it – they just changed their packaging and I personally think it sucks).

Shortly after, I decided that I wanted to stop in at the Vespa dealership. Usually Vespa dealerships kind of suck. Most don’t focus on Vespas and have them mostly as some kind of afterthought.

So when I pulled into the Albuquerque dealer, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they only carried Vespas. I was just going to purchase oil and a filter, but ended up spending the whole afternoon there.

It was great. I hardly ever get the chance to talk to other scooterists. And I even got to meet Gavin, who was on StellaSpeed, an internet message board about large-frame two-stroke Vespa type scooters.

I also met Chris Nick¹, the guy who runs the shop, and Richard, who was picking up his Vespa S that was totaled in a crash – he was stuffing it into his Datsun. Hilarious. Great folks. I even met a guy who just bought a GTS (like I have) and we talked about how happy he was going to be.

This made my day. In fact, I’ve decided to give Albuquerque a bit more of a looksee. I’ll be here till Tuesday. My rear tire is shot again anyway and they’ll throw another one on for me. I just might do the oil change too.

So tomorrow I’ll be heading east to Moriarty and then heading back to Albuquerque. Route 66 went through Moriarty after it bypassed Santa Fe in 1937. Monday, I’ll be doing a little pre-1937 loop that went south of Albuquerque.

Tuesday, I’ll get the tire and then ride out to Gallup where I’ll stay for the night.

Today was quite a great day, even though Route 66 sort of sucks through here.

Here are my very few pics.

Miles today: 126
Miles total: 3183

1. I have no idea why I thought his name was Chris… weird. [↩]