Oh yeah, 2!!

So I had the opportunity to go ride some sections of the CT that I have never been on. So of course I jumped at the chance. Marshall pass to Durango was the plan with a Friday am departure and a Monday-ish arrival. Met up with Jon and Michael in Salida Thursday night in preparation for an early start the next morning. Pedaling by 6am and it was on. Nice and brisk from the sun not wanting to come out. Just cruising along at a steady pace for the first few sections, until the only navigational error of the trip took place. 3 1/2 hours and 20-ish miles of back and forth riding looking for the route. All while being In the hottest portion of the ride on shitty dirt roads. We saw three vehicles and none of them knew where we were either. Took us a bit but figured it out and proceeded to climb to Los Pinos Pass where we crashed for the night. 16 hours of riding and 100+ miles for day 1.

On the bikes before sunrise the next am for a brisk descent off of the pass. Only to be followed by a 15 mile climb up to slumgullion, which was a fitting name as I was definitely slumming on that climb. Hit pavement for another 7 miles to the top of spring creek pass where the fun was about to begin. Fueled up and headed out for the coney and cataract ridge sections that we have heard so much about. The 1st 15 miles was sweet, bumpy but sweet. Took plenty of pictures through here 'til we hit the high point of the ct and the camera was put away.

Once we got to the cataract ridge section is where the going got really tough. 15 miles all at over 12000' was no joke. The views were big and absolutely amazing. I do believe it wad the prettiest area I have ever been in and some of the toughest riding I have ever done. Lots of trail that was just going from cairn to cairn with no visible path. Definitely more hiking than biking, but amazing none the less. Absorbing the sunset in the middle of nowhere was phenomenal. Had planned to be in Silverton by 6 pm for dinner but that didn't happen. Got off of the ct a little after 9 pm for a LONG descent into town. Nothing was open except for the bar, where we went in and drank some coca-cola and had some snacks of our own. Found the town hostel unattended and totally vacant so we took it over for the night. A shower and good night's sleep and we were ready for another day. This section of trail was absolutely surreal and I recommend it to anyone who is down for a day in the pain cave. It took us 9 1/2 hours to go 30 miles, but the views are indescribable. 70 miles and 15 hours of riding for day 2.

We decided to bail on the rest of the route into Durango, so called Joey and he came, picked us up and drove us to the top of Molas pass. We ditched our camping gear and just went for a ride over to Bolam pass. Just a beautiful section of high mountain single track. 30 miles and the day was over, just like that. Got to Durango and had some of the best pizza, ever. Then went and played bike polo until it was too dark to see the ball. What a wonderful way to finish an awesome three day ride. 200 miles and around 35 hours of riding. Thanks Jon and Michael for an awesome trip. 'Til next time, peace.

ps. Had written a much better write up, but my electronic device crashed right as I wax finishing it up and had to start over with much less motivation.

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Oh yeah!

New Camera

Finally picked up a new camera. It's been a while. Anyway here is a sweet sunset pic from the house, with Turquoise Lake in there as well. Not a bad view at all.


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Fuck the Leadville 100

Lifetime Fitness and everyone else associated with the race. Almost get hit by a car twice on my way to watch the start of the BIKE race which was a whole mile away from my house. Then to beat that you go out to get a bite to eat and all of the prices of been hugely marked up. Anyway, all was good despite the fact. Go to clinic for a few hours and on the way home I figured I would ride up 6th street and watch some finishers come in as I pedaled the few blocks up. This is where shit got stupid. Pedaling up the course, which is a two lane road by the way and i start getting yelled out for being on the course. Seriously, I can't ride on the road? Go to turn around while on my bike and continue to get screamed at to get off of the course when a cop on a bike is yelling and trying to get me off of my bike. What the fuck? Fuck it, I'm going to the house and refuse to go back to town today. Absolutely absurd.

Never been a fan of the race, but figured I would do the leadman series since I live in town. Not now. I've never been so disrespected on a bicycle, ever. Fuck the Leadville 100 and all the douche bags putting it on!

Day of the passes!

Six of them to be exact. A day during the week popped up free and with no rain in the forecast I thought it was time for a nice big-ish loop. Had thought I would leave before sunrise from the house and head towards the CT for a jaunt to Copper than back to pb via the main road.

It didn't take long for the schedule to change. Decided to sleep in so didn't leave the house 'till a little after 7. Wasn't hungry so I skipped b-fast, grabbed a handful of mike-n-ices and a handful of peanut m&m's and threw them in the bag. Was only planning on a 50-ish mile ride so that should be plenty of food, right.

Hit 24 over to waltz ditch road and picked up the ct.for the trek over to copper Mtn. Smooth and fast until the climb out of camp hale up to kokamo pass. Four miles and a little over 3000' of climbing. It finally got easy once I got above tree line. A little after the pass I hit the high point of the day, around 12200' then easy sailing over to searle pass, the dropped down towards copper. Saw a few female riders rocking it so struck up a conversation and I said I wasn't looking forward to the road ride back to pb, when they chimed in you should do this loop of up the bike path to right below vail pass, hit a trail on the left, then up to ptarmigan road, over the pass and back down to camp hale. This was definitely more than I had anticipated but I liked the idea of lots more trail and no main road. We parted ways and away I went. The riding was fairly easy until I got to ptarmigan road and had to walk a bit. The down side was long and fast and did I say long. Was feeling good until I started climbing back up to Tennessee pass. Stopped and ate the rest of my snacks and knew as long as I could make it to the top the trail fairies had a tote full of goodies waiting for me. Slow movig until I hit the food cache where I had a nice cold coca-cola. Five minutes later I was rolling on at a nice little clip. Quick spin down the road and back at the house in 9 hours after 70 miles and somewhere between 8000 and 9000' of climbing and crossing six Mtn passes. All on about 500 calories, maybe 50 mike-n-ices and 20 m&m's. The biggest ride I have had in quite a while and it felt awesome. Can't wAit to get out and do it again.

Such a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky for any of it. Started out around 37 degrees when I left the house and got hot. Probably in the mid 60's when I got home. One of the most beautiful days we have had in weeks. So glad I got to pedal my bicycle all day in it.

Oh yeah, the Leadville 100 is tomorrow and it's cool and all, but doesn't have anything compared to what I did today. peace

Fall is in the air

and I am luvin' it. High's in the 50's for the last several days. Absolutely beautiful! I recently found out that if you don't ride your bike you get slow. Not crazy slow but slower than I can remember being, in quite a while. Arms all healed up, pedaling as much as I feel like and enjoying the coastie bits of my shiny I-9's. No real plan, just coasting along and enjoying every minute of it.

Gonna meet up with csakany in two weeks to do the last few miles of the CT. Will start outside of Salida and finish in Durango. Should take us 4-ish days and should be a blast. Been on very little of the trail in that part of the state, the views and riding are supposed to be phenomenal!

Postponed the build date on the wolfie, had some unexpected expenses come up so put it on hold. The cool thing about that is Fred, of wolfhound, told me to give him a shout when I am ready and will be next in line. So rad!!! That should allow me to get some winter gear, ski stuff, before the white stuff starts falling and have a bike ready to roll for the spring time. This should help with the timing associated with the seasonal changes.

The Leadville 100 is Saturday, so plan on watching lots of people at the start line take off and maybe head to to power line for the climb or may just go for a sweet ride instead. Oh yeah, Lance bailed on it this year according to velo news, but there should still be a pretty strong group of riders showing up. Good times. Peace