Foothills of the Contenital Divide

WEDNESDAY

I scored a lovely house sitting gig through Labor Day Weekend. And this place is absolutely magical in every way , shape , and form. My duties include watering and feeding all the live stock , irrigating the gardens as they grow their own food , and making sure that The Cat is spoiled and content. My Ideal Job

After fulfilling my chores upon arrival, time to get rowdy, off on the 575 I rode. Had planed on about an hour and a half or so ride.

These trails are beyond dry and dusty but I didn't mind. What did hurt was the 1,800ft/548meters of climbing right out of the gate. LITERALLY, out of the gate. The trail head is just past a residential neighborhood and through a large green cattle gate. Let The Single Track Navigating Begin

I did end up a little lost but nothing to panic about. I could see the cosy little town down below so I knew that if I continued following the sun I would eventually find my way back home. Overall, a beautiful 2 hr 38 min loop. Just Shy Of 2,500ft/762m Climbing For The Day

The Milky Way, millions and millions of our ancestors have stared straight up into the night sky and identified these same gas light formations projected by billions of galaxies. Those folks that migrated across the Bering Strait, they recognized that same gas filled sky line. That night, while I sat on my bike outside of a pizza joint listening to a local band jazz up cover tunes, I gazed up to enjoy that same beautiful moonless Milky Way Galaxy. Shooting Stars??? U Know It

THURSDAY

Turned myself inside & out. This climb hits double digit percentages on the steepness front. It Phuc-N Hurt!! I succumbed to the pain and stopped twice in the last .5 of a mile before the top. I didn't walk the 14% grade, only stopped, wiped sweat from my eyes, took on some fuel, and then rode to the obligatory signage photo opportunity. Talk about burning quads under thin air conditions. Yikes!! Ended up riding 33.32 miles , concurred 2,971ft/905meters of climbing , top speed on the decent of 48.7mph/78.38kmh into a headwind of course , and recording 2 hr 30min 27seconds in the saddle. Moving Time That Is

Numerous birds chirped from the thick lush roadside brush , Wild Perennial Silver Lupine , Desert Mule's Ear , Ballad Head Sandwort , and Rocky Mountain Penstemon dotted the hillsides , minimal traffic in both directions , and a crystal clear snow melted cold Gunnison River meandered right on by. That's The Definition Of A Happy Place

At the time, I was unaware of the snot hanging out. I was actually trying to focus on capturing the snow on Mt Treasury. That mountain peak is just outside of Marble Colorado and I was standing on the north face of McClure Pass that I just rode over. Here it is August 29th and there is still snow on the peaks and colorfully vivid wildflowers are blooming!!! Unreal


FRIDAY

This would be my new favorite chair. Not so much the chair but the surrounding views. That chicken behind the Dave Davis Art Piece was a little iPhone6 shy but the bees were in full on action mode. I never knew that honey bees fly in formations as if they were in commercial airline patterns. Its Bitchin , Fascinating , & Beyond Graceful

When friends know ya, they leave a 6'r on the top shelf for your arrival. I so giggled when I opened their refrigerator to unload my ice chest. I knew I would be spending hours burning up the legs and consciously ONLY packed food in my cooler. Purposely Passed On Bringing Up Any Grog

Just look at that colluvial soil with gradient sloping. Bet it makes a Geologist's heart sing.

And these colors!!!! Sipping my morning joe to this scenery is breath taking. All day long its Honey Bees , Silver Skippers butterflies , Mexican Cloud Wing butterflies , common Monarch butterflies , and my favorite Painted Lady butterflies , orange and blue dragonflies , hummingbirds swooping in for a quick feeding , and a wild of assortment of colorful birds that come and go. Its A Living Wild Kingdom Here

This humble abode even plays host to these friendly dinosaurs. They totally followed me around like curious little dogs. I always took the time to throw out a little cup of scratch when I walk by their coop. Very Pleased They Are

I rode with this guy and he flat out kicked my A$$. Yes, my legs were a bit dodgy from the road ride the day before but turns out that this was a perspective ride that I needed. I know where I stand, what I should be focusing on, and what I need to improve on before the end of the year rolls around.

SATURDAY

Saturday morning started off with a casual walk over to the old train station that has been converted into yoga studios , useable office space , and who knows what else. I was there for the 11:30 Yoga Class and that turned out to be a very sleepy stretching class. Totally Fine By Me As I Breathed Through Some Tightens

After scoring on the freshly picked veggie front, stumbled upon a $6.50 matinee. The Paradise Theater was showing Once Upon A Time In Hollywood for $6.50!!! Oh Hell Yes!! ONLY if you are a Quentin Tarantino fan, you gotta take this one in on the big screen. Sure Hope You Catch It At $6.50

The Last Day Of The Boy Dogs Birthday Month, Cheers Boy


SUNDAY

Just could not fall asleep the night before, racing my mind went. Upcoming events , traveling , The Boy Dog , and who knows what else, drifted off well after 2am to the soundtrack provided by an orchestra of cricket stridulating. There ARE three styles of crickets chirping in the evening. Oh Baby

Windy morning to the start but those stratocumulus clouds provided the right amount of shade. I could feel the heat rising from arid soil while riding the day before and knew that there would be more of the same if I didn't get on it. Cooler morning temps were my sole motivation for rolling the 575 around Jumbo Mountain. Dug Deep And Rode Strong

The lizards were darker than the high desert ones we house in GJ and seemed much more spooked by my presences. Grasshoppers took flight along the trail and I don't know if it was my jersey that day, the color of my helmet, or stupid luck but I lost count on how many of them bounced of my noggin. Besides for them, this whole recreation area is completely quiet, still, and showcases new found beauty over every ridge line. I Mean Look At It

However, riding those trails were flipping grueling!! Grabbing the granny gear and grinding away felt empowering as the next crest became reality. Sure, it would be nice to ride with someone but just because I am all alone doesn't mean I am lonely.

MONDAY

This morning was quite chilly and I took advantage of the mosquito-less garden by harvesting an army of veggies. The smell of dill was so delightful that it literally slapped the pickling idea right up side my head. Fresh array of peppers, firm lemon and traditional cucumbers, flowering dill, and a couple unearthed bulbs of garlic were cleaned and prepped for their boiling vinegar bath. Outstanding

How about that action?!?!?! Those two ice cubes wedged perfectly across the lip of that pint glass. Call me Bat Sh*T Crazy but I thinks that it's pretty damn cool. Oh, how could I forget?? Taking care of this cutie. She tried so hard to be a cat but I really pissed her off by not falling for her demands. First thing every morning, she cried for wet food. So I would go feed the chickens. She would come rub up my leg while I was at the table or doing dishes, so I walked over to the couch. By about day number three, she ate all of her food. Some thing her humans hesitantly informed me she wasn't doing. They have no reason to worry her digestion track. She Is A Happy Eater

So this is the best of my recollection from the past fulfilling six days. Hydrating, eating, riding, cooking, eating, riding, hydrating, eating, canning, and repeating. YES!! Not Just Yes But Phuc YES

Cheers