Despite my strong bias living south of Rio Bravo in the far South Valley, I think we can all objectively agree the best stretch of paved Bosque path lies between Rio Bravo and Bridge Blvds. You got shade, farmland hosting cranes and geese half the year, and wildlife of many types bounding (e.g., rabbits, squirrels) and waddling (e.g., ducks, porcupines) along and across the path year-long.

And yes, you’ve also got the neighborhood donkey as you approach Rio Bravo. That donkey has gotta be one of the most photographed celebrities in all of ABQ. And it is right about where you see the donkey that it now looks like this:

More specifically, what you’re seeing here is the work done to repair a pretty serious sinkhole that may or may not have been the result of a certain donkey owner’s overzealous irrigation.

The value of all that makes up the great experience of walking/riding the Rio Bravo/Bridge stretch is immense, adjacent farmland very much included, well worth the cost of occasional sinkholes, a bump here and there due to roots, etc.

Moving forward, I recently had the chance to ride the Boise Greenbelt up in Idaho, and noticed quite a bit of that fantastic trail along a river is concrete (like a sidewalk) instead of asphalt. Researching the Greenbelt and its planned replacement projects/detours, I came across this:

Boise Parks and Recreation is replacing and improving several sections of the Boise River Greenbelt in 2021. These sections of pathway have been selected as areas that are high on our priority list for replacement due to current conditions. Some of the paths are cracked, others have damage due to root damage or outdated asphalt. Concrete lasts much longer than asphalt and is less susceptible to root damage.

The existing asphalt paths will be replaced with concrete, creating a smooth surface.

Notably, Boise Greenbelt is tree-lined, ala Bosque Rio Bravo to Bridge, almost 100% of its length on both sides of the Boise River. So concrete makes sense there, and is perhaps also a better option on the best stretch of our river path.

And maybe on both sides of the river. Someday.