July 28th, 2010
Camped last night on Kebler Pass rd where I stayed lst trip. Had view of peaks to west, lightning moved in and improved the scenery. A bit of rain fell. Nodded of after 9:00. Great night’s sleep. Drug my feet leaving in AM to allow rain to evaporate. Sunny day but chilly, perfect for grind of road climb up to ST for trail 401.
I parked @ lower TH and pedaled up the road. Liking the asthma med as I can power pedal and still have some breathing comfort. passed truck w/ UT plates, guy was gearing up to go. he caught me @ the pass and complimented me on my climbing prowess. He is from ST George & knows OTE in Hurricane. From pass the ST climbs almost another 1,000′ before dropping traversing the mountain sides. Trail is non tech. What makes it outstanding are the wild flowers and views down stream. Just gorgeous. Rain forecast didn’t happen but biting black flies took up the slack. Had a horse fly bite thru my glove. Flies were so bad @ parking lot that i drove back into town w/o changing clothes.
Shower @ Hostel and life is back on track.
Walked up Main st again and stopped in @ Big Al’s that is a Turner dealer. Gattis, a wrench id’ed me. he knows Wes from Sycamore Cycles in brevard and wants a Pisgah jersey. Visited awhile. Owner rdies a Spot, gattis is scheming to get one & Loise has one on order. Horray for Turner! Have Formula brake pads.
Gattis gave me a ride idea that is between Gunnison & Monarch Crest. Grace is driving to Kansas City, MO for the night. I meet her different gang Sat at monarch Crest for a ride. These people are not her inner circle gang. This means driving back east for the crest then retracing my path west to UT. Grace is spending about 3 weeks up high conditioning for Leadville.
New ride idea will work. Tomorrow is Doctor park monster road ride for 45 min downhill. Then drive towards Monarch for Fri ride @ White Pine.
Big mountains w/ bare peaks. Still small patches of last winter’s snow. Wild flowers in bloom. Yesterday I lived in the aroma of blooming lupines. Today they were not as smelly noticeable. I saw some Columbine which was the unknown flower I saw @ Winter Park.
Crested Butte is up there, around 9,000′ w/ big mtns around.
Drove over to Taylor River for DR Park ride & stayed in FS XG. Smokey fires.
July 27th, 2010
Crested Butte, CO that is. Yesterday AM visited w/ Mark b4 heading over the Monarch Pass for Crested Butte. Mark, a full stick of gum is just too large to manipulate while riding. 1/3 seems just right.
Made CB. Checked out Alpineer shop for ride ideas. Then walked Main st. Found another bike shop that sells Truners and has a rental fleet. Wow. Woman employee there is getting a DW Spot and she is so stoked.
Drove up Cement creek for primitive sleep spot. Took m1 1.4 miles below the one where I stayed 2 years ago. Road gets beat up and road is bench cut creating few places to get off the road. Wlaked up the road after dinner and found old spot empty. Too late, just added 1.4 mile to climb out.
Today I ride from the van for Reno, Flag, Bear, & Deadman.4 hours, 3500′ in 28 miles. Big road climb up Reno divide road. Then drop into a drainage then climb out of one, then drfop in and climb out again climaxed by 2 mile drop down deadman’s gulch w/ too many switchbacks to remember. All dirt bike trails which are littered w/ grade dips that all seemed to have left over rain h2o that created mud that splashed me & bike. Beautiful day.
Hung solar shower but I deemed it too cold for an outside shower from the breeze, outside temp was in upper 70s and the h2o wasn’t overly hot. Bailed for $5.50 shower @ hostel. Why $0.50?
Forecast is for 40% possible ehavy rains for rest of week. Plan tonight is to drive out beyond Gothic for sleep spot and position to ride famous 401 trail. Rides here seem to be monster road rides up to drop in on ST back down. $01, 403, & Doctor’s park are like that.
Grace’s gang will be riding Monarch on Sat now, a day earlier. Need to ride above 3 rides b4 leaving CB.
No internet access back in creek bottoms.
Lots of beaver dams on smaller creeks on today’s ride, kind of like holding ponds or terraces on the creek. Locations are determined by stream flow characteristic and closeness to food supply.
I am using the inhaler several times during the day. I used it mid ride today. I can climb. I suspect that I have had asthma all along as the inhaler opens my lungs… or is it just the drugs? The 3 days of steroids were pleasant as I felt good overall.
Gotta go to grab a sleep spot.
July 25th, 2010
Fri night when i walked back to Ted’s place where my van was parked, a guy party was going on. Yerman, insisted on taking me for a ride on Sat. I said yes but wondered if he would remember making the commitment when he woke up.
He did and we headed up to ride a road climb to join a 9 mile section of the rainbow trail. Turns out I rode the Rainbow in ’08 when i dropped in of Monarch crest. This was a loop ride. Yerman was stronger on the road but once the ST started, i was off. Had a good fast ride. I usually just coast using gravity as my engine. Some more rabid riders assist gravity w/ pedaling. Maybe 10 riders we encountered. Nice 9 miles of trail, open to dirt bikes.
Rode road back to car then drove back to Salida. I had Sat laundry to do. Ted has an outside clothes line. I schemed line drying my sheets. Missed out.
Walked around downtown Sat night. Was busier on Fri night. Fri night I visited w/ Mark & Brenda.
Sun My ride plan was Bear Creek up to rainbow trail to ride it out & part way back then drop down a secret trail. Big grinder riding the road up. Climbed 3202′. On the return trip i was making 35mph on smooth gravel, that’s how steep it was climbing. Saw just 4 riders. Trail was overgrown and limited sight lines both ways kept my speed responsible.
Back in town. I worked on my bike in the sun. I used the bike stand from Price Point. Stand is an enhancement. Sunburned my back, will be painful sleeping tonight.
Visited w/ Ted b4 bed. Trail builder from AL.
Tomorrow is Crested Butte for week. Grace is planning on riding Monarch Crest this weekend. Might come back for it.
