Wolf Creek Pass

From Jody:

Pagosa Springs to Alamosa, via Wolf Creek Pass, on Sunday, September 23.

 

This was the big day.

91 miles is a lot, but I'd already completed a century ride (100 miles) in addition to an earlier 90 mile ride. Climbing for miles in the Mojave Desert wore me down and wore me out, and I'd had trepidations about that ride also. But this was the big one, the dark cloud that hung over my head since Peter planned this part of the trip, weeks ago. A pass in Colorado. A mountain pass. A 10,000 ft elevation mountain pass. (Okay, it's 10,857 ft elevation, to be accurate.)

The route started simple enough, near the west end of Pagosa Springs, elevation 7,126 ft. Then through town, a slight downhill, then a steady rise for eighteen miles through gorgeous Colorado highlands with plenty of grazing horses and cattle and even three mule deer. Ranches and RV sites and plenty of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, Colorado style - fishing, hiking, skiing, 4-wheeling, rafting, mountain biking, horse riding and pack camping. I wheeled past plenty of such opportunities.

Yes, it really is this beautiful.

 

 About eighteen and a half miles into the ride, a large information sign announced "Wolf Creek Pass - Summit - 8 Miles." 

Jody, passing the sign for Wolf Creek Pass - Summit - 8 miles.

Time to huff and puff. And change wheels. Janie had ridden a lot of the previous eighteen miles, but she would be a passenger in The Little Darkness to the top. Joe replaced the rear wheel of Jean Luc with the rear wheel of The Fish. It has different gears and would help me on the ascent. Slow but steady, "Tee Shee Yedish, Dai-sha bood-yish."

Joe, preparing The Fish to lend a wheel.

 

Jean Luc, getting granny gears for the big climb.

 

I've thought several times on this trip, "no where else I'd rather be," but I gotta tell ya, I was sure thinking about kicking back with a tall cold one about half way up. It's a sheer grind. Just keep turning the pedals, churning the pavement, foot by foot.

I saw a guy walking down the road, pack and sleeping bag in his hands, headed for Pagoda Springs. Good luck, buddy, hope you make it safely, and soon. Me, I just have to keep on moving the bike.

Jody, moving the bike.

 

And moving the bike some more.

I thought about resting about two-thirds of the way up, just a pause along the guardrail. But that temptation might have led to the even bigger temptation of simply stopping. I couldn't take the chance. Better to keep going, even if it's ever so slowly. I think I averaged just over 4.5 miles per hour, barely faster than a swift walking pace. But I made it to the top. As a bonus, it's also the Continental Divide.

Janie, on the Great Divide, waiting for Jody.

She would ride 48 miles this day, a personal high for this trip.

 

The Great Divide.

 

Wildlife, at the Great Divide.

 

The very happy couple, at the top of the Rockies!

And here we are again, on opposite sides of the Divide!

Mind numb from the exertion, I did heed Joe suggestions - don't stay too long and get chilled, and be careful on the descent.

I rode the brakes a bit on the downhill run, but did manage to clock 48 mph, a personal high. The ride down was fast and glorious. Approaching a level stretch, a river paralleled the road, with only a steep twenty five foot edge of separation. A fisherman cast his line, two hikers made progress on the opposite bank.

 

And the road continued, another sixty five miles. Made good time on the slight descent, with wind at our backs for much of it. Janie rode a total of 48 miles, a new personal long ride for her on this trip. Alamosa is home for the night, then on to another day's route, another mountain pass. Oh joy of trepidation.

 

Success means doing the best we can with what we have.  Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph.  Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.

     ~Zig Ziglar, American motivational speaker and author