Fall Color...in the desert?!

I could tell you about my great weekend hanging out with my favorite sister in Chicago: a fun weekend living the city life, reconnecting with an old friend, seeing relatives, and having those moments that only sisters know.

I may not be the city girl that Liz is, but I'll always love Chicago.

Riding the El, watching the tall slender, suit-and-tie-clad business man with a briefcase sit down next to the elderly hispanic abuela rambling in her native tongue to her daughter with a boisterous toddler who's not afraid to talk to the young guy with dreads and the latest high-top nikes, standing next to two women speaking Russian; climbing those steps at the Art Institute, with its imposing columns and ominous lions; navigating all the traffic, city buses, taxis and bike commuters who seem to be increasing in numbers; checking out my sister's new favorite place to eat, like the Senegalese place on the south side where we ate (ironically) lamb and fried plantains, and drank Baobab.

But I also love riding my bike. Outside in nature.

If I did live in the city, I'd probably dare to navigate the city streets on a bike too, but I'll take dirt and quiet trails beneath the twinkling golden aspens most days.

Last Saturday we rode in the annual Chuska Challenge, a fundraiser for Navajo Y.E.S. Last year, we had cold cold rain, and more rain, that made the muckiest gumbo mud ever which is impossible to bike in and even more miserable to push a bike that's coated in the stuff and consequently weighs 100 pounds, especially when you're near hypothermic.

So we were a little reluctant to give it a try this year.

But the weather forecast called for perfect biking temps and sunny skies, not to mention the quiet Chuska mountains are just stunning this time of year. So we set out to the new base location at Red Valley/Cove High School, arriving just in time to start riding with the crowd. Little did I realize that the ride itself would entail such an uphill grind! It was a beautiful day filled with lots and lots climbing, and then just when you thought you must be at the top of the mountain, it took us up more and steeper hills. We did about 35 miles in total, on a completely new route that is begging to be explored further. We saw some of the prettiest quiet mountain meadows, and some stunning views. What a gem these Chuska mountains are, this unknown mountain range in the middle of Navajo Nation. There's also a reason they call it a "Challenge"! (If I had not been trying so hard to keep my pedals turning, I probably would have gotten more photos throughout the route. I'll just have to settle on the ones I did snap at one overlook.)

Come explore with us!

From Chuska Challenge 09