Aspen/Snowmass

Ah, Aspen, the land of the hawty tawty. As I understand it, its a place where the rich get kicked out by the even richer. If you can get past that and get past the fact that everything is more expensive there...Gas was over $4.69 for 85 even though back in Denver and even in Leadville it was $3.69 or cheaper...get past that and there are some fine views to see and a nice network of trails.

Camping near Pearl Pass provided excellent views just yards from the tent



The creek near the tent offered a nice white noise to sleep too



Of course, there were some wild flowers to view as well





Sunday morning we drove into Aspen from the Pearl Pass area. Our route was the bike path from Aspen to Snowmass where we connected to the Tom Blake trail>then on to Snowmass Village>The Rim> Lowline> back to Tom Blake> Powerline and finally down the Government Trail. A little over 30 + miles of fun singletrack with a mix from Evergreen to Aspen forest to a more desert like terrain on the Rim Trail.

The Bike Path to Snowmass



Where's Guacamole....somewhere on Tom Blake



Climbing up to the Rim through wild flowers



At the southern tip of the Rim



Further along the Rim





Dropping the final Switchbacks on the Rim



Back to Tom Blake



and finally onto the Government Trail

Basalt Mtn

2 weeks ago Guacamole and I went for a little camping and mtn biking near Aspen. Our 1st stop of the weekend was in El Jebel, CO...a way town between Aspen and Carbondale to camp and ride Basalt Mtn. Nothing was really known to us about the trail system on Basalt but there it was on a map and an adventure was calling.

Camp on Basalt Mtn with Mt Sopris in the background



just down a way from camp



overlooking a garden of Basalt



singletrack up there was tight and narrow and hardly showed signs of use











headed up Red Table Mtn from Basalt Mtn, the views started opening up





Then back down and down the tight and almost disappeared Cattle Creek







At the bottom of Cattle Creek , a few miles of Gravel Road took us back to camp. Just under 30 miles and somewhere along the lines of 6 + hours. I think Gaucamole said we averaged around 3-4 mph. It was a tough ride but definitely had potential to be a fine place to ride.

Sunday took us to Aspen and Snowmass which I'll cover in the next post.

Roadie in the Rain

My ladies have left me for the week, leaving me an empty house and a cat starving for attention. I got home from work yesterday and the afternoon thunderstorms that come with Colorado's Monsoon season were throwing down another 2 packed punch. 15 minutes of Sunshine at 7pm tho, encouraged me to jump on the Podio and hit the road. Within 15 minutes it was pouring again but I didn't care. Remember what it was like to be a kid rolling the roads while it was raining. It was that fun. Add in a 41 mph descent down a wet, busy road to beat the final rays of the sun and you have, insanely fun.

Spikefest '11

Spikefest 2011 was a hit as usual. Kenosha>Breckenridge>Como. A route of 50 or so miles of sublime goodness in the high country of Colorado. I kept my pace slow but unfortunately my endurance is at an all time low and I ended suffering heavily on the climb up Boreas Pass, stopping to throw up a few times and eventually hanging onto someone's car door for the last mile or so of the pass in the rain. It was a demoralizing moment and I sometimes wonder why I keep trying to complete these bigger rides when I just no longer have the time to keep fit for them.

Its the adventure that drives me though. The search for the divine in the wilderness beyond most people's reach. I may never be as fast or go as far as Little E, PBR or Lubes but I live for the next piece of singletrack, the next vista beyond my reach, the next stream to filter my water from. If that doesn't make me a true cyclist, so be it. I'm content in the search for my own adventure.

The Master of Ceremonies, Spike



PBR



Canyonrat



snowdrifts appeared at Treeline



some were a hundred yards long or so



Reven



singletrack goodness on Georgia Pass



and beyond



Lubes and Trent



Hiking the high mountain Swamp



Filtering water at Little French Gulch



Trent and Reven



The ramps of Breckenridge



PBR with the Breckenridge beyond

Somewhere in Georgetown

Two weeks of car shopping + no riding makes a Goat's head hurt. My pride as well. Got out for a much needed siesta from the real world on Monday with Lubes and Guacamole and headed to Georgetown. My original intended loop didn't get done but we did have some fun out there on my favorite interstate escape.


Starting a little over 8,000 ft


snows a melting and the creeks are flowing



Shuttle Bitch



Going for a ride after hike a biking up the mtn



Snowdrifts abound



snow still clings heavily to the peaks above 11,000 ft



Cabin is still intact and a reason to keep the exact route on the down low.



Guacamole on the old waterline route



that's what I call singletrack