Pb to Salida

Mike and I finally completed a trip, as planned. The door to monsoonal moisture was shut precisely as we were heading out. So after several trips of getting our bottoms burned out on the trail, we got better conditions than anyone could hope for in the CO alpine.

Leadvile, Hagerman, Aspen, 401, CB, Doctor Park, Tin Cup, CDT, Monarch, Salida. Or something like that. Singletrack, singletrack and more singletrack.

There was some walking involved.

A bike waits…

‘I love the things that I forgot.’

Details aren’t important to me, as they usually are. I’m happy to forget, knowing that each memory that slips from my consciousness was one worth keeping. Worth keeping, but also worth forgetting and allowing the experience itself to have its affect.

Both Mike and I commented (after exchanging a few photos) that we weren’t sure where some of the pictures were taken from. I still have no idea on some of mine.

Sign of a good trip, he says.

One thing I will not forget is being strafed by sideways hail, at 12,500′, (trying to) ride along the Divide. We watched and wondered about the clouds on the other side of the divide as we pushed/rode up from Boss / Hunt lakes. Soon as we peaked out on the Divide (see above pic) we had little choice but to continue along the trail, towards Monarch Pass.

All of Monarch / Silver / Rainbow was new to me, and shucks was it a great way to end a five day trip in the alpine. I felt like a gluttonous fool for the entire last hour on Rainbow. Things shouldn’t / can’t be this good.

Can they?