Woke early. Bakery shop in front of me opens later than i want to stay. Drive out to bfast spot on gravel parking area alongside I-70. My sink h2o goes straight overboard, gravel absorbs it, pavement pools or runs off.
My back and neck have been bothering me, I need a chiro. I picked one from insurance Internet search. Feel better but this eve my back seems the same. Next was a hair trim. I walked Main street looking but not finding a salon. I stopped @ Visitor info and learned a barber shop was doors away. Working my mind around a barber shop trim vs styling. Barber shop i go. I enter, in street side of room is a band set up complete w/ drums, and a pool table. A woman follows me in and asks if she may help me. Yes, I said I needed a trim but could I trust you w/ my long locks wanting to remain that way. Tattooed artistically. We goofed as she snipped. Other customers entered, haircutting became a spectator sport.
I stopped @ marijuana dispensary to learn who to use the system to obtain legal pot. Walked into office, windows were one way looking out. The smells were like a big stinky skunk. I learned that I had to be a legal resident of CO to obtain a card. I chatted w/ the young man behind the desk about pot. He told me different strains have different medical effects. Sativa is a good day time functioning medicine while Indica is what you pay your money for. The store had 22 varieties. Thru the medical program you can legally possess pot. Drive across the state line and you are a criminal again.
Headed up to Keystone ski area to meet rebecca @ the Specialized bike deal. Specialized dealers from around the world were in attendance. Today was Rebecca’s group for afternoon mtn biking. I met her as a drive by. We drove to mtn bike expo at the base of a ski lift. I am in the van while Rebecca goes to claim her ride. I hear a familiar voice, it is Tommy from Trailhead in Huntsville. What a hoot. All around me are a sea of various configurations of Specialized bikes and my lone Turner. Chair lift rides were paid for and I had a ticket. We planned and completed pedal up the green trails to almost the top of mtn and then dropped in to bottom riding some new trail and some we climbed. My bike’s suspension is right on making it very comfortable. Climbed 1 hr 20 m ins, dropped 20. Elevation really kills me.
Towards the bottom we stop to talk to a rider rebecca knows. His name is Ben and he is up in the organization. He leads us rest of way down. He propositioned me with a Specialized ride and I had a lift ticket. The 3 of us boarded a detachable quad for long ride to top of Keystone mtn @ 11,xxx’ . I rode a carbon Enduro not set up for me and it could not have been w/o time to do a custom fit. Drop seat, Elixer brakes w/ 8″ rotors front & back. Real powerful w/ little modulation. A panic stop would have launched me over the bars. Ben lead followed by Rebecca who can really get down.
Back @ base I run into Wes from Sycamore bikes in Brevard. He recognized from the Pisgah stage race leader jersey that Todd gave me.
What a hoot: meeting people I have met in my travels.
This lift shuttle is like skiing, sort of. You can throw yourself down hill. There are black diamond runs w/ features & drops above my comfort level. Even the easy green trails going down were a blast. Some blues were too steep making the distance traveled go too fast. prefer 8-10% grade downhill. Trails get beat up from excessive braking aka skidding. Liked my Spot over the Specialized as set up.
Drove back to Rebecca’s hotel for a shower. Our dinner plans were the Mexican place in Frisco I enjoyed. outside the motel a man makes eye contact and asks if I am the guy… . Yes. He was Gaylon from NH. He read the article. We talked about NE riding. Saw him again when we returned after dinner.
Left Rebecca and I drove back to Frisco to same parking lot for sleep spot.
Plan is tomorrow to drive to Winter Park area. Todd will not be here until Thurs.
I have ridden everywhere man. I can talk riding trails in every state. I can share a ride memory w/ almost everybody I meet. If it is an American rider we have a shared ride.
My taint is chafed. Bag Balm from Lyndonville, VT right next to Kingdom trails as Gaylon knows.
Temp today was city hot in way upper 70’s.