The Wild Side of the Rio

SOUTH VALLEY--Bob Evans and I took a ride on the wild side yesterday. We rode our mountain bikes down the WEST side of the Rio Grande, crossing the river and heading south at Rio Bravo Blvd. We started on the levee and ended up on one of those trails that winds through the cottonwoods down to the river itself.

We found an isolated beach that looked like someone had taken their child down there to play in the sand and water. The background of ducks, geese, and cranes made it seem more exotic than just across the river from those south valley junkyards.

We did run into a lot of loose sand and silt on top of the levee road. It was also everywhere we went in order to escape the stuff. It was extremely difficult to ride in. In fact, I planted myself in the soft powder at one point. I didn't get hurt, but looking back at the hand prints I left in the dry silt I was pretty embarrassed...and a little too flustered to get a picture of it.

We did see this beautiful bird. Is it a red-tailed hawk? I don't know. There are sure lots of hawks and eagles along the river these days. And more easily accessible places from which to view them...even on a bike.