Hikers Jennifer Kiley (left) and Kate Jennings at Tent Rocks, near Santa Fe.
Where they went
WHO: Suzanne Kiley, 68, her daughter Jennifer Kiley, 35, and Ruth Harkness, 63, all of Ipswich
WHERE: New Mexico
WHEN: One week in September
WHY: To go on a group tour that included hiking, cycling, and rafting.
NEVER SAY NEVER: "Last year we read Bill Bryson's account of walking along the Appalachian Trail ["A Walk in the Woods," Broadway , 1998 ]. We laughed that for something like that we'd need van support, a hot tub, and good meals," said Suzanne. That made her wonder if such a thing actually existed. She discovered that it did when she found Austin-Lehman Adventures. "At first the whole idea was just a joke, but as we looked at their catalog, it sounded better and better." This from three women who had never mountain biked, hiked, or rafted.
CALMING THEIR FEARS: "Austin-Lehman promised they could adjust activities to any fitness level," Suzanne said. "Still, we were very nervous." They went into training mode, buying hiking boots and day packs. "We found hills and walked around with our backpacks on. We rode on bikes at the Y."
SOUTHWEST SCENERY: Their first three days were in Santa Fe, where they stayed at the luxurious Inn on the Alameda. "The landscape was so different from Massachusetts and that was wonderful," said Suzanne.
ON THEIR FEET: The first adventure, with three other travelers and two guides, was a visit to Bandelier National Monument with its Pueblo cliff dwellings. There they encountered three sets of ladders going 140 feet up. "That was quite a challenge," Jennifer said. "We were able to walk in and among the ruins of the caves and buildings. It made history real." Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, named for large tepee-shaped formations of volcanic debris, was Suzanne's favorite hike. "We walked around on this very narrow trail through and among and around them, and then we climbed up on a cliff above them all," she said. "The most challenging day was a hike at about 10,000 feet elevation outside of Taos because "we didn't anticipate the difference from the altitude," Suzanne said. Their solution was to rest as often as needed.
SPINNING THEIR WHEELS: The cycling was mostly downhill on comfortable bikes, Jennifer said. But during one ride, when they came to a series of gravel switchbacks next to drop-offs, they decided to wait for the van after Jennifer skidded out on a turn.
ON THE WATER: "Rafting was the one thing I was very afraid of," Suzanne said. "I had my foot firmly wedged in front of me, so much so that I still have a bruise on my toe." She was relieved that the Rio Grande gave them a gentle ride at that time of the year.
COMFORTING THOUGHT: "All of these things were way outside of my comfort zone," Suzanne said. "And when you're done, you feel great. We came home and started looking through the other options in the catalog."
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