(Continued from the previous page.)

NORTH GATE TO BAPTIST ROAD & BACK

The trail closely parallels 1-25 through the northern part of the USAF Academy but the views to the west are interesting enough to distract me when I'm riding.

Within about a mile trail users come to the gate that marks the northern boundary of the Academy property:

 

There is another warning sign at the gate advising trail users to stay on the trail while passing through the six miles of USAF property, to have personal identification in case they are stopped, and to obey any closures.

All or part of the trail through the Academy can be closed for various reasons; I'm guessing one of them would be when the Blue Angels are practicing for cadet graduation. Last May we even had to evacuate the campground during practice.

Right after this gate the trail turns left and goes down a long hill toward the railroad tracks and away from I-25:

This hill is great fun to ride; you just have to realize there's another 90-degree turn at the bottom!

The trail undulates along the railroad track, farms, and some homes and businesses for another mile to the Baptist Road trailhead, crossing a couple rural roads with little traffic:

Both times I went out this way I turned around at the Baptist Road trailhead. In July I plan to continue on up to Monument and Palmer Lake.

Here are a few pictures I took on the way back to the North Gate trailhead:

That looooong downhill is UPhill on the way back, but it's a fairly easy grade (photo above).

At the top of the hill it looks like you're going to run into the freeway but the trail turns right and through the Academy boundary gate:

The trail has some more fun hills on its way back to the North Gate trailhead:

There is a long bridge over North Gate Blvd. (below).

A trail spur goes down to the parking area on the north side of the bridge or trail users can go down the other side of the bridge directly to the road.

When I was riding alone yesterday, I continued across the bridge and exited six miles farther south at the Ice Lake trailhead.

In a little bit, I'll show you some more photos from that section. But first, here is . . .

. . . A PLEASANT ALTERNATE ROUTE

Sometimes a mistake turns into a serendipitous find.

As soon as I got up on the New Santa Fe Trail yesterday from the North Gate trailhead I got on the wrong course. There's another, wider dirt and paved road that parallels the bike path and I took it northbound instead of the New Santa Fe Trail (in my defense, the signage right here isn't real clear).

 

This road was a nice route, however, and I'm glad I took it.

 

 

I realized my mistake about a mile later and got on the correct path where I saw this bench:

 The bike path is to the right, the dirt road to the left.

Today when Jim was riding with me we went north on the bike path and returned from this point on that little road so I could show it to him. It apparently goes just a little farther to a little landing strip in the NE corner of the USAFA property.

Although it doesn't go very far, the road is an alternate route that gives us more riding options. I didn't see any signs prohibiting entry to it. Better yet, I didn't see anyone else on it either day!

NORTH GATE TRAILHEAD TO ICE LAKE TRAILHEAD

Many of the photos on the first page of this entry are from the five miles of trail that wind through the Air Force Academy from the North Gate trailhead to the Ice Lake trailhead. Here are a few more:

Cliffs above Monument Creek

Ditto

Scenic view toward Pike's Peak when you're southbound on the trail

Long vehicle bridge on South Gate Blvd.; the trail goes under it.

The trail continues for approximately another mile through the valley and near the creek until it reaches the Ice Lake trailhead. The southern boundary of the Academy is another quarter mile past this.

The greenway keeps going through Colorado Springs but I exited at Ice Lake yesterday and rode another four miles back to the campground on dirt and paved roads -- mostly uphill. It's a net downhill ride, run, or walk from Palmer Lake to Colorado Springs.

In July I plan to explore the trail and greenway farther south.

NATURE'S TIRE SPIKES

After the second ride my rear tire was flat again -- another #$%&@* thorn.

Someone told us that tough "goathead" thorns AKA "puncture vines" are the bane of road and off-road cyclists in Texas and the Southwest. I looked it up, and sure enough, cyclists hate these things. One referred to them as "nature's tire spikes."

Once I saw a picture of the thorns, I know I've gotten them in my running shoes and bike tires:

However, there is no "head" to the thorns that have been causing my flats. At least the heads aren't there when Jim changes the tires, only straight, thin thorns that are hard to locate in the tread and remove. And the only way he can usually find the hold in the tube is to immerse the tube in water and see where the bubbles come out.

This is getting old; it's about the third time Jim's had to change the same tire and hunt for thorns.

Why don't I change my own tires, you ask? My arthritic hands aren't strong enough. Even Jim has trouble sometimes.

Gotta get sturdier tires so I can ride confidently alone and not have to worry about getting stranded far from home . . . Armadillos work well on my road bike; I'll have to research what's available with Kevlar fro the TriCross.

SOME LINKS TO THE NEW SANTA FE TRAIL

Everytrail description of trail + photos:  http://www.everytrail.com/guide/new-santa-fe-regional-trail

Trail Link description and comments:   http://www.traillink.com/trail/new-santa-fe-regional-trail.aspx

El Paso County, CO website:   http://adm.elpasoco.com/Parks/Pages/default.aspx

County maps (parks, trails):  http://adm.elpasoco.com/Parks/Documents/parks_map.pdf

and http://adm.elpasoco.com/Parks/Documents/SFRT_brochure.pdf 

New bridge over Monument Creek

When we're back in Colorado Springs in July I plan to ride more of this trail and the greenway up (literally) to Palmer Lake and down into Colorado Springs. Stay tuned for more photos.

Next entry: keeping busy in Colorado Springs is easy to do

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, and Cody the Ultra Lab

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© 2011 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil