GDT Day 24. - Horseshoe CG to Breckenridge

Wed. Aug. 17, 2016

Start - 8400'
High pt  10200'
Lo pt 8250'
End Elv 10200'
Climbing ~3300'

Miles 46.3
Total time 7:50
Ride time 5:15
Day with BOB 23

Williams Fork was still singing to me in the morning as I went  through my routine and packed up. My wake me up on the ride was a 6 mile, 1100' climb up and over Ute Pass at 9500'.  I was rewarded with a tremendous view of the Gore Range across the Blue River valley. This led to another ripping ride down the paved road to Hwy 9, and I was yet again in Summit County. After cruising a dozen miles up valley on Hwy 9, I reached Silverthorne and attained the wonderful paved bike path system of Summit County towns, which took me through Dillon, Lake Dillon, Frisco, Farmers Corner and right into the heart of Breckenridge. I did stop for lunch in Frisco, as I had been dream drooling for 14 miles about some BBQ at Q4U. I ordered me up a half a percussion and refueled and rested up for the last 15 miles, which had a 600' foot climb in the last couple of miles up to the townhouse. As commonly occurs in the mountains, afternoon clouds started to coalesce as I rode off map.3 of.the route on my way to Breckenridge. It started drizzling as I entered Breck, and was raining steadily as I started up the dreaded hill to our complex! This is the hill I was too pooped to tackle on my Summit County out and back training trip back in late June and was always accounted for in my ride choices from the townhome over the years. Funny though, this time, the hill did not seem so steep, nor so long, even after 45 miles with the BOB working with gravity to pull me backwards. Probably the rider was motivated to get indoors and to a hot shower, or mayhaps the BBQ is really hill climbing fuel. Perhaps, it is evidence of my perspective having shifted in the preceding 1000 miles. The answer may well be all of the above. 

How will I look at things when I reach the border with Mexico?