Currently sitting under a staircase, waiting for the rain to let up. We knew this was coming.
We actually haven’t seen much rain, but we did find our way into some gumbo mud. The trail was rerouted for the logging of beetle kill, closing a mile of trail and putting us on a recently torn up logging road. It was not a fortunate turn of events.
Up until that point the trail had been fine. We’d climbed the Peaks Trail to the CDT, Eszter’s alternate for Ten Mile, and the trail was fine. We were dropping into Breck and weather was juuuust holding off. Then we tried to ride the detour road, and the mud piled up quick. My rear wheel seized a few times.
So it goes. Eventually the road did end and we were back on the trail. We chatted with a couple CT hikers waiting for the bus into Breck and told them they were wise to skip the gumbo mud this afternoon/evening. Even walking up we were making cakes on our shoes.
The day started brilliantly. The three of us got up lazily and were on the trail by 8am or so. The climb up to Kokomo was shockingly rideable.
It did help to have Cjell up ahead hammering up the steeps on his singlespeed. Good motivation to dig a little deeper and crank stuff out. By the time we hit treeline the legs were warm and we were of the mind to ride everything we could. Oh yeah!
Kokomo to Searle. Dream riding. Flowers, marmots, sneaky creek crossing. Green grasses, snowfields. Endless views. We didn’t want it to end.
Watching Cjell hop his way down the trail was highly entertaining. He executed a perfect rear wheel hop around a boulder. Just as I was about to oogle and aah the feat, I watched his actual feet fly over his head. Cjell go boom.
At Searle we sat for another snack break, sharing the pass with a CT hiker named Gazelle. He had a hilarious showdown with the resident marmots, who were quite keen to get at his salty hiker poles. He threatened the little marmot with all sorts of heinous suggestions of marmot harm, but the little guy was not deterred.
Oh, the descent from Searle. What a joyous frollicking ride through the woods. Just perfect bikepacking ‘tech’ and trading leads off with Cjell made it all the more enjoyable.
Cjell wished us farewell as he spied a singletrack that would take him towards Vail and save some elevation. Just after, we somehow managed to miss Dan Montgomery, on his way to look for us. Dan is a first year CTR racer, and also Coconino rider. Somehow he got off trail on a short piece just as we came by. Various texts and such later, we met up before we finished the descent to Copper Mountain.
When the idea of riding the CDT was first talked about between Ez and I, she made it very clear that the Tenmile portion of the CT/CDT was not on the table for the route. She is very wise.
We’ve pushed up that big hill and burned our brakes on the other side enough times. Beautiful at the top, but nothing new there.
A super pleasant and scenic bike path takes us right to Frisco. If only every bike alternate were this nice.
2pm breakfast was had at the Log Cabin cafe. Dan went to go man the pizza place, and we went on to pedal the Peaks and Gold Hill trails.
If the rain lets up, or even if it doesn’t, it’s pavement into Dillon for Last Chance Pizza and a night at Dan’s place. Argentine Pass and high country await, so an early start may be in order tomorrow.
Welcome to monsoon season in Colorado!
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