GDT Day 21 Aspen Grove to Steamboat Springs

Thura. Aug. 11, 2016

Start - 7750'
High pt  8700'
Lo pt 6650'
End Elv 6700'
Climbing 1500?

Miles 49
Total time 7
Ride time 5:05
Day with BOB 20

Aspens Galore!!!
Aspen groves reign supreme in this corner of beautiful Colorado. They were a consistent companion on the 10 mile climb out of the Little Snake River drainage. Half way through, Hahns Peak comes into view, and is like a sentinel, watching my progress for most of the rest of the day. I topped out the day in quaint little Columbine CO. Stopped in the little store that constitute the whole of the commercial enterprise here, replenished some calories with my first candy bar of the trip in the historic old building that was once the local saloon.

It was a ripping downhill on pavement to the Steamboat Lake turn off, following new roads for me on the west side of the lake. Again, nice country to be riding through. Rejoined the pavement at Clark, and had a break with Andrew and James at the well provisioned  Clark Store/Cafe.

After lunch, it was  a very nice cruise down the paved road, following the Elk River toward Steamboat. Once reaching Steamboat, I rode nearly the whole length of the Yampa River Core Trail along the river; shady, flat, paved, with art and water sports to gaze upon and take my mind off of my 45 mile butt discomfort.

I arrive at Steves place first, with Dennis and Karen a mere 5 minutes behind, and Steve and Tom just another 5 behind them. Seridipity leads to an enjoyable happy hour amongst old friends.

My mind, body and butt recovery begins in earnest!

Breck Break - Bike tolls

One may be curious of what sort of equipment issues I have had so far after the 1000+ miles. Here is the list;

Water bottle and cage disappearus.
My oldest bottlecage  on the BOBfailed, taking the full bottle with it. However, it was on the outside of the BOB and it probably was hitting the ground when I was laying down the bike. I replaced the pair in Helena, and now park the bike standing up.

Trailer tire tube - metal debris flat one day, probably from paved shoulder on US 191 leaving Pinedale. Patched, and then the patch failed the following day. Had to replace tube. Wont use those patxhes again as I have two sets. Bought new spare tube in Lander (Sweetwater day off)

Rear tire cut - small cut, probably from broken glass on paved shoulder outside Rawlins
I monitored, but when I could see the tube, I replaced with spare tire. While I could have boot patched the old tire and used as spare, I bought a new spare in Steamboat. Cheap insurance.

2ndary odometer cable cut. This happened when the front wheel was turned 180 degrees. Tried looking for a new odometer, but eventually just spliced the wires together with electrical tape, in Steamboat. Works fine, even in the rain at Breck.

Saddle bag zipper bustus - Got horked while dorking in with the trailer tire. Bought new one in Lander, mounted it in Steamboat.

Brake Pads - While not worn though and had reasonable life left, replaced with new  spares in Breck. A lot of big passes to finish out the Colorado mountains.

Lube -  I wash the drive train every 4 to 6 days of riding, and re lube chain, derailleur and clip in pedals.

Rear derailleur - Occasional shifting issues, usually better behaved after a clean and lube. Did have to adjust a stop to keep chain on cog set.

GDT - Day 20 - Elk Skull Hunters Camp to Aspen Grove near Tennessee Crk

Wed. Aug. 10, 2016

Start - 7800'
High pt  8300'
Lo pt 6650'
End Elv 7750'
Climbing 2500'

Miles 43
Total time 6:50
Ride time 5:30
Day with BOB 19

Really back in to mountains today, with trees,  friendlier winds, creeks, and their associated drainages to blaze down and grind back out of. The day started with several deep drainages crossing (one called Deep Creek! ) These were challenging after the very rough windy day yesterday,  from which i am apparently still physically tired. Did make it through the wonderful aspen alley section before WY Hwy 70.
Cruising down the hwy (more strong headwinds) was more delicious aspen scenery, before I got below the trees. The route alternative turns and follows the Little Snake River, quickly entering Colorado. This is a pretty and enjoyable stretch along the river, especially now that I am in Colorado( and now that I have a modest tail wind helping me right along). The not so modest 3 Forks Ranch occupies the upper valley for miles before the route enters the national forest and starts climbing. I eventually catch up to Karen and Dennis who are camping in a very nice aspen grove off the road a spell.

I check my flag once back in Colorado and I see that those wild and wily Wyoming winds were none too kind to my old stars and bars.

GDT - Day 19 Rawlins to Elk Skull Hunters Camp

Tues. Aug. 09, 2016

Start - 6750
High pt  approx 7965
Lo pt
End Elv 7400
Climbing > 2000

Miles 47
Total time 9:25
Ride time 7:21
Day with BOB 18
Crossed the Divide, back on Pacific drainage

The wild and wily, wearying Wyoming wind wreaks havoc on my progress as I ride toward my exit of the barren southern WY lands.
Colorado is just a few hours away, and I was  beginning to think that the wind was trying with intent to prevent me from leaving this sparsely populated state, once I had fallen into its web.
I didn't get quite as far today as I fought the nasty head wind for all but a mile today. It was probably blowing 15 to 20 mph steady with 30+ mph gusts. This may be my longest day yet in the saddle.

The big climb was 6 miles of good road and reasonable pitch, but the wind was an active participant in this, turning it into a two hour assault on today's divide crossing at 32 miles in. I am not alone with mantras of what goes up, must go down, and dreamt of a long downhill on the far side to help drive my grinding. Alas, the down hill was short lived, leading to a fair number of creek crossing drainages with tiring climbs out of them into the wind, which would grow with gusto as one near the top.

The topography is starting to change as we approach the Sierra Madre mountains. On the long low tendrils of ridges reaching north there is vegetation, and yeh, even trees.  I do believe I even saw some small snow patches, remnants no doubt of mighty winter cornices on the east facing ridge lines, supplying a bare minimum of moisture to support those early patches of green. There is hope!

Just before camp, a kind fellow from the local hobby ranch came out and offered water and conversation. I enjoy hearing the stories of folks met along the way. We are a large and diverse country, with good folks from all over and all walks of life, each on their own journey interpreting the American way.

TREES!!! I did reach the trees in the last mile or 2 and joined Dennis and Karen in a sheltered camp spot  for a welcome change. They found a well outfitted hunters camp with a resident elk skull as well as Pasquale,  a steer who seemed possessive of the camp as he circled it at evening and night. Karen reported the Pasquale stuck his nose under the fly of her tent and snorted into a window in the middle of the night, which was a wee bit unnerving!

I am in the trees and on the edge of foothills of real mountains again. As I reflect on the 200 plus miles of stark and empty landscapes that is central and southern Wyoming, I can see there is a certain beauty in it's starkness. It is most certainly a land where the birds and the antelopes play still, but few others do. I am afraid that after 250 miles of this, my "Stark Beauty" cup runneth over, and I am anticipating my home state of Colorado with real excitement.

.

GDT - Day 18 A&M to Rawlins

Mon. Aug. 08, 2016

Start - 7250'
High pt  approx 7174'
Lo pt 6500'?
End Elv 6750'
Climbing  1000'?

Miles 58
Total time 6:15 hrs
Ride time 5:21
Day with BOB 17

Crossed Continental divide 1 time to escape the Great Divide Basin 

The emptiness and headwinds continued, at least for the first 15 miles bearing south. Gravel county road was in good condition fortunately. A turn east onto Mineral X Rd was much better wind wise, helping a bit on the 25 miles of empty pavement; I saw but one vehicle in the first 20ish miles ( a UPS truck no less) and no dwellings. Played leap frog with James from Milwaukee along the way. My quiet musing in solitude were quickly replaced by the roar of 18 wheelers and leviathon sized RVs as the route rejoined US 287 for a 6 mile climb to my next divide crosing, followed by a 11 mile windy ride down to Rawlins to meet Dennis and Karen.

After scouting the RV campgrounds (all along I80) and seeing the weather forecast of sustained 30+ mph winds, they decided it was a hotel night to shower, laundry up, resupply, enjoy a restaurant,  and hide from Wyoming's persistent blowing.

Not many pictures today, I could easily recycle earlier ones. Looks like another day or two before regaining both mountains and trees, and what I hope is more mentally entertaining  terrain, winds, and views.

Day 16 Plus - Sweetwater Respite

Given the long milage planned for the next day, and after 2 50 plus mile days with a healthy dose of WY wind, I decided to take a day off at our bucolic Sweetwater Oasis. After traveling slong the Mormon, Oregon, and California trails, I muse that I am appeciating the Sweetwater much like those migrants of long ago.

We also stopped by the Mormon Handcart disaster memorial, where 13 members of the Willy Company perished in a blizzard after starting too late across the great plains pulling hand carts. A faith filled Mormon elder docent added much color (and a little prothelytizing)  to our visit, as did the 150 Mormon youth i. Period gaeb on a pilgrimage to the sacred place. They pull handcart for several days, with limited supplies to relive what those faithful immigrants experienced during that fateful migration.

 
We took a day trip to the Lander area, going through Atlantic City again. There are number of interesting buildings there as well a neighborly political squabble we got to experience via signs and posters (attached below). The first is typical political yard sign, on the left side of the road to boot.
The next 2 are more, errr,  custom signs, on the right side of the road, and political spectrum.
After getting lunch, food and bike parts in Lander, we drove up to Sinks Canyon State Park. Here the Popo Agie river disappears into the mountain side and reappears as a large spring a quarter mile down canyon and 2 hours later, with more water than went in. A very nice canyon overall, should head back there and camp and explore more someday.

GDT Day 17 - Sweetwater to A&M Reservoir

Sun Aug. 08, 2016

Start - 7500?
High pt  
Lo pt
End Elv 7500
Climbing 500'?

Miles 69.3
Total time 8:45
Ride time 7:20
Day with BOB 16
Another divide crossing today

Empty

Empty

Empty Country

that I passed through today. I am like the many others over the decades and centuries that have passed through, though very few stay as there is little hold one here.
No water, no trees, little food, few resources to make a go of it. It is a region to get through, a barrier to overcome, a penance to be done, to reach a better place.

Only saw a few vehicles today; I saw but one dwelling, and even it is only used part time as it is a cow camp. There are no old buildings, sheltering forgone dreams as they decay back into the earth, unlike the other formally populated vales with vast expanses previously seen along the route.

Water - there was but one place to get water today, at Diagnus well, 12 miles into the 69 miles route. Fortunately for me, Dennis and Karen caught up with me right about noon for a refill, food and conversation.

I got an early start (for me) today and glad I did, as the weather called for a chance of t-strorms. I was worried about road conditions if wet as we had stories about gripper clay in parts of the Grest Divide Basin. I dodged a huge and ominous storm, though at first I was not sure if it was heading along my route or more tangentially. It did give me motivation a boost to try to avoid. I thought I had  dodged all of the smaller cells, but got hit less than a mile from camp. Karen said I missed the hail - I think that I took a break in order to not to ride onto that cell.

There are 4 other riders camping at A&M tonight, straggling in after dealing with stprma or dodging them. We fall into the easy conversations of comrades in our adventures. Dennis feeds some while we catch up on today's ride and storms, routes, other days rides, and our personal stories. Meeting folks from all over; tonight have Andrew and James from Milwaukee, Rob from Cleveland, and Alfonso from Mexico City.

After crossing the divide today, I entered the Great Divide Basin. I now have the Continental Divide west, east, north and south of me. While I hope tomorrow I will escape the Basin, no sutface water can (not that it seems to get much, today's storms not withstanding).

Today ride set a some high water marks for me.

Longest mileage day on a mtn bike - ever

Longest mileage and duration day with the BOB