Cycling out of Leadville was like
leaving home. The morning’s route took me near the mountains base, before
turning South skirting ridges above the Arkansas River valley. The cycling was
easier than in days past, the day’s rest has done me well. For the next two
days the Colorado Trail followed Ponderosa Pine ridges and sagebrush lowlands. It
was pleasant, but I wished for the rugged mountain scenery along the West
Collegiate route. Another cycling detour took me into Buena Vista where I had
my bike tuned-up, did laundry and stocked up on food for the long push to
Silverton. The next few days there was a possibility of rain and each afternoon
it became a reality. Each time I waited out the rain shower underneath the
boughs of a Ponderosa Pine or outhouse eaves. Passing South of Hwy 50 I cycled
into the firs and spruces along the Fosses Creek. After the dry ridges, the
moisture of the forest was entrancing. As entrancing as the last few miles up to
Monarch Ridge was exhausting!
Descending to Marshall Pass I stalled for a
while, before making the difficult decision to take a long detour into Salida.
My rear hub began making disconcerting noises yesterday and has been getting worse. Having called my brother Mark to consult
about mechanics, it was too great a risk to travel the remote two hundred miles
to Silverton with the possibility that a mechanical issue might make the
difficult route harder. Descending three thousand feet in twenty-five miles was
glorious, except knowing the route would be repeated the hard way returning to
the trail. In Poncha Springs I had a wonderful brew at Elevation Beer Co.
before heading to Absolute Bikes. Being a bit buzzed helped when the mechanic
pronounced my rear hub was toast. So, I packed my things into a box and headed
across town to the Simple Hostel, to await a replacement hub. The hostel was
packed with thru hikers and after securing a room I walked downtown for pizza. The
next three days were spent waiting, eating, and enduring watching other
adventurers pack up to return to the Trail. When I got the call three days
later I eagerly rushed out of town, pushing hard into the darkness up Marshall
Pass.
The
next day my legs were tired from last night’s physical effort, but it was great
to be back on the Trail! Atop Sargents Mesa I visited a touching backcountry
memorial to the fallen soldiers of Indochina. Along the Mesa I caught glimpses
of the San Luis Valley below. Towards day’s end three short steep climbs sapped
strength and energy I no longer had. This Trail is tough! The following day was
spent riding dirt roads along the La Garita Wilderness bicycle detour. With big
storm clouds looming, it was inevitable that today would be a wet one, and I
took refuge multiple times under tree branches. After a long climb up Los Pinos
Pass, I was rewarded with close-up views of the incredible rock cliffs along
Cebola Creek. What goes down, must go up; and so the climb up Spring Creek Pass
began, accompanied by heavy rain. A short break in the cloud cover revealed
mountain peaks dusted with snow. I was forced by darkness to make camp in a wet
grassy meadow with temps hovering near freezing. In the morning I awoke to find
the night’s rain had frozen on my tarp. Braving the cold, I cycled up into the
sun and was soon embraced by the incredible San Juan Mountains.
