Photos and text copyright Romping and Rolling in the Rockies 2009-2017.

All photographs and text within this blog are copyrighted.

You may not copy or repost any photos or text without specific permission from the author of this blog. When in doubt, please ask.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

A Mountain Biking Adventure in the Alpine Zone

Almost every summer, I do a couple of point-to-point rides high in the San Juan mountains of Colorado. We plan them out so that the Runner drives the LabMobile into a fairly inaccessible place where we'll camp. At the same time, I ride trails to meet him there. It serves two purposes. It means that my poor spine doesn't have to endure a bumpy jeep road, and I get the gift of a long mountain bike ride across beautiful terrain.

It seems as if the whole region is very high. My ride started at an elevation over 10,000'. The beginning of the ride was through reddish soil on a ribbon-like trail cut into mountainside. The vegetation was glowing with an autumn gold.
This year, unfortunately, I started my ride at about the same time as a group of inexperienced mountain biking guys. They felt that they *had* to outride me (a female on a bike - let's crush her!) but they didn't have the skills or fitness to do it. It meant that I spent the first hour being chased down by a testosterone-driven guy, then he'd have to stop to rest so I'd pass him, and then he or one of his buddies would repeat the whole thing all over again.

It took me about an hour to leave them behind me for good, just as I was getting above treeline and discovering that there were still a few flowers left!

I dropped my bike to enjoy the wildlflower meadow. I was like heaven on earth even if the flowers were nearing the wilting point.

My favorites are the crimson paintbrush. I love their vibrant color.

When I'm above treeline, I always am scanning for potential thunderstorms. The forecast said that the odds of one were low... but of course, some clouds began to concern me when I was in the very long exposed stretch of this ride.

Thanks to those clouds, I worked hard to reach the high point of the ride quickly. I adore this high mountain pass. Behind me, I can see the mountains that I just rode across. Ahead of me, I see the mountains that I'm about to pedal through!

The descent from that pass is steep but easily ridden. However, I usually dilly dally looking at a hillside full of wildflowers. This particular hillside had no flowers left for me so late in the summer. Ah well - the views were still beautiful.
A sharp hairpin turn was just ahead of me, leading to that lower trail segment in the left of the photo
Down a little lower, the autumn colors were unfolding, painting the hillside a subtle gold.

And, to my utter delight, I found one Columbine still blooming. I stopped to enjoy its beauty. I thought that it might be my last columbine until next summer. I was wrong but I still loved seeing it!.
After descending from the highest point on the route, I traversed a long section of trail in the forest that climbed in and out of drainages containing creeks of rushing water. It's usually a kind of riding that slows me and makes me start to lose my confidence.

Not this year! I have a "new" bike with a very smooth suspension and wide tires. My internal monologue included "my bike eats rocks for breakfast!". That monologue was meant to keep me riding with confidence even in this technically challenging part of the route.

It worked! Much sooner than expected, I popped out of the forest into the huge open area that signals that I'm getting close to camp. The trail ahead of me pointed at the "Lizard Head" mountain range.

I pedaled happily on the curvy trail that took me through the meadow. I marveled that, even though I'd been riding for a long time, I still felt great. Yay!

I arrived at camp about an hour faster than ever before on this route. That wasn't a total surprise. I worked hard this summer building up my endurance and strength, finally feeling a tiny bit of confidence in my physical capabilities despite my "messed up" spine.
Of course, as I mentioned two days ago, my messed up spine has made itself known again. However, it was fun having a period of time this summer when I felt almost like I did in the summers before my spine pain was so bad.

What a gift this ride was! I loved every moment of it.

24 comments:

  1. That's wonderful - so glad you had that beautiful experience! Annoying about the competitive guys :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hari OM
    I experience drivers like that... I am a huge advocate of slow(er) and steady(ier) gets one there in plenty time!!! Glad you had such a great ride apart from the idiots. YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am glad you had a nearly pain-free ride! Too funny (and typical!) about the guys trying to out-bike you! I am sure they never mentioned seeing you when they got back from their ride ;-) LOL!

    What type of bike do you ride?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, those guys were "typical". I've run into this many times over a lifetime of being a bike rider. If the guys are at all faster than me, I take a break and let them get ahead so I don't have to deal with them. Alas, they were too slow for that this time.

      My bike is a Specialized Rhyme 6Fattie. It has 3" wide tires and 150 mm of travel in the suspension. It's transformed my riding, making me so much more confident in very rocky or otherwise difficult terrain.

      Delete
  4. I have to laugh at the guys you ran into and wish you had been able to catch a picture of them gasping for air after trying to chase you down. What a beautiful and eventually peaceful ride you had. Thanks for taking us along.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bravo!!! I dying to know where that trial is, hoping it's in "our neighborhood." I thought at first it might be in the CB area, then you mentioned L H. :). Feel free to email me...but if you are like me, you like to keep your "stash" secret. I understand, completely.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That was quite the adventure and such terrific sights along the way too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a picturesque bike ride - even if there were crazed mountain bikers trying to best you.
    Mom has encountered pizza lines at Pepe's, Sally's and Modern Apizza - all located in New Haven.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pepe's was where we used to go! I couldn't remember the name but you reminded me. Wow, what a blast from the past!

      Delete
  8. You are an amazing woman. Thank you for sharing these fantastic photos and for showing up the men

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a lovely ride...and I too had a giggle at the thought of you passing all those "tough guys"! You GO girl!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What an incredible journey. Thank you for taking me along. I just mentioned to my husband that we need to try to bike again. Perhaps it will help my knees and it is such a free feeling. I only dream of riding where you rode.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those narrow trails on the slopes, I would be so scared I would skid off and go down the hill. A new bike, is it custom made for you? Looks very sturdy, and what a great place to be right now, enjoying those last days with golden and coloured flowers so high.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a grreat ride! We're glad you got to have such a nice time -- and show up those boys on bikes, BOL!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hopefully your spine will behave and let you have many more incredible adventures like this one. We like that crimson paintbrush too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Some people have to turn everything into a competition...even when it's not. They miss so much not looking around.

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a great bike ride through such stunning scenery. Those guys seem to be so typical and I'm glad that you could finally leave them behind. I applaud your strength and endurance - I couldn't do what you do. Thank you for taking me along and so glad that you could have this pain free good time.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your photos! What a great "gym." (Oh, boys and their testosterone. Sheesh.)

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a beautiful bike ride! Glad it wasn't ruined by the idiots with testosterone poisoning!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ugh. That would have really irked me. It’s bad enough just hiking and having people pass me then stop and I have to pass them. Sounds like a great ride other than that!

    ReplyDelete
  19. That ride seems the very definition of freedom. What a lovely thing to challenge oneself and win yet again. Hope your back eases off sooner rather than later.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This was a fun ride you took us on. I will admit to loving the scenery and just feel strong and happy looking at it all. Do you ever see animals up that high? Glad you enjoyed yourself and bet the Runner and Pups were happy to see you roll in! Cheers, Jo and the late Stella

    ReplyDelete
  21. Glad you left the testosterone filled cretins in your dust.

    ReplyDelete

If you are a Blogger registered user, you can skip the step asking you to verify that you are not a spammer. For posts older than 5 days, I have comment moderation turned on.

Thanks for your comments!!!!!