ADVENTURE GRANDPA BICYCLE TOUR OF COLORADO PREPARED FOR BRANDT AND CAMDEN (MY GRANDSONS) June 22-July 1, 2006
June 22 Brent Fisher and I left Houston about 6AM and headed for Wichita Falls where we would join up with Ricky Kyker from Abilene and Roy Longcrier from Wichita Falls. We would spend the night in WF and then proceed to Pagosa Springs for the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. As planned we arrived in WF by about 1PM. June 23 We left WF at 4AM and drove to the Taos, New Mexico area. We stopped along the Rio Grande Gorge for a break and took several pictures. We continued from there to Pagosa Springs and got in around 7PM. We found a motel and crashed for the night. June 24 We got up early and decided to do a 21 mile warm up ride in the mountains. Simply beautiful country. We finished our ride, checked out of the hotel and headed for Pagosa Springs High School to pick up our registration packets for the 7 day 460 mile bike ride. Since we had paid for indoor camping we then set up our air mattresses inside the high school gym. There were 2,200 riders and 300 had indoor camping. The rest were in tents outside or hotels along the way. June 25 We decided to leave around 6:30AM for the start of day 1 ride to Creede, Colorado. Mentally, I had to break the ride down into two rides. The first being a 24 mile climb from Pagosa to the top of Wolf Creek Pass, and the second was the remaining 41 miles to Creede. I was extremely concerned about the climb up Wolf Creek Pass (10,850 feet). The final 8 miles up Wolf Creek was quite steep and labeled the wall. The profile explains it all.
Our first official rest stop at the base of the wall. We traveled about 16 miles from Pagosa to that point. We have now started the climb up the wall. It took me 4.5 hours to get to the summit. One of my favorite pictures about half way up Wolf Creek Pass. Brent took this picture of me standing next to a dead tree overlooking the valley from where we started. Beautiful country all the way up.
A new friend, I met on the way up. Same bike as mine. Lee Ann and her husband are from Denver. June 26 We left Creede at 5:50 AM and it was about 41 F. and the chill factor would drop that to about 34 F. Really cold. Our first rest stop was 18 miles into the ride. I stayed at the rest area for over 30 minutes to warm up my toes and fingers. We would now start our climb up to Spring Creek Pass and Slumgulleon Pass. Slumgulleon would prove to be as difficult in sections as Wolf Creek. We would experience a 50 degree temperature change. To reach the top would be a 23 mile climb, followed by a 13 mile descent. Once we left the rest stop, we started taking off layers of clothes, since it had warmed up considerably. Beautiful scenery down below in the valley. We passed over the Headwaters of the Rio Grande River. The following pictures shows me standing in front of the valley that contains the headwaters. Ricky and I have made the climb to 10,898 feet and the Continental Divide at Spring Creek Pass.
Slumgulleon was next on the list and we made that climb. At 11,530 feet, this was the highest climb that we would make. Brent and Roy are way ahead of us at this point. We are now on the downhill run from the top of Slumgulleon. Lake Cristobal shown on the right. Near the base of the descent and getting close to Lake City.
June 27 According to Brent this would be our easy day and we would ride together and take pictures. He was right about taking pictures, but the heat and the two climbs up to Cerro Summit were not that easy. It was a fun ride and it was the only day that the four of us started together and finished together. Wonderful companions. Some great reflections along the way.
June 28 The ride from Montrose to Telluride would be a killer. The climb out of Montrose would last 36 miles up to the Dallas Divide. Beautiful country, but the climb got quite warm along the way. The San Juan Mountains were in the background all the way up. Wonderful ride and wonderful scenery. We had a 13 mile descent which was a welcome relief to Placerville. From there we had a 16 mile climb into Telluride. The last 7 miles were nasty and the road was narrow with lots of traffic. The scenery never stopped. Absolutely a wonderful day. It took me almost 9 hours to make the 65 miles on my recumbent, including stops. My average riding speed was just under 10 mph for the day. Considering the long, slow climbs, I was quite happy with that average. The geology changed multiple times during the ride.
Telluride was a beautiful site as we rode into the City. June 29 Day off in Telluride We needed a day off. Roy went fishing, Brent and Ricky hung out, went on the Gondola and I went to the Library. Tent city and our home for two days as seen from the Gondola.
June 30 This would prove to be an interesting day. We would have a 16 mile climb out of Telluride to Lizard Head Pass, which would turn out to my favorite 16 miles of the entire ride. I left Telluride at 5:30AM. It was barely light enough to ride. I was able to make the climb to the Pass in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Still stopped at several locations to take pictures. Absolutely beautiful the entire ride up. Out of 2,200 riders, only about 20 riders were on recumbents. Yours truly was one of them. Trout Lake about 2/3 of the way up to Lizard Head Pass. We passed by Mount Wilson and Wilson Peak, on the way to Lizard Head Pass. On the 50 mile descent, we passed through the mining town of Rico.
Doug, Jim, Lee Ann and their two of their friends in Mancos. Brent, Gary (from Baytown), Ricky and Roy in Mancos. July 1 I was able to see Dwight, Reggie and Dwight s Mom at the end of the trip. Dwight and I have been friends for 43 years. Wonderful trip, wonderful friends. At the end of the 7 days, I climbed Wolf Creek Pass, Spring Creek Pass, Slumgulleon Pass, Cerro Summit, Dallas Divide and Lizard Head Pass on my Lightning P38. I met new friends, traveled with three great guys and won the battle of the mountains. Wonderful trip and I will do it again.