I'm going to miss the big climbs.
Today's climb over Monarch pass - 11300 feet - was the last good long climb till we get to Vermont.
Don't know why I like the long multi-mile climbs ... Maybe because it's meditative to just settle in to a low gear and crank up a mountain. Rhythmical. Usually beautiful scenery. Mentally challenging - acknowledging that your legs are tired but keep going anyway and thinking about your pedal stroke and keeping a steady cadence. You know you've done something most won't even try and it's a big rush to look back down the valley at how far you've come. It's fun to talk to normal people at the top who come over to confirm that you did actually ride that bike up the pass... and then they pass you on the way down with a big wave and thumbs up.
Today started out on the right foot ... With a proper cup of coffee. Not easy to get out here where instant rules. Yuck.
So properly caffeinated, we headed east towards the Pass. The first 35 miles of our ride were all a gradual climb as we'll followed the Gunnison River up a beautiful green valley towards the higher peaks.
On the way we saw a herd of big horn sheep hanging out in a pasture with some llamas. I assume the llamas were part of the ranch and the sheep were crashing. The big male sheep with the curving horns was standing and watching all of us carefully, while his ladies lounged on the grass oblivious.
The 9 mile climb wound up a valley and then up the side of the mountain that had been blasted into just enough room for a road. A thousand foot drop on the right with narrow shoulders ... This was not a climb for those with a fear of heights.
The river ran below and you could still hear it as we climbed higher. I watched my garmin ticking off the elevation - we climbed over 3500 feet in 9 miles.
The air is noticeably thinner after 8 or 9000 feet. I have a good tolerance for high altitude, but I found that when I would take a drink from my water bottle just disrupting the rhythm of my breathing left me gasping to recover enough air to sustain the climbing. Passed by several riders and gave them all the positive words - looking really strong, we're almost there, took a photo of them as I passed to document their climb.
The summit had all the tourist trappings we could desire, complete with T-shirts that said I made it to the summit of Monarch pass on a bike, a Gondola you could take to the mountain summit for great views (of course I went), and a fudge shop. Yep had some fudge, too.
The down hill was great. Fast but not so fast you had to ride your brakes to stay in control, unbelievable views and downhill all the way into town.
I met up with Marilyn on the way down and rode in with her. She was a willing accomplice for a pit stop by an ice cream stand recommended by a rider from an earlier trip (very tasty chocolate malt which I also justify serves as my chocolate milk-like recover drink) and further down the road a little wine tasting.
When we rolled into the hotel we we're greeted by four very cute little girls with a lemonade stand. They were making a killing at $.75 a cup. But I don't mind ... Go girl entrepreneurs.
Tonight we wandered around the town of Salida (pronounced Sal eye da). Very cute town with the river running through it, lots of shops, pubs - it's clearly an destination/resort area that draws outdoorsy crowds.
A great day. 66 miles ridden, approx 4500 elevation
Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016!!
10 years ago
