back in the saddle again

[ilanarama]

It's been unbelievably gorgeous here - in the 60s or maybe even the 70s - so this afternoon I went for a bike ride. Except that I tend to forget that it's still, technically, winter. Which is why I decided to ride up Junction Creek, which is a road that heads out of town and then turns to dirt as it enters the National Forest. I don't think it actually goes anywhere, but it climbs to some nice views, and there's an overlook I have tried once before to get to and didn't make it then, either.

Emphasis on the either, here. Just past the NF boundary the road was closed (to cars), but I rode around the gate, of course. Then I started hitting the snow. I think I did a dozen portages over the course of what I will guess was three (steep, uphill) miles. It was still fun - it was lovely! But what a trip to be sweating and hot in a sportsbra and bike shorts, the sun beating down, and have to hike across a snowbank. Man, I love Colorado.

Anyway, I finally turned around when I hit a stretch on the north side of the mountain that was deep snow for as far as I could see. But just before that I got a great view of the LaPlatas and the backside of Perins Peak, all streaked with snow. And I got covered with mud on the way down. But damn, it was fun.

Comments

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I know a couple people who live in Colorado, and I never hear bad things about it. Man, this sounded like such a nice trip! Thanks for sharing the description of it! :)

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

Hee, we always tell people bad things because we don't want them to move here and make it crowded. You know, the eight-months-of-winter thing, the can't-find-a-decent-coffee thing, and so on.

Although I should warn you that if you come to Colorado you will have a hard time finding vegetarian food outside the cities and the resort towns. My youngest brother is a vegetarian and when he came out to visit and we were in Kremmling, a rural town that caters mostly to hunters and river rafters as far as tourism goes, when he asked about vegetarian food at this one restaurant the waitress said, "Well, we have chicken." He ended up eating from the salad bar and being rather unhappy.

However, here in hip and healthy Durango you wouldn't have a problem!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Hee, we always tell people bad things because we don't want them to move here and make it crowded.

Funny, but we used to do the same thing here in Northern CA... now we don't have to! The evening news does it for us. :p

...waitress said, "Well, we have chicken."

Hee! That's too funny! But I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

[backupdancer.livejournal.com]

That's why I love it here too....Durango especially. Yay for colorado! I love going up Junction Creek too...I've never ridden but just going to secluded spots away from people and just chilling is awesome.

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

Yay, another Durangotang! I saw lots of people just hiking up the road - since it was closed to cars it was really a pleasant experience, and I guess the section of the Colorado Trail it goes by was really snowed in. I don't know when they open it up but until then it's such a nice place to go.

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

I love bike rides that result in getting covered with mud. What a great trip- glad the weather was so nice. One of these days, I am going to see Colorado for myself. I've heard too many great things about it to not venture in.

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we're really enjoying this warm spring, although it's not doing much good to the mountain snowpack. The West is still in a drought and we really need a good raging snowstorm, followed by a cool, cloudy spell. But that's not as much fun, of course.

You should visit! Come to Durango and I'll be your tour guide. There is a lot to do here and your girls will have fun. (And you can see my kitchen remodel!)