Stardate 2015.784

iFall 2

Snowcatcher and I awoke to 30 Fahrenheits prancing around outside. Fall was definitely in the air. A predawn ride put us in position to catch first light on the Elk Range. Sadly, this was our last day. Here are a few picks from Day Two of our adventure. The following pics are again from my iPhone.

First light bathes the higher realms of the Elk Mountains.



First light hits Teocalli Mountain (13,208 ft, rank 478) along with Castle Peak (14,265 ft, rank 12) rising just behind (head in the clouds). Ubiquitous bovine still were grazing in the tall grass all over the place.



Gothic Road – a route into paradise.



A meandering East River greets first light. The two-tone vegetation split at the fence-line is correct. I'm not sure what the difference in vegetation is. It would be interesting to find out.



The northern ramparts of 12,625-foot Gothic Mountain patiently wait for some warmth on a sunny 30-degree morning.




The East River makes its way to its confluence with the Taylor River. At that point, they become the Gunnison River.




The mouth of Spring Creek Canyon is somewhat wild, woolly and you guessed it – scenic.




The deciduous in this area were almost glowing in yellow.




Sun spot lighting is my parting shot for this trip.




I'm not sure what's on the docket next. Check back...

Adios

Stardate 2015.559

Wildflower Season is Here!

Snowcatcher and I took a jaunt to one of our favorite haunts recently. We spent two days in the Crested Butte, Colorado area. Early monsoonal rain has helped to yield a spectacular crop of wildflowers. During our foray, we encountered a bit of everything, from rain and sun to washing bicycle wheels off in the creek before riding because the 4Runner's tire spray had entombed them in mud. The mountain gods are keeping things fresh and exciting.



In the distance, Avery Peak (12,366 ft) rises above the headwaters of the East River.



Flowers were dancing in the breeze all over the place.



12,625-foot Gothic Mountain



Mount Bellview reaches 12,519 feet. The left and right sub-peaks are 12,473 and 12,445 feet in elevation, respectively.



The west face of Avery Peak watches over the beautiful lush subalpine forest beneath.



The alpine basin in the upper right background is Rustler Gulch. This probably is a fitting title, considering the past 100-plus years of ranching in this region.



Mount Bellview (12,519 ft)



The East Brush Creek jeep trail looks a bit ordinary. However, not far beyond this spot, after a major stream crossing, the road turns into a real 4x4 jeep track that meanders all the way up to 12,705-foot Pearl Pass. From Pearl Pass, the jeep route continues down Castle Creek to posh Aspen.



It's day's end along East Brush Creek. The peak to the left is Teocalli Mountain (13,208 ft, state rank #478). The high peak in the far background is Castle Peak (14,265 ft, state rank #12).

Thanks for reading. There's more Crested Butte coming.

Adios

Stardate 2014.521

Ahoy mates!

July greetings! How about another training blog? My preparation for the Double Triple Bypass has been better than I originally thought. Most likely, I had a good winter fitness base from which to build, albeit it didn't feel like it. I've also spent more time on the mountain bike than in the past few years. This is a good thing, because I like mountain biking over road biking. Yet, all my events are on the road bike—go figure! Actually, it's been a good nuptial because I don't have roadie burn out.


I live adjacent to a National Forest and spend a lot of time in it. The result is mountain bike training at its finest. Moreover, Team Snowcatcher had a very successful MS ride this year. Thanks to all of you who donated to our/my cause. It has quickly become one of my favorite rides. The MS event also is a great measuring stick of fitness. I rode 102 miles on Day One and about 77 miles on Day Two and felt quite well. I was pleased. Sorry, but I have no MS photos. You'll have to redirect to Snowcatcher or Mrs. Micawber to see what I saw.

Onward and upward we go. Snowcatcher and I have spent more time riding at altitude this season, and Vail Pass has become our favorite workout site. On this trip, I went up once, descended, then went up and over again to Copper Mountain Resort. I rode down and around the northern end of the Ten-Mile mountain range toward Breckenridge Resort, where I hooked back up with Snowcatcher. Perfect timing I guess, the last 10 miles were spent battling small hail and rain. Once again, no photos were taken.


We spent the Fourth of July weekend in one of my favorite mountain areas – Crested Butte! Yes, I have photos! Enjoy! Why yes, the training went fairly well, too.


Crested Butte considers itself the Wildflower Capitol of Colorado. Those are big words, for I know of some other hidden jewels as well. Nonetheless, if you hit it just right, Crested Butte might actually be on to something. This year, flowers are late following a very good/ deep snow year. The Lupine are in high gear.


In addition to riding bikes, we like to 4-wheel a bit and drive up to Schofield Pass. The Schofield Pass road is a 4x4 connector route to Marble, Colorado. We were stopped short of the pass by remnant avalanche snow and debris covering the road. Some 4x4 vehicles had made it across, but not many. I didn't even try. We knocked off a quick 8-point turn and headed down.


Schofield Pass is by no means a shortcut through the Elk Mountains. As the crow flies, posh Aspen is but 30 or so miles away, and several 4x4 routes allow access to Aspen from Crested Butte. However, the passenger car route boasts two or three hours of driving around the Elk Range to connect with Aspen.


Avalanche Lilies were abundant. They are beautiful, delicate and a treat to find as they don't appear as frequently or as widespread as other species.


We got some energetic rides in, too. All you have to do to get the tell-tale of a good ride is look at your feet. Happy trails amigos...

Adios!