Faulty Loop Trail Hike Followed By Scrumptuous Vegan Pizza Dinner!

Greetings, fellow vegans! I am excited to offer you this wonderful opportunity to go on a vigorous hike in the Sandias on the “Faulty Loop via South Crest Trail”, followed by a delicious vegan pizza dinner at Trail Rider in Cedar Crest. Here is the description of the hike: “The trail begins in a juniper and piñon woodland and climbs into a ponderosa pine forest. The landscape is mostly flat with occasional severe inclines. Meadows and a false summit are hidden behind a cliff along the trail. There is a short yet uphill solid stretch that leads to the summit. The trail meanders past medium-sized trees, bushes, and cacti as it approaches the summit. Visitors can see far-reaching vistas of famous spots like Ladron Peak, Mt. Taylor, and Cabezon Peak at the summit.” This is a moderate-to-strenuous loop trail, appropriate for strong hikers ready to go at a good pace with few stops. I am NOT fast, but steady, and don’t like to stop a lot, or for more than 5-10 minutes at a time. I also require hikers to stick together, so if you are a very speedy type of hiker, this event won’t be a fit for you. Bring sturdy boots or vibram-soled hiking shoes; parts can get very slippery when wet (over rocks and/or leaves, especially going downhill). Also, plenty of water, snacks, and layers of clothes… be sure to check the weather before you come and dress accordingly! Hiking poles are strongly recommended. Other important information to know: the hike is a loop of 5.6 miles, with an elevation gain of 1,148 feet, mostly all in the first half to two-thirds of the hike. We will complete the circuit in three to three and a half hours. Also, rain cancels the hike, but if people want, we can still go to dinner in Cedar Crest. If it looks like rain, I will post an update the morning of the hike. Regarding Trail Rider: I have not been there before myself, but have heard from others that their vegan pizzas are truly delicious! We will go for an early dinner after the hike (probably around 5:00.) Members of this meetup are asked to partake in the VEGAN pizza menu only– (non-vegan dishes are also served here)--this is part of the ethics of this group! Please RSVP no later than the day before, November 29th. Ditto if you need to cancel, out of courtesy to your leader and the other participants. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you there! :0) (If you have any questions, feel free to message me directly through Meetup, or write comments in the comment section of this event.) NOTE ABOUT GETTING THERE– HERE IS THE LINK TO THE CANYON ESTATES TRAILHEAD FROM SMITH’S ON TRAMWAY: **** If people would like to carpool from Smith’s to the trailhead, please mention this in the comments section of this event…if enough people wish to do this, I will organize it.**** **https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Smith's,+Tramway+Boulevard+Southeast,+Albuquerque,+NM/35.08961,-106.39149/@35.0752872,-106.4835707,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x8718a0e51e4a395f:0x5906ce4a1a0381d0!2m2!1d-106.4960987!2d35.0669746!1m0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D** Canyon Estates - Grand Enchantment Trailhead, Tijeras, NM 87059