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.

Slept in same parking lot downtown. Drove out to gravel parking lot for bfast.

Rebecca called. Plans were formulated. I was to call her at 3:00 after my ride.

I drove up to Breck. I stopped to photograph the restored made into a restaurant gold dredge on the river in downtown Breck. The mining dredge dug a pond to float itself as it advanced upstream.

Met Dan @ Beaver creek TH for the ride he wanted to take me on. Today i am riding a greased front hub but the grease is too thick for bearings causing drag. Dan is 35 and has lived here for years. Get the picture? Today we start @ 9,600 and top out @ 12,500′. On the map the climb gradient is smooth & consistent. Arrived @ my turnaround point 3 mins faster. Then the hurt set in. Road got rockier, babyheads, and the air pressure lessened. Good grunt. I walked several short pieces just for a break. I pedaled slowly but the short bust over a rock left me gasping. Dan just motored ahead and talked to me. Faint Wheeler trail ST left road in alpine. Tree cover appears to be same willow that I experienced in the high Uintas in UT. Climbed small knoll and then it was hang on to the traction as steep narrow ST bench cut trail dropped quickly. Alpine. Treeless peaks.

Dan is a free heeler.

Trail dropped into forest w/ roots & rocks, all rideable, letting gravity be the engine. My suspension is super. One short climb out of Spruce creek to make Burro trail to final downhill. Super ride, high alpine was special.Height above sea level was a killer.

Back @ van @ 3:05. I invited Dan into my home and we cracked beers. @ 3:07 Rebecca called. We ride tomorrow @ Keystone. Specialized is hosting a week long product education program @  Keystone. I met her & husband Dave back in Sedona. I slept in their drive several nights. Dave says Sedona reservations for this winter have been made.

Found Totally Wired cyclery in Fraser, a shop that was recommended by Dave from Redstone, they have the King special grease. They allowed me to ship my new Fizek saddle to them. This weekend is the nationals in Granby next town down canyon. Todd will be here for the supre D.

Kind of like bone deep tired. Able to function but exhaustion is just under the surface.

Camped @ MT Royal TH just outside of downtown Frisco. An air cooled VW Westfallia that has been well used shares the parking lot. We are maybe 75 feet away separated by air yet remain distant.

Tomorrow a ride w/ Rebecca @ Keystone and then will probably start towards Fraser.

That’s what you thought. No medical card yet. Elevation as in 11,200 yesterday & today.

Yesterday After a quiet night in the Best western parking lot hard under east bound exit ramp of I-70 and subsequent exit traffic perpendicular to I-70.

Did wash @ 8:00 in only laundromat in Frisco. Ate a big pecan sticky bun that my body didn’t make peace w/ until almost the end of the climb later today. Laundro filled up while my stuff was in the dryer.

Drove out to Dredge TH on Swan river road for another go @ part of CO trail. I moved my saddle a bit further forward that transfers more  weight onto my hands which keeps the front end out of the sky which had been a curse on step ups. Should be able to pedal better also. TH parking was plugged, I snagged the last spot. Headed out. Caught up w/ Bruce who was riding w/o a map. Texans! He’s younger and maybe a bit stronger. I give him directions. He stays w/ me. We turn onto ST CO trail. He’s ahead, but he stops to grab a breather tree. I pedal slowly by. I tell him I will wait @ ist intersection. I grind upward. I might be ready for a new saddle as the padding has been sat on for 2 plus years: sore butt parts. I pass other riders walking their bikes or resting. I’m not on fire but I am the one pedaling. I stalled @ the same spot where the previous rider passed me. Gasped awhile, just about 11,000. I make the intersection and waited a good while. I allow Bruce to lead on DH and I stay back a little content to fly on just coasting.  Rain starts to fall as we start up the short climb over a ridge for the last downhill. I pull on my rain jacket and  pack raincover. I pedal back onto trail almost into the path of a flying rider, I stayed ahead of him w/ Bruce leading. The 3 of us flew down last downhill. The guy behind stuck to my wheel but didn’t ask to go by. We stopped @ intersection & trailing rider complimented me as he pedaled away on a hard tail. He was pretty good.

Rain continued till parking lot. Put bike on rack & covered them & climbed inside van. How nice it is to be inside out of nasty, able to stand up, and change into dry clothing. Hung in parking lot for awhile. Parking lot emptied during rain. Skies cleared bringing several rigs for beautiful late afternoon ride.

Drove back to Frisco where I parked in an approved over night parking spot behind Wilderness sports. I walked to shop and asked the 2 young wrenches in  the shop tricks for adding more Stans to my tires. Gleaned 2 small tips. I set up the bike stand from Price Point and set to. Easily added Stans. I pulled the brake pads and emery papered them. I raised my saddle about 1/16″.

treated myself to mexican dinner out. Parked back @ same parking spot. Walked main street down to brew pub for a pint of Porter. Lasted till just after 10:00. Walked back to van; crawled into bed by 10:30.

Woke this AM almost 8:00. Drove up to Breck & stopped @ Elevation to listen to ride ideas. Dan greeted me. Visited for awhile, He is a contributing editor to DirtRag his card says. Used to live back there. I asked about the Firecracker 50 course. He mapped it as he could. It is confusing. I settled on big climb up Beaver Creek to Wheeler Pass ridge trail. After putting my front wheel in the fork I gave it a good spin. Noise! possible dry bearings. removed wheel & spun again w/ same results. Ignore it for ride or seek service? Ride won out. Ride is up county road inside ski area. About an hour of pedaling I just about made the peak 9 day lodge @ 11,100″. I spun the wheel again, same results.  I had about another 1200′ before start of sweet ST. Clouds were showing storm signs. I turned around & cautiously descended back to TH.

Hub maintenance took me back to Elevation. Dan didn’t know how. Called 2 bike shops seeking knowledge. What si known shops don’t work on high end parts. Drove to Silverthorne to meet w/ wrench who sounded like he knew King hubs. A waste. Learned of Rec center nearby for shower. Clean again. I researched King on line. Lubrication needs to be their special lube. I call several more shops seeking lube. Opinion comes back that good bearing grease should work. Back @ Wilderness w/ King instructions on line. The shop turns too. Wrench filled bearings w/ grease. When seals were reinstalled the wheel did not spin freely because of too much grease. He removed some which lessened the drag. Got to find the King special lube.

Parked @ approved overnight  parking lot like an alley off Main st.

Tomorrow I have a ride scheduled w/ Dan from Elevation, our ride is what I attempted. Tops out above 12,000′

Rebecca from Green Bay is in town this week. Her time is tied up w/ bike shop business. Might catch a social meeting.

Maybe Wed move onto Granby / Winter Park / Fraser, CO.