Mountain Rides Day 31-34

Day 34 North Pine Flat
An unmarked trail takes off from the North area of the Pine Flat picnic area.

The start is near picnic table number 29

It intersects with the Gambel Spur Trail and ends up at Pokerchip (again)

Barbed wire and birdhouse

The days are growing shorter, and cooler

Evening light suffuses the scene

Day 33 Gambel Spur Trail

Gambel Spur Trail From Edelweiss Road

Glimpse of Manzano Mountains

 This ride started at the Gambel Spur trailhead, but instead of proceeding up the spur trail, I went clockwise up the road to the Heatherland Hills Fuel Break Area (before the brick entry gate for Heatherland Hills.) I wonder how much taxpayer money went into building that fuel break around the private land?  If you make your way up the hillside, an indistinct trail becomes apparent; it gets more defined as you travel to the East. Then it connects with Pokerchip, then Forest road 242, then clockwise on to Mahogany, connecting again to Pokerchip, then to Gambel Oak, then finally a nice descent on the Gambel Spur trail. This is an excellent late afternoon ride that I used to do all the time, since before the fuel break existed in 2002 and before Gambel was rerouted into Pokerchip trail. This is among my favorite areas to ride, because it is all above 7000 feet and into Ponderosa pine terrain.

Day 32 Birdhouse Ridge to Tunnel Canyon
Most people, I'm sure, prefer to descend on Birdhouse. I prefer to go up. It is a well engineered trail, one that is recently built, and offers nice views to the West as you go up. 

Nice gradual climb onto the ridge

The view from the top with Sandias

Day 31 Chamisoso to Tunnel Canyon Connector
A short but sweet end of the day ride:

This trail is one of the closest to Tijeras starting at Chamisoso

Inviting meadow, with evidence of Piñon die-off in background