Now from rainy Eagle, CO. I drove here from Stagecoach CO state parks XG. I chose a spot well above the lake, on a bluff and pointed my van into the wind. And wind came up hitting me head on. I aimed my wind gauge and saw gusts to 25. Later that early evening more guts, this time way stronger but I chose to remain secure inside. A couple was tent camped nearby where their tent was pitched in the wind shadow of their suv, still their tent whipped around. Then quiet then rain fell. Nice being able to modify my environment.
I have stepped up into my van and hit my head big time maybe 3 times on the lowered cutting board. I have several scabbing cuts on my scalp and my head hurts because of my mashed neck. A chiro adjustment is necessary.
Pick up a bit about Steamboat.
Monday night Cathy and I spent camped above full Dry Lake XG on that steep short nasty uphill to our camp spot. We figured out a ride for the next day. Tuesday we pedaled up the Buffalo Pass road until we caught a cut in to Touch of Gold which is a newly built greener trail going down to Spring Creek TH. Trail is mostly machine built with a hard packed tread. Several places hand built was the method where rocks and roots were skimmed over. In time dirt will erode which appears to “raise” the chunder. Went thru turning aspens. Pretty cool. We studied the trails to make a loop which went around Dry Lake,
Our uphill return was on BTR which from a profile standpoint appeared doable. We learned that it is primarily a downhill trail, we hiked a bike quite a lot. No conflict with the few downhill riders we encountered. We broke out picking up Touch of Gold to ride down to the cut in. Beautiful fall colors. Cathy learned that her rear brake was not doing its job.
We made it back to our camp spot. After changing clothes we sat outside enjoying sun breaks until warmth left. Just before bed time rain started spitting. A bit later it changed to snow which dropped over 2″ of fresh wet snow. By morning most had melted because the ground was above freezing. Still we were faced with what could have been a treacherous descent down the social rough trail. Cathy went first, she was able to lock her brakes and sneak down avoiding a close clearance between 2 aspens. My turn and the misbehaving ABS brakes. The first push on the brake pedal broke the wheels loose causing the ABS to kick in and I lost control of the brakes. I bounced down and missed the same trees. Once on the road the brakes worked.
We created a ride plan. We drove down to Dry Lake XG looking for an empty site. A guy flagged Cathy down telling her he was leaving giving us our empty spot. He cut and stashed a good fires worth of wood under the table. Cathy called Wheels shop and scored an early morning brake bleed and I was hoping for a shifter cable and housing replacement as my shifting was not performing. Cathy’s brake issue was just a bleed. The wrench checked my bike out determining the shifting issue was caused by teh cable and housing which he replaced.
Both bikes in happy mode we drove over to the local trails on the ski hill above town. Cathy did the navigation for a climb up a ways then a descent down NPR which stands for no pedaling required, a blue downhill trail with berms and tabletops.Nice weather and a short fun ride.
Cathy broke out a bottle of Tequila, the same kind that Tom put my pic on the label. A shot a piece at our vans. Our plan was working: bikes fixed, a saved campsite, and a plan for tomorrows big ride. We drove up to our saved spot. Cathy wanted a fire, I avoid smoke. I gathered tinder and laid a fire with my goal of starting it with 1 match. At fire time 1 lit sliver was all required to start. We sat around the fire drinking corn and Tequila.
Plan on Thurs was to drive down to repair garage for brake service on my van then pile into Cathy’s van and drive up to Rabbit Ears Pass for our ride ending back down at Steamboat ski base. Forecast was for gusty winds and chilly. We selected a camp site for her van then pedaled away.
My EDGE crapped out just after the start thus not gathering ride data. I used Backcountry Navigator just to track the ride. The software said we rode 16 miles of wonderful heart propelled trail skirting several lakes and numerous rock gardens until we hit the ski areas boundary and big downhill.
For the most part the trees blocked the wind until we left cover then wind added to making moves.
We hit the ski area boundary and a different fun took over. We followed MTBP route which kept us on the cross country downhill trails. What a hoot downhill single track not bermed.
The garage called me while I was huffing up a climb. They found that my brakes were OK and the filters will be installed tomorrow.
We realized that [perhaps more energy would be needed to pedal across town to pick up my van for our shuttle back up to the pass. I called the garage and made a shuttle arrangement. We walked out of the base village and there was Johnny pulling in.
The climb up to the pass is around 2500′ climb. Back at the XG our alcohol consumption was less as I suffered from last nights libations. Nice sitting facing the sun until it went below the trees. Chilly night with van shaking gusts.
Yesterday I drove back down the pass to the garage for the filters install. On the way down the pass the brake light came on. I drove to the shop and showed them what was up. They determined that the front wheel sensors were toasted which was sending hte signal in spite of good pad life.
I did my wash one day late.
Cathy split for her road trip. I drove out to Stagecoach CO state park for the night.
Today I drove down to Eagle to where I am now hunkered down from the rain. Dirt here has clay which will need drying out to ride and even to drive to a camp spot above town.
I am skipping wet Eagle for Carbondale.
Rabbit Ears Pass: back in 1978 I was returning to Ohio after my PCT hike. I gave a ride to my hiking buddy to Steamboat where he had lived. I was driving my 1972 air cooled VW van. I made the top of the pass then on the downhill east side the engine quit. I was nowhere near repair help so I coasted down and down. Coming into a town an uphill grade ran out of helpful gravity. I walked into town stopping at the city hall and asked foe help. A city employee attached a chain to my front in and pulled me to a repair garage up a steep hill. I asked for help. Guy said he would check one thing and if that worked I was gone, if not, big wait. Turns out it was a broken points thing and I was back on the road.
More tree researched revealed that reds here are caused by a scrub oak of which the name applies to many different oaks. Gambel Oak is scrub but usually grows to 15 -20′ and turns red. I saw just a few that had turned red.
Anyway off to deal with wetness.