Tour de Acoma: Ride takes cyclists through picturesque valley

ACOMA PUEBLO — Looking north from the Acoma Pueblo cultural center, rugged Kuumi Hill — or Deadman’s Rock — climbs about 400 feet over the course of 1.5 miles, with several hairpin twists and turns thrown in to make it interesting.

It’s the chief geological feature, not to mention the main primary obstacle along the picturesque Tour de Acoma route, which slides through this rural valley about 50 miles west of Albuquerque.

The bicycle race/ride Sunday is in its 24th running and attracts cyclists of all natures, said Maureen Chavez, race director.

“There is a competitive component to it. So we do offer first, second and third prizes to the 100-mile, the 50-mile and the 25-mile male and female,” Chavez said, adding the top-three finishers receive unique, handmade Acoma pottery pieces as trophies.

But there are plenty of others who see it as a chance to see a hidden portion of New Mexico, Chavez said.

“What this did was it provided bicyclists with an opportunity to ride through this valley, which is usually very restricted, and it offered our bicyclists an opportunity to see the space up close and personal,” she said. “And a lot of people have enjoyed the ride through this area and actually through the rest of Acoma. It’s a time for us to open up the reservation a little bit more so that other people can enjoy it and can see the wide open spaces, and enjoy the time just being in nature.”

Tandem cyclists Linda and Michael Stogner, who live in nearby Cubero, fall into the latter category.

“That’s what is really cool about the ride is it is scenic, reflective,” Linda Stogner said. “The area is beautiful and we like an organized ride. We like to have folks that are controlling the intersections from a safety point of view and to see the support of the community.”

The ride is using a different route this year, starting and ending at the cultural center and the Pueblo’s Haak’u Museum rather than the Sky City Casino, Chavez said.

“We just found out about that. It is a nasty little hill,” Linda Stogner said. “Climbing on a tandem is very challenging. We’ve been out doing some planning because it’s a significant difference for us. And then we come back down that hill. For us, that’s E=MC². The bigger you are, the faster you go. We have to have that bike in complete control all the way down.”

The early hill climb definitely adds a new trial to the event, Chavez said.

“I think it’s a 7- or 8-percent grade. So it’s pretty good. It’s pretty steep,” she said. “And then they’ll ride out into the modern portion of Acoma. So they’ll ride through the villages of McCartys and Acomita and they’ll come back and end here at the cultural center.”

The event had grown to as many as 600 riders before COVID, and has been climbing back since, with about 350 cyclists entering last year, Chavez said, with entry fees going to support the museum. The goal is to keep the steady growth going, with plans to add a youth element to it in the near future.

The ride will pass a rustic, stone church in McCartys, as well as cornfield tunnels.

Riders will be cheered on, as well.

“We do have some residents that come out and that sit along the ride. And then we do have a lot of volunteers who are actually from Acoma, and they’re a lot of fun,” Chavez said. “Lately, they’ve been putting up tents and just making noise and welcoming people as they come through, cheering for them. So it’s a wonderful opportunity to show some spirit.”

For the Stogners, it’s also a bit of a training run for November’s Ride to End Alzeimer’s in Wimberly, Texas.

“As you do these rides, you find out what the entry fees are for, what they are raising money for,” Linda Stogner said. “We like to support community and when we found out about End Alzeimer’s and them doing organized rides, it sort of hit both of our passions. So this is where we put a lot of our energy for fundraising.”

Learn more about the Tour de Acoma at tourdeacoma.com.