Day Ten, July 21st, 2010 (Route: Colorado Springs, CO to Frisco, CO)

Day Ten, July 21st, 2010 (Route: Colorado Springs, CO to Frisco, CO)

Technical Data:
Distance, miles: 121.34
Ride Time: 10:38:27
Average Power, watts: 165
Normalized Power, watts: 191
Average Speed, mph: 11.26

Forecast - Partly cloud with rain 30% in the afternoon with wind out of the North/NorthWest...

Day started extemely early today, woke at 4:45 or so. I went downstairs to start with breakfast as I knew today was going to be a big big day! I started out with a bowl of cereal with blueberries, then finished off the left over fruit salad we had last night for dinner, then I ate eggs and toast Bonnie made for me. Lets just say I was full when I left the table. Jan and Bonnie joined me this morning for breakfast and to see me off.

Jan and Bonnie (aka Martha Stewart) have been a true blessing on this stretch of the trip. I have been eating like crazy and sleeping great and most importantly the conversations have been well worth breaking free from the route! I sure will miss them as if I needed a support team they would definitely be part of it!

Leaving Bonnie's place this morning I knew I had a large task in front of me! Two-Three passes today depending on how I was feeling. It's close to 100 miles to Brekenridge from the Springs along the route so that was my goal destination today, however that included three passes. I was going to make the decision at the last moment depending on how I felt if I was going to climb Hoosier. Right out of the Springs I was climbing - Ute pass heads up through Manitou Springs and into Woodland park. I used to ride this route a lot when I was working with CTS so I was very familiar with the climb, however not towing BoB!

*Note - BoB was pulled around by a Bear at Jan's house early Monday morning...LOL

Heading up Ute pass I was angry with myself for not putting my 12-27 cassette on my bike as I really wish I had the 27 vs. the 25 as the extra weight of BoB was going to be hell! I tried to spin up the pass at a nice comfortable cadence but BoB is just heavy so the cadence was pretty low for the climb. Once off of 24 and into Green Mountain falls I could relax a little as the rollers there allow for a little rest, however once back onto 24 the climb was steady all the way up to Woodland Park, CO. I really didn't have many thoughts this morning as the work of the riding was going to take a lot of concentration today. When climbing I really have to focus on things as I'm not really built for the mountains. The good climbers are lighter than I am, I'm more built for the flats and rollers as I can generate a decent amount of power to push the flats and the weight helps here...

Rolling through Green Mountain Falls, CO I thought about stopping however I wasn't even 20 miles into the climb but I was feeling it! The legs were feeling pretty good, however I was just tired - usually the first day back is tough as I need to get back into my rythem of things. Climbing out of Woodland, Park I had to stop and take a few pictures of Pikes Peak from the North as its a site to see! Stopped for water in Woodland, Park and really was craving something hot as I'm not in Kansas any more. The cool temperatues of the Mountains are upon me so that means its going to be cool in the morning and cold at night - and I don't have a sleeping bag. This was planned as its a little too bulky, it is a nice bag however its the middle of the Summer and I thought I'll do what I do when I speed hike, travel light with a sheet and my single person tent that I treat as a bivy sac. The heat I'll be generating with my metabolism running 100% of the time at a higher rate than normal will fill the sac with heat and keep me warm. The plan has worked in the past and I don't see why it won't this time. As I sit and type this right now, I'm running on battery and in my sac and its hot in here - thinking about getting out for a while as I don't want to be bathing in condensation all night.

Once out of Woodland Park, CO climbed up to Divide and stopped again as I really have been staying up on my hydration as I had to go to the bathroom yet again! It took me 2:30 hours to like with BoB up to Woodland Park and this is slow compared to what I used to do it with out my new companion.

My thoughts were all over the place this morning climbing up to Divide, I was having a rough day. The legs wouldn't respond like I wish they would have and my overall attitude sucked! I was in a valley and needed an updraft to put me back on the top of my positive attitude I usually have but something just wasn't feeling right. I think its the fact that Woodland Park, CO is 8500 feet and it only gets higher from there so I think the altitude was having a small affect on me today. I know it wasn't water or nutrition as I was stuffed and I was having to go pee every ten miles it seemed like...

I continued to push on towards the next pass I was going to have to climb, Wilkerson is a nice long sustained grade of 4-7% depending on where you are on it. It's actually a real boring climb to be honest. Climbing into a strong head wind really started to get to me today, I really wanted to throw in the towel once on top of Wilkerson and just camp out, however I was only about 50 miles into my journey and I really would like to aveage 100 miles per day I ride, of course that's not including recovery days, with recovery rides. I'm still enjoying myself and in order to get my trip finished before the winter months doing 100 miles a day or +/- 10 miles will have to do.

I did have one outstanding moment today though heading out to Wilkerson Pass that made me smile for a couple hours afterwards, man it is so hard to remember the day after 10 hours of riding!

Heading west bound on 24 a white quarter horse took off for a run and it was beautiful. I didn't have the legs to race nor did I want to as I was in the middle of my ride and burning a candle now would make those last miles of the day miserable. Just imagine this...

Riding in the mountains, peaks to your 9 o'clock, open pastures to your 3. Horses grazing, cattle too. Bright blue skies scattered with large white fluffy clouds and some dark ones off in the distance. Smell of pine lingers in the air, wind blowing directly into your face as you can barely hear yourself think. Turning back to your right you see a white horse take off running for the farm house, sprinting as if in the Kentucky Derby. Head raised, tail raised, mann blowing in the wind. Then she stops and turns and looks directly at you looking for praise...beautiful beautiful day!

Back on top of Wilkerson pass I was looking forward to the decent as I had done a lot of work to this point and just one more pass to go if I want to avoid passes for tomorrow. Once down Wilkerson I was on a nice prairie, however not a flat one, well flat compared to what I just climbed. This section was brutal though - the head wind down was stronger than ever and I got no break what so ever during this entire section. Once into Harstal I grabbed some more water and thought boy this day is hard! After exiting the store I just stood there, a couple was there John and Jean (I think) and I'm usually very talkative at the get go but today I was tired. I did make conversation with them and they were really nice people, little iron though as they were down in the Springs over the last couple days too, they were now headied back to Buena Vista where they reside. I passed my blog onto them so I hope they enjoy...

70 miles in now and I was looking forward to getting to Fairplay then Alma and decided on what to do from there. I would say that I was having a tough day today, I just keep thinking where is a flat section so i can spin the legs out...

Tired, hungry, and thristy I roll into Fairplay and refill bottles, use the restroom and grab some of the honey they have in small packets and down those right away for a little quick energy. Its now 6 miles to Alma and 24 to Breckenridge, however there is a solid 4 mile climb that stands in the way as well. I was really thinking about calling it a day, I've been on bike already for 8 or so hours and I'm tired! The headwind and climbing takes a lot out of you and that head wind really slows things down.

Cruising out of Alma I decide to push on, passing up a perfect campsite there in Alma by the Platt River I believe. So I push onto the climb up Hoosier Pass. It's a four mile grind and its not exactly easy, the grade is pretty steep - I'll have to look this up soon! I got lucky as this climb has no shoulders, ended up they were doing road construction with flagmen so I got ride on the others side of the cones completely out of traffic for close to 2 miles then I timed the traffic so I could minimize my exposure. This climb was a grind and I really would like to do it again without BoB as the decent was fast and twisty - though Bob did get to go close to 45 mph on this decent. I'm certain in a few areas on this decent I could hit 60+. Once into Breckenridge I stopped and asked about a campsite and nothing. I'm new to "Breck" as everyone appears to call it, I decided to push on to Frisco as they have a resevor and I wouldn't have to put up with the noice in Breckenridge - I was sitting at close to 110 miles and to Frisco was mostly down hill so I was game!
Into Frisco I was starving so I pulled into this local park to eat - then a gal came by and I politely asked about camping and she said to just camp down by the water so that's what I'm doing right now. I need to crash as it has been a 10:38 minute ride - all into the wind and mostly uphill except once on the summit of Hoosier as you drop elevation very quickly off the North side....

(Break in the action - feel asleep right after I gave Captain an update on the day)

Bright and early here in Frisco and it is beautiful here!!!!!

Before I get to the morning I wanted to finish up yesterday! The climb up Hoosier was "Hard" with BoB and I'm starting to think what I can get rid of - I'm still making great time on however the quads have been screaming at me. The road up the South side of Hoosier is narrow with no shoulder - I was extremely lucky as they were doing construction on this section and had a flagman on onside - they just told me to ride on the side the traffic wasn't on and it was the freshest black pavement! (As Kit said last week - it was like black velvet!) Four mile climb to the summit and I was home free - another 100 mile day and I would be pleased not to mention once on the other side of the peak I hoped to be sheltered out of the wind. Once on top I stopped to take a few photos for my scrap book and then start the decent. I think I mentioned last night the decent was a fun one!

Camping last night was interesting! I road the bike path into a camp site - read the sign $17 dollars for a site plust $5 for electric, then I continued to read and "NO WATER". Okay please someone explain to me why someone would pay $22 bucks for a camp site with no water - that's pretty damn steep and the camp grounds were not like some I have scene before in Arkansas - you can actually tell were the money goes. So I decided to do what I normally do when I camp - wing it and save the cash. Hiding a car is much harder then hiding a bike so I knew this was going to be an easy into the bush and set up camp. AFter stashing my food high in a tree I was set to start typing in the small tent (GoLite One) that I brought. For those that are not familiar with one man tents there is not much room - just enough room to lay down with your face untouched by the tent. I like this setup when traveling alone as the weight saved from my other tent is well noted.

To sleep I go and I think its between 9-10PM Mountain time and I pass right out! The night is full of waking up as the sleeping pad I patched is not holding air - think its time to get a new one. My thoughts expressed last night about my sleeping bag was spot on however I forgot that I usually have a beanie and some thermal socks, so I was waking up cold a lot today. So I'm second guessing myself right now about bring the sleeping bag - I'll see how a few more nights go as it wasn't too bad, just the hours of 3:30-5AM.

Sleeping outside I really enjoy more than sleeping any where else as I enjoy the peacefulness of nature, the cold fresh mountain air (of course when I'm not freezing), and the sites you get when you wake up! This morning when I awoke, pearing into the sky was "Amazing"!!! The jet black sky was pierced with diamonds this morning and the moon was perfect. Falling asleep gazing at the stars and then waking not knowing where you are, then it hits you...

Earlier this morning I heard some branches cracking in the distance, I thought there for a second this could be something going after my food, but didn't think much about it as I really couldn't do something if there was a bear there already. I had some tastey snacks with me and although I didn't want to part with them I wasn't going to wrestle a bear now or any other time for that matter, so I feel back asleep. As I lay there I thought I put my food in the wrong spot positioned to my camp - the beat would have to go past my tent to get to the food as the lake was on the otherside of the food so I'll have to note that in the future, however is one ever really thinking clearly after a huge workout day?

Once up I was ready to get to a coffee shop and warm up, I decided this morning that I would take the morning and write as the weather will allow me to ride in the afternoons vs. try and get the riding done in the AM. The biological diverstiy and ecological differences from Kansas to Colorado are so different leading to different weather patterns which I would love to write about in the future.

This morning though I did take a few minutes to enjoy the sunrise although I prefer sunsets much better! To me its not the sun that is amazing in the morning its what the light hits and how it hits it. For instance the "Alpenglow" this morning was amazing!

Put yourself in the moment for just a bit -

Sunrising on the peaks to the East - to the West are these lush slopes of alpine timber and aspens. As the sun rises, light rays peirce the fresh untaunted morning air. UV rays traveling at the speed of light crash into the mountain slopes to the west, purple haze appears, truly a site to see once you wake! Lake surrounded by mountain pine, ducks and geese feeding on the pond, runners, bikers running the trails. Time for a new day, another day to get stronger and explore the world...
After tearing down camp I decide I'm going to head to a coffee shop and finish writing and charge my electronics and warm up a bit before I venture on. It's tough leaving this state as when I was riding over to the coffee shop I just wanted to take pictures as I love to do so...I'm a much better photographer than writer...

Once to start bucks the thoughts start to trigger this morning. Sitting here watching the lines of people flock in for their morning dose of caffeine to help them wake for the day. The eyes sleepy, yawns in abundance, and tired minds just trying to find the reason why they are up. First stop before heading to work for some, others just here to enjoy the music and get out of the house. Me on the other hand just soaking up the climate controlled air, wash my hands, change into my cycling kit and head on my way. I did have someone grab me a cup of hot water so I could make my hot chocolate I had with me this morning! Getting by on next to nothing is liberating and its a fun challenge!

As a hopeless romantic I was thinking the following this morning:
Sitting on a colorful quilt on the sandy beach next to the pond, cup of steaming hot carmel apple cider in hand, not the instant kind, freshly brewed cider that has been sitting for hours soaking in the cinnamon. Sun still not over the peak, air is full of pine and wild flower smells, chatter from the tree tops as the squirrels and chipmunks are stirring about. Just being waiting for the first rays to hit the peaks...only thing missing was that special young lady I have always dreamt about. Holding her in my arms as I keep her warm on the outside as her cider warms her on the in. Sharing a moment of time in the mountains with someone I love is just a day away - to sit and smell her hair, touch her soft gentle skin, and feel her warmth....