Colorado Trail - Day 1 Waterton to S. Platte TH

Colorado Trail - Day 1 Waterton to S. Platte TH
Sunday Aug 26th, 2018

Start 5522
High pt  7517
Lo pt.     5522
End Elv.  6117
Climbing ~3000?

Miles 16.9
Total time 5:30
Ride time 3:00?

Well, my original plan to ride from Breck to Grand Junction or Moab via the Flattops  and the Grand Mesa was shut down due to fires, so I have decided to try the Colorado Trail from Denver to Breckenridge. So I will start in the mile high city  and hopefully end at my place in Breckenridge, yet another mile higher.
If successful, I will crest the continental divide at Georgia Pass at 11,875' before descending into Summit County.

The trail begins where the mountains finally release the South Platte River from its grips to meander more on the great plains.
The first several miles are classic front range canyons, dry ecosystem where the sun shine the most, with the trees in more sheltered crevices, and valleys. Popular trail on the old road bed following the Platte upstream, perfect for making good time on the bike
After nearly 7 miles, the single track begins in earnest. This is the test for Dan and his steed (or a boy and his dog). Will this rig and rider be able to negoitiate the CT? Basically, this whole ride is higher than the highest points I hit in MT; will my lungs and legs deal? Still a bit gun shy from the rack bolts shearing in Montana just a few weeks ago, though I have a couple of hundred miles on the replacements.
 Fortunately the trail is smooth and flowy, even quite a few of the many switchbacks are rideable.
I soon gain the first local maxima and the trail is turning rougher. There are a few places I need to hike a bike. Once I start following Bear Creek, it is unrideable for long stretches. I remind myself I choose to do this 1/2 mile of joy. I do note that this is one of the steeper sections and it does relent after I leave a mile of the stream bed (no water tho).
Much more rideable now, and more switchbacks,  up up up. Most I ride and slowly crank toward the high point of the day, good views of the Buffalo Creek burn area.
Good traversing trail out to another ridge end as lightning and thunder assert themselves into my planning.
 I quickly descend a handful of switchbacks to get off the ridge before I stop and hide from the rain (2nd time today). As is the Colorado way, the rain passes in 15 minutes or so and I am back on my descent to the Platte, where I plan on camping to night.

I did meet 7 or 8 other bike packers today.  Most were using the under the sest bag system but a dad and son had fat bikes with both rear and front panniers.

Setting up camp, met Chris and Greg from San Antonio doing CT segments, and there are several other through hikers.