Mr. weatherman was making predictions left and right that it was going to be a rainy day throughout Colorado, at least the central portions of the state. Indeed, he would be correct today....
...another start knowing that I had to be up and going down Independence Pass (elev. 12, 095') before or close to high noon to avoid a repeat of yesterday's attempted summit.
...it was 26 miles of gradual uphill cycling. the temp. - 44 degrees....another stiff headwind....and a steady drizzle.....all i could do was sigh, click into the pedals and count down the miles unitl I reached Twin Lakes and hope for a break in the clouds. i followed the arkansas river on rt. 50 for 20 miles and then off i went on route 82 which eventually goes all the way back to glenwood springs. my goal for the day was to land in Aspen which lay at the base of Independence Pass on the flip side.....figured i'd save teh 45 miles of rio grande bike route for the following day....
....my legs, sapped of any life, could not find a rhythm today. the short, sporadic hills on way to Twin Lakes failed encouragement. i had no idea how long a climb to the summit, but i sure hoping for better luck. at least it was paved the entire way.....
....rain started to pick up the higher up into the mountains i meandered. for 15-20 miles i failed to find a rhythm while pedaling beneath half visible mountains that topped out well of the 14,000' marker....i felt like I was back in juneau, AK.....last september when I was there the weather was identical to this.....cold, damp, steady rain, slight wind, towering mountains half visible.....cars would fly by spattering me with cold, cold puddle water......not even five miles into the climb I was already soaked through and through.....little time or interest in stopping to smell the roses today....my hands were half numb, feet about 3/4 numb....the rain, relentless and cold.....i pushed the pedal faster and harder hoping to generate enough body heat to keep my extremities warm.....it worked great actually....seeing how drenched and soaked i was my hands and feet felt, overall, comfortable.....i knew my gear was dry as a desert, nestled and safe and sound in the b.o.b. trailer bag.....my only goal today was to summit Independence Pass.....the road was long and winding though and cold rain and wind continued to increase in intensity....finally, after hours of struggling up and down twisting, turning road the road took a verged to the left and than took a hairpin turn straight up the mountain.....i stopped. had no choice....i could only gaze in wild wonder as i saw cars high above me....the size of ants....the rain, pattering down and covering my skyward gaze....this is where the true test would begin.....i had no idea how long this climb was going to be, but the miles weren't getting any shorter by sitting around...soaked to the bone.....
....up i went for two hours....using mind games to help with my slow progress....i'd pick an object on the side of the road about 25 meters or so infront of me and pretend that was the 'summit'...once i passed it I'd glance up and pick a new object....it was the only way I'd make it. after going up two long and trying switchbacks there was silence. not a car in sight....the rain had ceased to fall....i was entering a cloud....my pounding heart and my heavy pants the only noticeable noise. eerie it was. i clicked back in the pedals and the next thing i knew i was wiping falling snow from my eyes. for the remainder of the climb I'd not only be competing with 8% grade road but blizzard like conditions. the views, incredible. i'd have given anything to snap some pictures, but knowing it'd waste too much effort to stop and dig camera out of b.o.b. trailer bag i kept on trudging up the hill.....the body heat i had been generating was just as priceless as the panoramic rocky mtn views....body heat, the only thing keeping me warm and progressing forward....if i stopped the sweat would surely do me in. switchback after switchback...higher and higher...how much higher? the snow was falling so much and surroundings were so white i could barely see where the top of the mountain was...if there was a top.....then, out of the white i saw several parked cars and an RV....a small ranger hut (in much need of a paint job) were parked....that had to be the top. i shifted my gaze around and saw the sign....the sacred sign stating this was, indeed, the summit.....i leaned my bike against the ranger hut and sat down on the ground to catch a breath or two.....i had made it....god damn it i made it....through pouring rain and blizzard like snow i had made it to the top.....this climb for me was the most satisfying climb ever....even more than when i bike thru rocky mtn national park at similar elevations......an English fellow from an RV then offered the kind gesture of snapping a couple pics of me next to the sign....as i was getting ready to descend down to Aspen i noticed a young couple get out of the car and rejoice near the same sign i had just been....happy to have made it to the top in their car....as i went by unnoticed all i could do was grin that they had no idea what i had just gone through to get to the top....
...as i ate my fill of lunch in Aspen i pondered whether or not to just push for Glenwood Springs...it'd cut trip short by a day...but it'd be nice to get back to car and maybe drive back home to wyoming.....it was 1:30pm.....plenty of time for 45 miles....weather looked pretty good...mostly cloudly in the low 50's.....
....the rio grande trail has been a goal of mine to bike for some time now....so this was the icing on the cake for me.....of course, sometimes the icing goes bad and i should have known that the rain would follow me the rest of the day.....about mile post 38 the sky rolled to black and the rain began to fall....relentlessly. i thought i had it bad while climbing up independence pass, but this was a different level of rainfall. i took shelter under a bush and figured i'd wait it out.....when the bush provided no shelter i concluded that if i was going to get wet i might as well be slicing through the middle of the storm and getting closer to my car rather than getting wet under a bush. with all the fury and frustration inside of me i pounded out the miles down the rio grande bicycle route. i plowed straight into and through the dark clouds of rain. high water covering most of the trail splattering everywhere when i came crashing through. my glasses useless sat at the tip of my nose...my blind eyes following the outline of trail....with everything soaked the headwind started to kick in and caused the worst of chills....i pedaled faster and harder. miles 35 - 15 seemed to crawl by despite the all out effort. i was about to stop and change into dry clothes once the rain let up, but right when i slowed to do so it started to torrential down pour again.....off down the trail i went again...all out effort to reach my car.....
....i reached the parking lot, eventually, a light, steady rain falling....my clothes, unable to hold anymore water hung heavy off my chilled body. my car, still there. right where i left it! i checked the time. it was 3:45pm! damn....that means i biked the 45 miles from aspen to glenwood springs in 2 hrs 15 minutes...that time including hiding under a bush and repacking my gear several times......ha....somehow i managed to avg over 20mph while fighting a headwind, towing a b.o.b. trailer, having my clothes soaked with water, and half the trail seeming to be under water.....all of that after having spent first of day biking up independence pass.....never thought i'd end day such...but i did and had no regrets.....
...i took apart my gear, not caring about the mud covering every square inch and went looking for food......
As always we are amazed by your courage and strength both physically and spiritually. We are glad you are safe. And we are sure that you will cherish many parts of this trip, both easy and difficult.
ReplyDeleteLove as always from the hollow