Leadville

Leadville

35 degrees, snow, golden aspens and endless granny gear climbing. Leadville.

This much is certain: I’m going back, though not until next summer.

The adventure started at the airport. I checked my flight online (Frontier) before I left my house. It said estimated departure time: 11:45am, which I took to mean everything was A-OK. Everything was not A-OK, of course. The plane had been hit by lightning in Denver, so the flight was cancelled. They put me on an America West flight to Phoenix followed by a Frontier flight to Denver arriving 3 hours later.

I was meeting my brother at the airport, then driving to Boulder to see Marillion at the Fox Theater. This delay sucked, but I would still make the concert.

I flew to Phoenix, walked around confused (my flight was in a completely different terminal that required a bus ride) but made it with plenty of time for the Denver flight. As the departure time neared myself and the 5-6 others at the gate started realizing that something wasn’t right. Finally a rep. appeared to tell us that this flight had also been canceled. Lovely.

I waited anxiously in line as people in front of me were put on a flight that arrived in Denver at 9:55pm. If that was the only option I’d completely miss the concert. All I said was that 9:55 wasn’t going to work for me, then they had me on an overbooked united flight arriving at 8:13.

Long story short, I rushed to Boulder and entered the theater to catch the last song of the opening act. I was exhausted but the music of Marillion provided sufficient re-energizing. The theater had excellent sound and the band was close enough to see all the action.

I already knew they wouldn’t play the Ocean Rower song (Ocean Cloud), but what they did play was superb. I don’t really know what to say about the concert. It was a unique and very powerful experience. Powerful music. We will probably never see them again, and have both been very interested in their music for some time now. Their latest, Marbles, is especially good. Ocean Cloud is the first epic song (that I know of) about a true epic rider: Don Alum–the first person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean and back. We’re talking solo journeys of 70-100 days without seeing anyone. No towns, no people, just the endless ocean, the sun and the sweet ocean clouds. The tune made frequent rotations on my mp3 during the summer’s cycling on the divide. Our journey was nothing compared to his, but we did fight the wind daily and relished in the sweet ocean (mountain) clouds.

10/1/04

We awoke to constant rain in Boulder.

First we went to Lowes to pick up a fridge, stove and crappers for Lee’s new house. We loaded up then headed for the hills through some thick fog.

As we drove through Silverthorne I brought two worlds together. It was strange to cross paths with the divide route–to be somewhere that I had only ridden my bike to before. It was like a different world–passing through by car. I saw the dam we rode across, the switchbacking bike path and the motel we stayed at. It almost didn’t seem real.

Just as we got to Leadville the weather started improving. After checking out Lee’s impressive digs–both new and old, we set off for a ride with a couple locals–Lance and Sterling. They climbed with some serious speed at the start, leaving Al and I reeling for the first few minutes. Then we found ourselves dodging trees, staring at amazing views of the Arkansas Valley and breathing crisp mountain air. It was too much fun.

We took the ‘extension’ on the Boulders trail that brought us near 12,000 feet and to a switchbacking, steep trail through patches of snow. Awesome.

10/2/04

The sun burned off the clouds in the morning, leaving us with a beautiful day to ride. We rode the Colorado trail from Half Moon CG to Twin Lakes (and back). I had to physically restrain my bike from turning up towards Mt. Elbert. As far as I know the summit is not in wilderness and is reportedly an “easy hike” (compared to other 14ers). This *might* mean that the ride would not be 100% hike-a-bike. Looking at the topo it seems reasonable. I had no problem with the first mile of the trail (up from half moon). Steep, rocky, fun, but all very rideable.

With this I have now become obsessed with climbing this peak. The siren song of 14ers (and indeed 13er passes) is irresistable. I only have to wait.

The ride itself was a blast. I love numbers like these: 15 miles, 3100 feet of climbing, ave speed=6 mph. Now that is mountain biking. Granny is the order of the day. The climb from Twin Lakes back to the CO trail was particularly tasty. Coming down the switchbacks I thought I’d have no chance of cleaning them on the way up, especially on a loaner bike. But I found myself rounding each switchback, handlebars cranked and lungs heaving. Exhiliration.

10/3/04

Our flights left at 2pm, so there was only time for quick ride. Sometimes quick rides that you can do from your place (no cars) are just what is needed. I think this one was just what I needed.

It was bitter cold, which was something to enjoy since it’s now 95 degrees back in Tucson. My face was frozen as we climbed to 11,000, then we descended steeply on some very sweet singletrack.

Three excellent rides in as many days. Leadville and Lee’s base of operations exceeded my expectations. I’m enthralled with the place now and cannot wait to get back there.

Thankfully the flight home was not canceled and was mostly painless, excepting the sorority girl directly behind me who would not stop talking for more than 10 seconds. I don’t know who to curse more–the girl for her obscenely loud voice or the schmuck sitting beside her who provided the other half of the conversation. He could have ended it and saved all of us some misery.

A real bonus was that we flew right over the Galiuros and the Catalinas. I was able to survey the Soul Ride (100 mile) course where I will be suffering in a few weeks. I could see pieces of the “Rug Road” that leads from Copper Canyon to the top of Arivaipa Canyon. That is an adventure for this winter. Then, the Catalinas, with Oracle Ridge flanking, the roads Haul and Control visible, and extensive fire damage from the Aspen disaster. My eyes scanned at a mile a minute, but the plane crusied by much faster–I only got quick views and too short a time to visualize and day dream of rides to come.