December 20, 2023 • 15 mins
Discover the perfect blend of nature, adventure, and relaxation in Santa Fe, New Mexico with sustainable glamping with KitFox, mountain biking through the Santa Fe National Forest, and a Japanese-style spa in the woods at Ten Thousand Waves. Glamping is of the top trends in travel right now and just south of Santa Fe, you’ll find a glamping oasis at KitFox with posh tents and a dining in the wild experience that’s truly gourmet. Oh, and there’s cornhole! Entrepreneur Jennifer Kolker introduces travel expert Darley Newman to luxurious camping in New Mexico. Modeled after traditional Japanese onsen, natural hot springs bathing houses, Darley shows you where to relax at Ten Thousand Waves, which offers Japanese Shiatsu massages, hot tubs for soaking and an onsite restaurant with healthy Japanese cuisine and one of the largest artisanal sake menus in the United States. Finally, you don't need mountain biking skills to take on the trails in the Santa Fe National Forest with Four Seasons Biking Guide Mikey Fong, who takes Darley cycling down the Winsor Trail.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Where can you go glamping at a cool, tulum style sustainable sight
(00:04):
that feels a world away from it all, even though it's just a stone's throw from a city?
Or soak in a traditional Japanese onsen, a natural hot springs bathing house,
listening to the soothing sounds of water flowing and bird singing,
followed by a Shiatsu massage and an exquisitely fresh dinner,
with your choice of some of the best artisanal micro-brew cold sake in the USA,
(00:28):
or take on the Santa Fe National Forest in Mountain Biking,
on trails accessible to beginners.
It's all around Santa Fe in Mexico, and in this episode, we're going remote,
traveling to Santa Fe to glamp at women-owned KitFox,
complete with gourmet meals and Galisteo Basin views.
Visit an Asian-inspired spa, Ten Thousand Waves,
(00:50):
located alongside a national forest,
and mountain biking in the Santa Fe National Forest,
with a guide who may inspire you to try it too.
I'm Darley Newman, and I'm taking you on an unusual wellness escape
to one of my favorite places, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Glamping is one of the top trends in travel right now,
(01:16):
and about 20 minutes south of Santa Fe, you'll find a glamping oasis at KitFox,
located in the rugged Galisteo Basin,
where amid Pinyon Juniper desertscapes, guests can glamp in posh tents,
and savor a dining in the wild experience that's truly gourmet.
Oh, and there's Cornhole.
This is a really far Cornhole.
(01:37):
Yeah, I know it is. I think it's regulation distance.
That's me and Jenn Kolker, the owner of KitFox.
You know you're off to a good start with an interview
when you get to do it playing Cornhole.
I'm wearing my cowboy boots jeans and a southwestern print pastel button down
with a denim baseball cap,
(01:58):
throwing bags with Jenn, who has on a flat brimmed cowboy hat,
and cream-colored denim jumpsuit.
She could be in Santa Fe or Brooklyn.
She's showing me around the 11-tent campsite,
where the cool kids come to do yoga and stargaze
under New Mexico's big skies.
So Jenn, what inspired you to start KitFox?
You know, I was born and raised in New Mexico.
(02:21):
Personally, I really needed a place to disconnect from daily life
and reconnect with myself and nature.
And KitFox is really the perfect place to do that.
What are some of the elements that make it sustainable?
We're completely off-grid.
All of our power comes from solar power,
from the lights that illuminate at night
to rechargeables in the tents,
to our bathroom.
(02:41):
Everything is provided from the power of the sun,
which is awesome.
We pass a sign that warns of rattlesnakes,
coyotes, lightning strikes, and high winds.
And ends with "Walk with Awareness".
I stare down at the small rock footing,
lining the trails to the tents,
and start to scan back and forth
to look for what stood out to me
(03:02):
as the most dangerous on that sign...
Rattlesnakes.
After all, we are camping in the wilds.
Though sometimes it doesn't feel like that,
because KitFox has hot showers and flush toilets,
which are shared among guests.
And other amenities you might want if you're glamping.
We come to a large canvas tent,
large enough to walk into standing up.
(03:24):
The floor is lined with a thick woven jute rug,
and I look up to see a queen-sized bed
accented with southwestern pattern pillows.
A wooden bench at the end of the bed
is lined with a fluffy sheepskin throw,
and I notice phone chargers and an electric fan.
I love how you decorated this.
I mean, it's very like,
southwest clean white.
(03:45):
Cool.
And there's a gecko.
Hello.
The gecko came on cue.
I love it.
I love it.
Welcome to your tent, Darley.
It's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
I used to backpack a lot when I was in college,
and there's so much preparation is required for that.
And when you get busy in life,
sometimes you just don't have that option,
but I feel like you still need what nature provides you.
(04:06):
So I really wanted to create a place
where you could just pack an overnight bag,
show up here,
like as if you were checking in to a hotel
in terms of what you bring with you,
we have everything else that you need.
And I think that's one of the things
that's most special about this place is you really have
360-degree views.
You can see from horizon to horizon.
This is July in New Mexico.
But I love seeing right now the storm rolling in.
(04:29):
I love that about New Mexico because it's so dramatic.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think it's nice because you kind of have the safe space.
You can see so far.
It feels like it's close,
but a lot of times it's far enough in the distance
where you just get to get a nice sky show.
Yeah, nature show.
Yeah, that's beautiful.
The cinema.
Yeah, exactly.
Jenn invites me to partake in a craft cocktail
(04:49):
and to check out the common areas,
including a lounge with games
and books for reading while dinner is being grilled.
The outdoor kitchen is impressive.
Chefs are grilling up a number of whole fish,
stuffed with lemon and herbs,
and grilled over hot coals.
Whole fresh carrots and broccolini are sauteed
on a large griddle.
(05:10):
Yesterday was amazing around like dinner time,
The sky was just like orange and pink and purple,
and every direction looked different with its gorgeous.
So every day it's different, which is really cool too.
And even just when you're out here throughout the day
sometimes from sun rise to sunset,
the variety is amazing.
So it's really cool.
And then dark skies too.
So New Mexico has a night sky protection act.
(05:32):
And so even in town in Santa Fe,
it's a lot darker than you'd expect in other cities.
But out here where there's minimal light pollution,
it's even more incredible on a night that's clear
and has no moon.
I mean, you can see the Milky Way.
It's really awesome.
It's amazing. That's the best.
I feel like there's not as many places where you can see that anymore.
Oh, for sure.
So yeah.
The best kind of camping.
Absolutely.
(05:52):
It's glamping.
Another location to enjoy Santa Fe scenery
is another that I didn't expect to find here.
Kaz, I feel like I'm in Japan right now.
Oh, welcome.
Ten Thousand Waves is a Japanese style spa
just outside of the city and close to the Santa Fe National Forest.
(06:14):
Modelled after a traditional Japanese onsen,
natural hot springs bathing houses.
Ten Thousand Waves offers Japanese Shiatsu massages,
hot tubs for soaking,
and even rooms for guests to stay the night.
You know, we try to be like a Japan unique,
but mixed with Santa Fe.
And every year, we take people to Japan as a tour.
(06:37):
At the same time, we try to bring something back from Japan.
For example, this wall, like a torched wood,
it's like a Minka style,
and they use this kind of wood on the wall or houses.
Kaz Tani is showing me around.
He grew up in Japan and has worked at Ten Thousand Waves for many years.
He's wearing a peacock blue kimono robe
(06:59):
and I'm in a vibrant red and flower-covered kimono robe.
It drags on the floor a bit,
and I hold it up as my feet shuffle along in slide-on shoes
along the stone and cement paths,
lined with Japanese lanterns and landscapes.
Waterfalls cascade into Koi ponds,
lined with rocks,
nestled amid high desert plants and greenery.
(07:20):
So it's just like a Japanese old saying,
even though we use our own well to heat it up,
it's a good minerals water.
Kazutani wade into a six by six-foot soaking bath,
lined with tiles.
The water is warm at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
It almost feels like silk on my skin,
(07:41):
and I scan around at the wooden white walls of our private soaking area
and up at the Pinyon and Juniper branches and blue skies.
Kaz, what is it about Santa Fe that makes a Japanese style like this fit in so well?
You know, Santa Fe is very unique.
I only hear from 2002, but I noticed it's healing,
(08:05):
and what we can present from here is the massage,
water is naturally going into this culture here.
The wellness culture.
Yeah, the culture.
We soak until my muscles or nimble,
and my fingers are wrinkled.
Next, Kaz takes me over to Izanami.
(08:26):
The onsite restaurant, which offers healthy small plates of Japanese treats,
like black sesame noodles,
wagyu beef and grilled miso sea bass,
grilled avocado,
and one of the largest artisanal sake menus
in the United States.
Kaz begins to pour me a very full glass. Oh, to, to, to, to, to.
That is a healthy pour there, Kaz.
(08:51):
Wow.
Lots of abundance.
You know how to welcome people to Santa Fe.
Now, I want you to kiss the sake to invite yourself.
Ready?
Ooh, fantastic.
Very good.
Yeah, just a little sweet.
(09:12):
It is the special yeast,
and it's from Nagano.
It means we turn to the mountain,
and it's unpasteurized sake. It's very unique.
Very good.
Now, this is a lot of sake you have here.
Yes, we do it seriously.
Serious sake tasting.
Yes.
Serious sake and spa time in Santa Fe.
(09:32):
To cap off our unique wellness vacation,
I'm traveling to the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado,
A luxury resort just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe,
amid the Sangre de Cristo foothills,
and up against the Santa Fe National Forest.
For lovers of nature, this is a top resort to experience,
(09:53):
and one I've actually visited a few times,
with more than a few celebrity sightings.
The private casita accommodations,
some complete with wood burning fireplaces,
private patios,
and all with stunning views,
are complemented by epicurean meals,
a world-class spa,
and guided activities for those who wish to get active.
(10:15):
I bike a lot in my home area of New York City,
but usually for commuting purposes.
While I wouldn't call myself an avid cyclist,
I've ridden bikes since I was a child growing up at the beach in South Carolina.
Now riding a beach cruiser along the relatively flat shore
is a bit different than pounding down a mountain
(10:35):
in the Santa Fe National Forest,
but that's exactly what I've signed up to do
on this wellness vacation in Santa Fe.
We travel in a van to a high point in the foothills,
where travelers have their pick of extreme
and more serene cycling trails.
Four-season biking guides,
Mickey Fong and Ismar Uzicannan,
are taking me on a guided mountain biking excursion
(10:58):
through various elevation changes.
The beauty of this ride is that it really does get you
the feeling of being in the wild,
and we're going to be dropping about 3,000 feet,
so you actually feel and see the different changes of the environment
from Alpine to Mid-Alpine,
and then out to the high desert floor.
All right, well let's head down the mountain
(11:19):
and go through that diversity.
All right, let's go.
What's unique about the Santa Fe National Forest is that
this is all open space,
so people camp back here,
lots of wildlife back here.
Santa Fe is a mountain bike destination.
(11:40):
We are one of IMBA's ride centers,
International Mountain Biking Association.
We have a lot of premier trails,
like La Tierra trails,
Dale Ball Trails,
and numerous mountain trails.
We pass a favorite multi-use trail,
the Windsor Trail.
It's also accessible by shuttle bus from downtown Santa Fe,
(12:02):
for those who don't want to worry about retrieving a car
if you're not doing this guided adventure.
So here we're coming up to a rocky section,
a lot of bedrock.
Okay.
So just have some speed,
let the bike wheels roll right over.
Okay.
Wow.
This is mountain biking.
Now I feel it.
(12:26):
I'm just going to stop right here.
Okay.
So here you see in the distance the mountain range,
that's the Jemez Mountains.
And that is actually a super volcano.
There is a large caldera,
and there is a national preserve called the Valles Caldera.
And if you see this rocky outcropping there in the distance,
(12:48):
that's where the ride will come out of the canyon.
Because right now we are at 9,000 feet,
where we started was about 10,000 feet,
so we've dropped quite a bit of vertical feet.
I like this trail because it's a mix of
maybe easier riding with
a little bit of a challenge along the way.
Those rocks can challenge you.
And you know,
(13:09):
myself as a mountain bike guide,
I will help people through difficult sections.
I'll give them a heads up.
But um,
and how I'm able to do that is because I learned through
my women's cycling club.
And what's unique about that is we have women instructors
and instead of relying on the boyfriend,
husband to teach us how to ride,
(13:30):
we have women instructors.
So it's great.
It's very empowering.
And I'm able to relay that to my guests
when we're coming up to a difficult section.
I show them how to ride it.
And when they ride those sections,
they are like,
exhilarated because they conquer something
that was difficult and that they didn't think they could do.
(13:51):
And this is mountain biking, definitely.
This is mountain biking.
For sure.
For the mountains.
For sure.
We ride further down the mountain
through a passing rainstorm,
by wildflowers and pueblo lands,
And we come up to the final point of our ride.
Woo!
Wow.
This is a view.
(14:13):
So we've exited out of the Santa Fe National Forest
into this Grand Vista.
So we see the Jemez Mountains and the foreground there.
Santa Fe or downtown Santa Fe is to our far left.
But now we're back into the Pinyon Juniper Forest.
And we are now at 7600 feet
(14:33):
where we started up at, you know, 10,000.
So we dropped quite a bit.
I can't believe how fast we came down the mountain.
It's pretty amazing.
Well, thank you.
Every time I mountain bike now,
I'll have these little tips in mind.
Good confidence builder.
Excellent.
You rocked it.
Yeah.
You're, all right.
Awesome.
Yeah.
Woo!
Yeah.
(14:53):
Just the confidence I need to try this again
on another trip to Santa Fe.
Or perhaps further afield,
where whether you're glamping, mountain biking,
or soaking in a hot tub, stepping outside of your comfort zone
to try something new can be rejuvenating.
I'm Darley Newman and I appreciate you joining me
(15:14):
on another adventure through this podcast.
Please check out my other podcasts on Santa Fe,
to experience arts, food, culture, and adventure
with locals as your guides.
And subscribe to the Travels with Darley Podcast
wherever you're listening.
Where can you go glamping at a cool, tulum style sustainable sight
(00:04):
that feels a world away from it all, even though it's just a stone's throw from a city?
Or soak in a traditional Japanese onsen, a natural hot springs bathing house,
listening to the soothing sounds of water flowing and bird singing,
followed by a Shiatsu massage and an exquisitely fresh dinner,
with your choice of some of the best artisanal micro-brew cold sake in the USA,
(00:28):
or take on the Santa Fe National Forest in Mountain Biking,
on trails accessible to beginners.
It's all around Santa Fe in Mexico, and in this episode, we're going remote,
traveling to Santa Fe to glamp at women-owned KitFox,
complete with gourmet meals and Galisteo Basin views.
Visit an Asian-inspired spa, Ten Thousand Waves,
(00:50):
located alongside a national forest,
and mountain biking in the Santa Fe National Forest,
with a guide who may inspire you to try it too.
I'm Darley Newman, and I'm taking you on an unusual wellness escape
to one of my favorite places, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Glamping is one of the top trends in travel right now,
(01:16):
and about 20 minutes south of Santa Fe, you'll find a glamping oasis at KitFox,
located in the rugged Galisteo Basin,
where amid Pinyon Juniper desertscapes, guests can glamp in posh tents,
and savor a dining in the wild experience that's truly gourmet.
Oh, and there's Cornhole.
This is a really far Cornhole.
(01:37):
Yeah, I know it is. I think it's regulation distance.
That's me and Jenn Kolker, the owner of KitFox.
You know you're off to a good start with an interview
when you get to do it playing Cornhole.
I'm wearing my cowboy boots jeans and a southwestern print pastel button down
with a denim baseball cap,
(01:58):
throwing bags with Jenn, who has on a flat brimmed cowboy hat,
and cream-colored denim jumpsuit.
She could be in Santa Fe or Brooklyn.
She's showing me around the 11-tent campsite,
where the cool kids come to do yoga and stargaze
under New Mexico's big skies.
So Jenn, what inspired you to start KitFox?
You know, I was born and raised in New Mexico.
(02:21):
Personally, I really needed a place to disconnect from daily life
and reconnect with myself and nature.
And KitFox is really the perfect place to do that.
What are some of the elements that make it sustainable?
We're completely off-grid.
All of our power comes from solar power,
from the lights that illuminate at night
to rechargeables in the tents,
to our bathroom.
(02:41):
Everything is provided from the power of the sun,
which is awesome.
We pass a sign that warns of rattlesnakes,
coyotes, lightning strikes, and high winds.
And ends with "Walk with Awareness".
I stare down at the small rock footing,
lining the trails to the tents,
and start to scan back and forth
to look for what stood out to me
(03:02):
as the most dangerous on that sign...
Rattlesnakes.
After all, we are camping in the wilds.
Though sometimes it doesn't feel like that,
because KitFox has hot showers and flush toilets,
which are shared among guests.
And other amenities you might want if you're glamping.
We come to a large canvas tent,
large enough to walk into standing up.
(03:24):
The floor is lined with a thick woven jute rug,
and I look up to see a queen-sized bed
accented with southwestern pattern pillows.
A wooden bench at the end of the bed
is lined with a fluffy sheepskin throw,
and I notice phone chargers and an electric fan.
I love how you decorated this.
I mean, it's very like,
southwest clean white.
(03:45):
Cool.
And there's a gecko.
Hello.
The gecko came on cue.
I love it.
I love it.
Welcome to your tent, Darley.
It's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
I used to backpack a lot when I was in college,
and there's so much preparation is required for that.
And when you get busy in life,
sometimes you just don't have that option,
but I feel like you still need what nature provides you.
(04:06):
So I really wanted to create a place
where you could just pack an overnight bag,
show up here,
like as if you were checking in to a hotel
in terms of what you bring with you,
we have everything else that you need.
And I think that's one of the things
that's most special about this place is you really have
360-degree views.
You can see from horizon to horizon.
This is July in New Mexico.
But I love seeing right now the storm rolling in.
(04:29):
I love that about New Mexico because it's so dramatic.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think it's nice because you kind of have the safe space.
You can see so far.
It feels like it's close,
but a lot of times it's far enough in the distance
where you just get to get a nice sky show.
Yeah, nature show.
Yeah, that's beautiful.
The cinema.
Yeah, exactly.
Jenn invites me to partake in a craft cocktail
(04:49):
and to check out the common areas,
including a lounge with games
and books for reading while dinner is being grilled.
The outdoor kitchen is impressive.
Chefs are grilling up a number of whole fish,
stuffed with lemon and herbs,
and grilled over hot coals.
Whole fresh carrots and broccolini are sauteed
on a large griddle.
(05:10):
Yesterday was amazing around like dinner time,
The sky was just like orange and pink and purple,
and every direction looked different with its gorgeous.
So every day it's different, which is really cool too.
And even just when you're out here throughout the day
sometimes from sun rise to sunset,
the variety is amazing.
So it's really cool.
And then dark skies too.
So New Mexico has a night sky protection act.
(05:32):
And so even in town in Santa Fe,
it's a lot darker than you'd expect in other cities.
But out here where there's minimal light pollution,
it's even more incredible on a night that's clear
and has no moon.
I mean, you can see the Milky Way.
It's really awesome.
It's amazing. That's the best.
I feel like there's not as many places where you can see that anymore.
Oh, for sure.
So yeah.
The best kind of camping.
Absolutely.
(05:52):
It's glamping.
Another location to enjoy Santa Fe scenery
is another that I didn't expect to find here.
Kaz, I feel like I'm in Japan right now.
Oh, welcome.
Ten Thousand Waves is a Japanese style spa
just outside of the city and close to the Santa Fe National Forest.
(06:14):
Modelled after a traditional Japanese onsen,
natural hot springs bathing houses.
Ten Thousand Waves offers Japanese Shiatsu massages,
hot tubs for soaking,
and even rooms for guests to stay the night.
You know, we try to be like a Japan unique,
but mixed with Santa Fe.
And every year, we take people to Japan as a tour.
(06:37):
At the same time, we try to bring something back from Japan.
For example, this wall, like a torched wood,
it's like a Minka style,
and they use this kind of wood on the wall or houses.
Kaz Tani is showing me around.
He grew up in Japan and has worked at Ten Thousand Waves for many years.
He's wearing a peacock blue kimono robe
(06:59):
and I'm in a vibrant red and flower-covered kimono robe.
It drags on the floor a bit,
and I hold it up as my feet shuffle along in slide-on shoes
along the stone and cement paths,
lined with Japanese lanterns and landscapes.
Waterfalls cascade into Koi ponds,
lined with rocks,
nestled amid high desert plants and greenery.
(07:20):
So it's just like a Japanese old saying,
even though we use our own well to heat it up,
it's a good minerals water.
Kazutani wade into a six by six-foot soaking bath,
lined with tiles.
The water is warm at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
It almost feels like silk on my skin,
(07:41):
and I scan around at the wooden white walls of our private soaking area
and up at the Pinyon and Juniper branches and blue skies.
Kaz, what is it about Santa Fe that makes a Japanese style like this fit in so well?
You know, Santa Fe is very unique.
I only hear from 2002, but I noticed it's healing,
(08:05):
and what we can present from here is the massage,
water is naturally going into this culture here.
The wellness culture.
Yeah, the culture.
We soak until my muscles or nimble,
and my fingers are wrinkled.
Next, Kaz takes me over to Izanami.
(08:26):
The onsite restaurant, which offers healthy small plates of Japanese treats,
like black sesame noodles,
wagyu beef and grilled miso sea bass,
grilled avocado,
and one of the largest artisanal sake menus
in the United States.
Kaz begins to pour me a very full glass. Oh, to, to, to, to, to.
That is a healthy pour there, Kaz.
(08:51):
Wow.
Lots of abundance.
You know how to welcome people to Santa Fe.
Now, I want you to kiss the sake to invite yourself.
Ready?
Ooh, fantastic.
Very good.
Yeah, just a little sweet.
(09:12):
It is the special yeast,
and it's from Nagano.
It means we turn to the mountain,
and it's unpasteurized sake. It's very unique.
Very good.
Now, this is a lot of sake you have here.
Yes, we do it seriously.
Serious sake tasting.
Yes.
Serious sake and spa time in Santa Fe.
(09:32):
To cap off our unique wellness vacation,
I'm traveling to the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado,
A luxury resort just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe,
amid the Sangre de Cristo foothills,
and up against the Santa Fe National Forest.
For lovers of nature, this is a top resort to experience,
(09:53):
and one I've actually visited a few times,
with more than a few celebrity sightings.
The private casita accommodations,
some complete with wood burning fireplaces,
private patios,
and all with stunning views,
are complemented by epicurean meals,
a world-class spa,
and guided activities for those who wish to get active.
(10:15):
I bike a lot in my home area of New York City,
but usually for commuting purposes.
While I wouldn't call myself an avid cyclist,
I've ridden bikes since I was a child growing up at the beach in South Carolina.
Now riding a beach cruiser along the relatively flat shore
is a bit different than pounding down a mountain
(10:35):
in the Santa Fe National Forest,
but that's exactly what I've signed up to do
on this wellness vacation in Santa Fe.
We travel in a van to a high point in the foothills,
where travelers have their pick of extreme
and more serene cycling trails.
Four-season biking guides,
Mickey Fong and Ismar Uzicannan,
are taking me on a guided mountain biking excursion
(10:58):
through various elevation changes.
The beauty of this ride is that it really does get you
the feeling of being in the wild,
and we're going to be dropping about 3,000 feet,
so you actually feel and see the different changes of the environment
from Alpine to Mid-Alpine,
and then out to the high desert floor.
All right, well let's head down the mountain
(11:19):
and go through that diversity.
All right, let's go.
What's unique about the Santa Fe National Forest is that
this is all open space,
so people camp back here,
lots of wildlife back here.
Santa Fe is a mountain bike destination.
(11:40):
We are one of IMBA's ride centers,
International Mountain Biking Association.
We have a lot of premier trails,
like La Tierra trails,
Dale Ball Trails,
and numerous mountain trails.
We pass a favorite multi-use trail,
the Windsor Trail.
It's also accessible by shuttle bus from downtown Santa Fe,
(12:02):
for those who don't want to worry about retrieving a car
if you're not doing this guided adventure.
So here we're coming up to a rocky section,
a lot of bedrock.
Okay.
So just have some speed,
let the bike wheels roll right over.
Okay.
Wow.
This is mountain biking.
Now I feel it.
(12:26):
I'm just going to stop right here.
Okay.
So here you see in the distance the mountain range,
that's the Jemez Mountains.
And that is actually a super volcano.
There is a large caldera,
and there is a national preserve called the Valles Caldera.
And if you see this rocky outcropping there in the distance,
(12:48):
that's where the ride will come out of the canyon.
Because right now we are at 9,000 feet,
where we started was about 10,000 feet,
so we've dropped quite a bit of vertical feet.
I like this trail because it's a mix of
maybe easier riding with
a little bit of a challenge along the way.
Those rocks can challenge you.
And you know,
(13:09):
myself as a mountain bike guide,
I will help people through difficult sections.
I'll give them a heads up.
But um,
and how I'm able to do that is because I learned through
my women's cycling club.
And what's unique about that is we have women instructors
and instead of relying on the boyfriend,
husband to teach us how to ride,
(13:30):
we have women instructors.
So it's great.
It's very empowering.
And I'm able to relay that to my guests
when we're coming up to a difficult section.
I show them how to ride it.
And when they ride those sections,
they are like,
exhilarated because they conquer something
that was difficult and that they didn't think they could do.
(13:51):
And this is mountain biking, definitely.
This is mountain biking.
For sure.
For the mountains.
For sure.
We ride further down the mountain
through a passing rainstorm,
by wildflowers and pueblo lands,
And we come up to the final point of our ride.
Woo!
Wow.
This is a view.
(14:13):
So we've exited out of the Santa Fe National Forest
into this Grand Vista.
So we see the Jemez Mountains and the foreground there.
Santa Fe or downtown Santa Fe is to our far left.
But now we're back into the Pinyon Juniper Forest.
And we are now at 7600 feet
(14:33):
where we started up at, you know, 10,000.
So we dropped quite a bit.
I can't believe how fast we came down the mountain.
It's pretty amazing.
Well, thank you.
Every time I mountain bike now,
I'll have these little tips in mind.
Good confidence builder.
Excellent.
You rocked it.
Yeah.
You're, all right.
Awesome.
Yeah.
Woo!
Yeah.
(14:53):
Just the confidence I need to try this again
on another trip to Santa Fe.
Or perhaps further afield,
where whether you're glamping, mountain biking,
or soaking in a hot tub, stepping outside of your comfort zone
to try something new can be rejuvenating.
I'm Darley Newman and I appreciate you joining me
(15:14):
on another adventure through this podcast.
Please check out my other podcasts on Santa Fe,
to experience arts, food, culture, and adventure
with locals as your guides.
And subscribe to the Travels with Darley Podcast
wherever you're listening.
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