GDT Day 25 - Breckenridge to Hartsel Springs Ranch

Sun. Aug. 21, 2016

Start - 10200'
High pt  11482'
Lo pt 8930'
End Elv 8930'
Climbing 1700'?

Miles 50
Total time 6:50
Ride time 5:12
Day with BOB 24
Another divide crossing at Boreas Pass, my 14th me thinks

Good morning sunshine, climb, and climb up the easy grade of Boreas Pass road, a former railroad grade. Heading up toward the sky, onward as tree line teases with the pass as it finds the low spot in the saddle;  yet Boreas and Red Mountain continue to stretch skyward, clad in only alpine tundra once above the death zone for trees - but still enough air for me! This is the highest elevation so far on the route, and will be another week or so 'til the route will go higher, not until Indiana Pass south of Del Norte.  There is  however a near 10,000' watershed divide to get to Salida tomorrow, followed by 3 more 10,000+' passes (w/ 2 Divide crossings) between here and Indiana Pass. Umm, good training I guess. Really heading into in the high Rockies of my home state now, with higher elevations, thinner air, and longer climbs to contend with, rewarded by glorious scenery and of course, the downhills!!!!

So 7 miles up to the summit from my Breck place, balanced nicely with a 7 mile downhill into the Como area and onto South Park. I road 24+ miles in those treeless park lands, yet trees were never that far away.
There was a notable amount of wash board, and even with my shocks, at times I felt my whole being vibrating,  a pervasive brownian motion, down to my cells, their molecules and even the atoms of my essence. ( atoms are always vibrating, indeed all matter is unless they acheive absolute zero temperature.... soooo the entirety of the universe is vibrating during my south park ride... uhhh, umm, I doth believe I digress ).

Despite the wash board sections the road was pretty good and I made good time, and got into Hartsel.earlier than anticipated. Thisndidnallow.me to hit the cafe/saloon .and enjoy an IPA frim the excellent South Park Brewwry from Fairplay. Decided to have dinner ther to, before heading out the window  miles to Hartsel.Springs Ranch.

Was not sure what to expect, but arrived at their very nicely done lodge, and got to camp right next to the South Platte River (really just a stream up this far). This was adjacent to the party barn, where they must hold dances and receptions. The barn was a nice get away from the winds and spitting rain of the evening. Included with my camping fee was a shower in the lodge and free run of the kitchen for cooking, which made the morning ritual move along faster. Of course they have WiFi, which am using as I type.

They morning light over the Platte and parkland was quite delightful as I went about packing up.

Breck Layover

Took a few days off in Breck so I could see my family, especially Connor and Fiona, since they are heading off to college next week. We had a nice visit, and went downtown to experience some performance art during the Breck International Festival of Art.  Saw an act by Close Up Theater from the Netherlands. Four of them did percussion while doing some synchronized  marching through, or stalking of, the street crowd. Very entertaining, especially for our percussionist daughter.

I did get a chance to do one of my favorite loops from the townhome. It strings together a number of breck open space trails on Baldy and in French Gulch. They have names like;
Bakers Tank
Mountain Pride
Pinball alley
Nightmare on Baldy
True Romance
Trail.of tears
Turks
Juniata
Met a couple of old locals.along the route, I always seem to see them in the same places.

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?

GDT Day 23 - Lynx Pass to Horseshoe CG near Ute Pass

Tues. Aug. 16, 2016

Start - 8947'
High pt  9524' at Gore Pass
Lo pt 7350'
End Elv 8400'
Climbing 2300'

Miles 57.5
Total time 8:45
Ride time
Day with BOB 22

Rocky Mountain High, it's Colorado!

Long day today as I push to do steamboat to breckenridge in 3 days. Todays ride all over 7300', with much of it over 8000' in elevation. Today's averages elevation is surely higher than most previous continental divide crossing, yet I was never very near the divide today. This was the highest 50 plus mile day yet for me. It was also with the most weight as I am solo now  with food, shoes, and fishing gear added to the BOB and I carried an extra gallon of water from Kremmling to boot.

I had to ford my first real.creekntoday, and did a little prep to aid the worst of the inevitable drenching. After drying out a bit, i summited Gore Pass, and those with access to route information will note that I went off route (actually, this is the wet weather route, but not a highlighted alternative on then map). The route suggests a  Kremmling RV park for the  overnight and then a 56 mile days to Silverthorne. My goal of our Breckenridge place is 12 to 15 miles farther and 1200' higher. Wanting to avoid a 70+ mile day with 4000 plus feet of climbing, I took the more direct route over Gore Pass. Gore Pass goes through some pretty darn nice aspen country.
This led to a ripping 11.5 mile downhill ride on the east side of the pass, on pavement, which made it even quicker to get to Kremmling. That is, until one gets stuck in a road contruction delay. Still, it got me into Kremmling in time for lunch at Los Amigos.

After lunch I got to experience Middle Park,  and some of Colorados sagelands as I road to Williams Fork Reservoir and then beyond.

Evening brought me to Horseshoe Campground along the banks of the Williams Fork River. The river serenaded me for my river side dining, and all evening; and as I lay down in the tent, and drifted in and out of semi sleep, it whispered to me over and again in the calm night. What it whispered, I cannot recall, but I enjoyed it very much, much more than winds tearing across empty lands, stripping away all other sounds of the evening.

It is good to be in the mountains.

GDT Day 22 - Steamboat to Lynx Pass CG

Mon. Aug. 15, 2016

Start - 6700'
High pt  8947'
Lo pt 6700'
End Elv 8947'
Climbing ~2500'

Miles 36.75
Total time 7:00
Ride time 4:54
Day with BOB 21

Today was all about the Yampa and it's tributaries. Started in the well watered hay fields south of Steamboat. After a short ride on Hwy 131, I turned toward Catamount reservoir. Followed the Yampa River Trail, an extremely nice and scenic 4 miles between Catamount and Stagecoach reservoirs, is mostly right along the river,  and which looks to be a fly fisherman's heaven.

After entering Stagecoach Reservoir State Park crossing the dam, I got to do some trail riding around the lake for a couple of miles, before splitting off to follow the Morrison Creek drainage for 16 miles to Lynx Pass. Also very nice country along the valley, though eventually one could see lodgepole devastation on the higher flanks and ridges surrounding the valley. Close to the topmof.Lynx Pass,.the thimble berries were ripe, and I enjoyed a mid climb treat.

When I got to the campground the pump worked and the water was safe, but it was an unpalatable shade of limenade. I asked the the freindly forest ranger lady if I could get some water from the work center a quarter mile back, and she agreed, indeed she filled up the water for an ACA group of riders as well.

Another personal milestone today, I have ridden over 1000 miles on this journey.
I am roughly half way done in miles, not clear if I am half way done time wise, or even mentally. I may never be done mentally, if this trip inspires more adventures in the great outdoors. Let's hope that is the case!