Colorado here we come
As with any extended trip it all comes down to the wire in regards to getting all the necessary gear and logistics squared away. People at work are starting to freak out that I'll be away for over three weeks and everything is now last minute. I've been running around my house trying to organize all my gear and get everything ready (car, bike, clothing, food, etc..).
This is the part I hate about going away. I tire myself out before the trip even begins. Not a good thing to be doing this week seeing as tomorrow night our drive to Colorado starts. The plan is to spend tomorrow night in NJ and then hit the road west. Ideally I would like to be in Colorado Springs for Friday night but everything between NJ and CO is up in the air. We'll see how we do. ('we' being my girlfriend and I).
Once in Colorado Springs we'll make our way west (and then north) to Crested Butte and call one of my favorite towns in the state 'home base' for a few days. I need to acclimate to 9kft+ with some rest, hiking and biking. Looking forward to getting out on the trails of CB. Last time I rode them was back in August of 2003.
The middle of next week will see us venture over to Breckenridge where I will spend the remainder of the month. A couple of days there and then a brief trip over to Denver so my girlfriend can fly home and Dicky and Peter can arrive. Then back to Breckenridge for the 2nd annual Breck Epic.
All I want to do is ride my bike, take some photos and hang out with a bunch of cool people over a mile above sea level. (Oh yeah, and finish the event ahead of Dicky like I did in PA at the start of this summer.) I love Colorado in August and have been looking forward to this trip since I committed to it last August, twelve months ago. I just read this recap from Ester, the first woman to finish the Colorado Trail Race this year. Very captivating read. The beginning of the second paragraph moved me.
I was following the race last week reading about Jesse, Ethan and Jeff going at it for the top positions. Later in the week I started reading about Ester. The conditions this year were very harsh. I have thought about doing this ride/race/whatever you call it. Someday, perhaps, I will do something like that. I know Ohio Robb has been trying to persuade me to get into bike-packing. We will see what the next few years bring me.
Anyway, I got one last mountain bike ride in this past weekend. Tried planning it earlier in the week but things didn't solidify until late Saturday night (sorry, Charlie, for the short notice). Pennwood State Forest. My recently new favorite place to ride within a few short miles from my house.
I met up with the guys I ride with on Wednesdays in Tariffville and we headed south into Pennwood. I usually ride in from the south since I live south of the forest so this was a bit of a change for me. My plan for the day was ride easy and don't put out any hard efforts. Enjoy the ride. I did exactly that. We rode about three hours and did a loop. I only knew of an out and back (the Metacommet hiking trail) but they showed me some new stuff I haven't ridden before. Awesome. Always fun finding new trails.
This is the part I hate about going away. I tire myself out before the trip even begins. Not a good thing to be doing this week seeing as tomorrow night our drive to Colorado starts. The plan is to spend tomorrow night in NJ and then hit the road west. Ideally I would like to be in Colorado Springs for Friday night but everything between NJ and CO is up in the air. We'll see how we do. ('we' being my girlfriend and I).
Once in Colorado Springs we'll make our way west (and then north) to Crested Butte and call one of my favorite towns in the state 'home base' for a few days. I need to acclimate to 9kft+ with some rest, hiking and biking. Looking forward to getting out on the trails of CB. Last time I rode them was back in August of 2003.
The middle of next week will see us venture over to Breckenridge where I will spend the remainder of the month. A couple of days there and then a brief trip over to Denver so my girlfriend can fly home and Dicky and Peter can arrive. Then back to Breckenridge for the 2nd annual Breck Epic.
Am I ready for Breck???
Who knows...
Who cares...
Who cares...
All I want to do is ride my bike, take some photos and hang out with a bunch of cool people over a mile above sea level. (Oh yeah, and finish the event ahead of Dicky like I did in PA at the start of this summer.) I love Colorado in August and have been looking forward to this trip since I committed to it last August, twelve months ago. I just read this recap from Ester, the first woman to finish the Colorado Trail Race this year. Very captivating read. The beginning of the second paragraph moved me.
"He [Matt Lee from Cannondale] said that the people who succeeded were those who thought of the ride as vacation, who got up excited to ride their bikes in the morning because the opportunity wasn't something they got every day."
I was following the race last week reading about Jesse, Ethan and Jeff going at it for the top positions. Later in the week I started reading about Ester. The conditions this year were very harsh. I have thought about doing this ride/race/whatever you call it. Someday, perhaps, I will do something like that. I know Ohio Robb has been trying to persuade me to get into bike-packing. We will see what the next few years bring me.
Anyway, I got one last mountain bike ride in this past weekend. Tried planning it earlier in the week but things didn't solidify until late Saturday night (sorry, Charlie, for the short notice). Pennwood State Forest. My recently new favorite place to ride within a few short miles from my house.
I met up with the guys I ride with on Wednesdays in Tariffville and we headed south into Pennwood. I usually ride in from the south since I live south of the forest so this was a bit of a change for me. My plan for the day was ride easy and don't put out any hard efforts. Enjoy the ride. I did exactly that. We rode about three hours and did a loop. I only knew of an out and back (the Metacommet hiking trail) but they showed me some new stuff I haven't ridden before. Awesome. Always fun finding new trails.
Photo: Glenn
I felt good and only put out one hard effort on a very long climb (forced myself to ride the entire climb seated). All in all, it was a fun morning. Got me thinking of organizing an all day ride in early November where we ride the Metacommet from my house up to Mass and back. I'm estimating it to be around an 8-9hr ride and will plant my Jeep somewhere halfway between my house and Mass for water and food. I've done the ride in two separate stages but not in one entire ride. Something I've been wanting to do. Will think more about that as the next couple months pass.
Guess I should finish packing my gear so I can get it all into my car tomorrow. Next entry will probably be from Colorado. Enjoy!
I felt good and only put out one hard effort on a very long climb (forced myself to ride the entire climb seated). All in all, it was a fun morning. Got me thinking of organizing an all day ride in early November where we ride the Metacommet from my house up to Mass and back. I'm estimating it to be around an 8-9hr ride and will plant my Jeep somewhere halfway between my house and Mass for water and food. I've done the ride in two separate stages but not in one entire ride. Something I've been wanting to do. Will think more about that as the next couple months pass.
Guess I should finish packing my gear so I can get it all into my car tomorrow. Next entry will probably be from Colorado. Enjoy!
posted by dougyfresh at 8:26 PM
2 Comments:
Sounds like a great trip, enjoy!
No worries on Sunday; I was pretty banged up from racing Saturday. I actually was on a different part of the ridge though, Kim, Quinny and I hiked to Hueblein Tower.
Colorado and driving to don't belong in the same sentence. Fly my friend, fly.....
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