Make sure you’re acclimated to the altitude before you set out on any lengthy trip—the best tour, along the high road to Taos [1], will take you through some of the area’s highest elevations.
Starting in Chimayó [2] shaves some not-so-scenic miles off the ride and gives you a reasonable 45-mile jaunt all the way to Taos [3].
The annual Santa Fe Century (www.santafecentury.com [4]) ride takes place every May, running a 104-mile loop south down the Turquoise Trail [5] and back north via the old farm towns in the Galisteo Basin, southeast of Santa Fe [6].
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/santa-fe/outside-santa-fe/the-high-road-taos
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/santa-fe/outside-santa-fe/the-high-road-taos/chimayo
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/taos
[4] http://www.santafecentury.com
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/albuquerque/outside-albuquerque/the-turquoise-trail
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/santa-fe