What a great ride today! Knowing that we had a big climb today, I made a point to get on the road immediately after I loaded my luggage, as I was excited to approach the summit.I rode the first 30 miles with Kevin (from Pennsylvania) and Phil (from Chevy Chase, MD). The terrain was rolling, and we traded off pulls every 2 miles, and moved at a pretty good clip until we hit first SAG stop. At the SAG, we did our usual routine, although with the upcoming climb to Monarch Pass – an elevation of 11,312 feet – there seemed to be a mixed vibe of trepidation and excitement.
As expected, the ride to Monarch Pass was a great challenge. It consisted of a 9 mile climb at a 6% grade that had a little bit of everything – switchbacks, long straight-aways, winding roads with no shoulder or guardrail, etc. As you can imagine, the sights got prettier the more we climbed.
I felt awesome as I climbed. I don’t consider myself the strongest climber (i.e. I wouldn’t be a “KOM” in any bike race/tour), but I am confident that I have made a marked improvement in this area since the challenge began.
Reaching the summit was fantastic. Normally, I buy into the “be happy, but not satisfied” adage, but I gave myself a break today – getting to the top gave me great satisfaction. After a few pictures at the Monarch Pass/Continental Divide sign, my first thought was that I have jumped out of a plane at a lower elevation (10,000 feet) than where I am currently standing. Kind of a weird thought, I know. It must have been the lack of oxygen.
Knowing that the rest of the ride was mostly downhill, I took my time at the summit. I bought a “I made it to the top” t-shirt (great satisfaction – remember?) at the gift shop, and rode the tram that offered spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. Feel free to check them out in my photos from the day.
After departing the summit, I hauled it to Salida. I cruised between 30-40 m.p.h. for most of the initial downhill. There was one stretch, however, where I opened it up. There were no cars or trucks behind me, so I pedaled as hard as I couldon a straight-away and hit 50.4 m.p.h. – it was intense, but great fun.
Once I saw the speed hit the 50 m.p.h. on the bike computer I was, once again, satisfied. For me, there was no need to push it to go any faster. The remainder of the ride was very pleasant (losing altitude the whole way), and I made it safely to the hotel knowing that I conquered the Rocky Mountains!
As expected, the ride to Monarch Pass was a great challenge. It consisted of a 9 mile climb at a 6% grade that had a little bit of everything – switchbacks, long straight-aways, winding roads with no shoulder or guardrail, etc. As you can imagine, the sights got prettier the more we climbed.
I felt awesome as I climbed. I don’t consider myself the strongest climber (i.e. I wouldn’t be a “KOM” in any bike race/tour), but I am confident that I have made a marked improvement in this area since the challenge began.
Reaching the summit was fantastic. Normally, I buy into the “be happy, but not satisfied” adage, but I gave myself a break today – getting to the top gave me great satisfaction. After a few pictures at the Monarch Pass/Continental Divide sign, my first thought was that I have jumped out of a plane at a lower elevation (10,000 feet) than where I am currently standing. Kind of a weird thought, I know. It must have been the lack of oxygen.
Knowing that the rest of the ride was mostly downhill, I took my time at the summit. I bought a “I made it to the top” t-shirt (great satisfaction – remember?) at the gift shop, and rode the tram that offered spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. Feel free to check them out in my photos from the day.
After departing the summit, I hauled it to Salida. I cruised between 30-40 m.p.h. for most of the initial downhill. There was one stretch, however, where I opened it up. There were no cars or trucks behind me, so I pedaled as hard as I couldon a straight-away and hit 50.4 m.p.h. – it was intense, but great fun.
Once I saw the speed hit the 50 m.p.h. on the bike computer I was, once again, satisfied. For me, there was no need to push it to go any faster. The remainder of the ride was very pleasant (losing altitude the whole way), and I made it safely to the hotel knowing that I conquered the Rocky Mountains!
Today, you are you, that is truer than true.
ReplyDeleteThere is no one alive who is more youer than you!
~ Dr. Suess ~
I want to be you, John. Your blog is awesome! It makes me want to be doing what you are doing. I'm lovingly envious and enormously proud of the manner in which you are attacking your challenge and chronicling your experiences.
Love ya, D
Dear John,
ReplyDeleteYou are doing an amazing job. We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. LCRF could not be more grateful.
Laurie, Deborah, Jennifer and Kristen