CRMBT 2012 on my recumbent (Colorado Rocky  Mountain Bike Tour)
   
2012-08-04 CRMBT pre-ride 1 - Pagosa Springs acclimation ride
 
2012-08-03 Friday
CRMBT pre-ride 1 – Pagosa Springs acclimation ride
 
8.29 miles / 11.90 avg speed / 508 ft of climbing  
 
We arrived in Pagosa Springs Thursday at sundown after an all day, 822 mile drive. The plan for Friday was the town loop James already had on his Garmin. But the town loop started up the hill in Pagosa Lakes. To bridge to that route without riding up the 3 mile hill on CO160, James had a back roads route mapped. We start out from the hotel, first going the wrong way before sorting out the direction we really need to go. Finally on track, we're about a half mile from our start when we encounter a steep, block long hill. I instinctively know this is a granny gear hill and shift and start up. I see the numbers flash by on the inclinometer and finally stop at 12. This block-long hill is a 12% hill and we are at 7000+ ft in elevation, nowhere near the elevations we would be encountering in subsequent days. My breathing is way off the chart and out of control.  
 
I had committed to riding the recumbent on the tour due to a medical problem I'd had a couple weeks before, although the idea was first considered when an acquaintance, David Rothgeb, told me he had done the Big Horn Mountains on his long wheelbase recumbent. But now, I was very seriously questioning my decision to do this - what in the world was I thinking? I am in real trouble! There was no way I could keep my breathing under control on climbs like that. (Well, that's what I thought at the time.)  
 
My breathing finally falls to manageable levels as I continue to ride up the hill, now reduced to only 7%, and we go up and over the ridge. We drop down the other side, flying down at 30+ mph, cross a creek bridge, and the pavement ends! Dang. Well, that gravel could go on a long time. I want no part of it. We backtrack and head over to CO160. We sit there at the uncontrolled intersection and wait for a break in traffic. One doesn't come. Finally we give up and decide to take a drive, instead. We'll try again tomorrow.  
 
(Garmin elevation range: 7039 to 7313)
 
2012-08-04 Saturday  
CRMBT pre-ride 2 - Pagosa Lakes acclimation ride  
 
52.50 miles / 13.90 avg speed /  2,858 ft of  climbing
 
Today we drive up the road to Pagosa Lakes, and sip some coffee and eat some cake at the "Higher Grounds" coffee shop. The previous afternoon, we had driven the portion of the town loop north of CO160. We had a plan in mind to make a decent practice ride out of the north half of the town loop. As we rode, we also decided on modifications, for variety, based on additional road choices we came across.  
 
We park near the bike shop, on the edge of the shopping center, and start out. There is what appears to be a bike path for the first 2 miles. It doesn't have a center line though and at cross streets, it turns to gravel. It was little more than a sidewalk. Despite direction from a passing jeep driver that we need to be on the sidewalk, we hold our ground on the road. There's light traffic and plenty of room to go around us, so I stick to the road. We do several different loops, most within the outside loop we first did, even climbing an 11% hill twice. Today I feel much better as I ride all hills easily without resorting to use of the granny. My breathing is under control and I have more confidence in my ability to do the tour on the recumbent. On one of the loops we see what look like plaster elk, only these are moving. We ride right by and they don't flinch - they just watch us go by, not 30 ft away.  
 
(Garmin elevation range: 7109 to 7534)
 
2012-08-05 Sunday  
CRMBT ride day 1: Pagosa Springs to Creede  
 
65.34 miles / 13.10 avg speed / 5,055 ft of climbing  
 
Saturday afternoon, after our acclimation ride, we check in with the tour. I'm still quite concerned about the wisdom of deciding to commit to the recumbent as the way to do the tour. I mention to the ride directors that I am on a recumbent. They say they have one or two every year and not one has ever had to sag. Talk about pressure! I'm sorry I mentioned it. I thought I might be the first to break this perfect record!  
 
Sunday morning comes, we drive over to the high school and bid adieu to the car. My plan is to ride conservatively, use the granny going over Wolf Creek Pass, and make sure I warm up and acclimate properly. The pass is about 15 miles down the road, northeast of Pagosa Springs. The 15 miles provided a nice warm up. I am wearing arm coolers and leg coolers and over that, in the 40+ degree air, I also have arm warmers and leg warmers! There is a support stop at the base of the climb and I remove the warmers. My concern is about UV exposure in the high elevation, stretched out horizontally on the recumbent. I didn't want to risk sunburn so I wore the coolers. I was using CVS spf45+ zinc oxide sunscreen on the exposed places I couldn't cover up but didn't don't know how effective that sunscreen would be.  
 
I start up the pass - 8 miles to the summit! It's easy at first, about 5%. I'm in the granny but not in the lowest gear. My breathing is easy and controlled - all systems go! Within the first mile, we go around a long inside turn and this is where I encounter the steepest gradient on the pass - 9% for about a hundred yards, then to 8% for another hundred yards and then 7% for perhaps a half mile. The gradient settles at a range of 6% to 7% for the remainder of the 8 mile climb. I'm not having any trouble but I am passed by every road bike coming up behind me. This is no surprise but I knew my time would come on the descent. As I arrive at the top, there is Mark S (PBA member) taking my photo as I arrive. Phil, fellow PBA member is over by the Continental Divide sign getting someone to take a group photo. Phil's friend Hans is also there. The 4 of us pose for photos. They then get on their bikes and head down. I feel great, so why stop? I head down, too.  
 
The Bacchetta quickly accelerates and I am in the mid 40s speed range as I encounter the first turn, at the ski area. There are white lines on the road and I brake to avoid rolling over them. Then around the corner is a long straight section. I accelerate again but I quickly overtake several road bikes and I brake before passing to make sure it is safe to pass and they know I am there. I pass Phil and Hans in this stretch. Then there are another couple of turns and another long straightaway. Mark is ahead, the fastest descender of the road bikes I encounter. He is doing somewhere in the high 40s. When he sees me, I pass, and don't touch the brake again. My top speed is 52.4 mph - it was exhilarating! WOW! Finally the gradient levels somewhat, and Mark catches me. We ride together for awhile and pass through a second tunnel. The road narrows and traffic has trouble passing us on the narrow road.  
 
We still have miles of descent to South Fork. Mark stops to wait for Phil and Hans. They catch up and the 3 take off. I decide to go it alone and I pull off in wide spots along the road, occasionally, to allow semi's, motor homes, and car traffic to pass. Finally I reach South Fork, take a left onto CO149, and head toward Creede. There is a support stop 1 mile ahead. I stop and find James is waiting there. After having some fruit at the stop and topping my water, James and I leave to do the remaining 21 miles to Creede.  
 
We are riding gradual uphill comprised of gentle rollers as we ride next to the Rio Grande River. The Rio Grande at this point in its course is lazily snaking through the valley but in other places cuts straight down through the rock with rapids evident. The scenery is widely varied but always interesting. Finally we enter Creede and reach the high school. We talk to Mark for awhile and then head back to the motel we are staying in. (We are lucky to be in Creede for the night. Most Alpine customers had to be bussed back to South Fork as hotel space in Creede was quite limited.)  
 
The room was not ready when we arrived so we settled in at the restaurant's outdoor, covered deck, to enjoy a couple beers and chips, as the day was still quite hot and the refreshment hit the spot. Later, after getting into the room, showering and changing, the plan was to explore the town and pick a place to eat. But by this time it was raining lightly and the heat of the day was gone. After starting out anyway, we ultimately decided to head back to the motel restaurant. The rain was picking up - we had a couple more beers and fish and chips. Excellent meal! Later James went out anyway and checked out the railway station. I had been to Creede before so I stayed and looked for a station on the TV covering the Olympics. This was one of two stops on our tour where the local cable did not include Olympic coverage.  
 
Garmin elevation range: 6616 to 10594 (highest summit Wolf Creek Pass officially 10811); start elevation in Pagosa Springs was 7150 and end elevation in Creede was 8800.
 
2012-08-06 Monday  
CRMBT ride day 2: Creede to Gunnison  
 
106.01 miles /  13.10  avg speed / 7,162 ft of climbing  
 
Well, I got through day 1 all right, but I knew day 2 would be much more difficult: 4 major climbs and over 100 miles, most at elevation above 8000 ft! I had my work cut out for me and I was in no way relaxed about my chances of riding all of it. I figured I would be stopping a lot to rest as the elevation was ramping up.  
 
The previous day I may have taken a shot of the Wolf Creek sign at that summit, but that was it. Today I decided that every time I stop to rest I will take a photo. I had the regular camera, but ended up using the phone for every shot. This was a good plan, except that in full sunlight, it was nearly impossible to use the viewer and I had to remove my sunglasses to see anything. So doing a good job of framing shots was nearly impossible.  
 
We leave Creede in 45° air, the clouds of the previous evening nearly gone and the pavement dry. We are once again heading gradually uphill for the first 20 miles, following the gentle rise of the Rio Grande Valley, enjoying gentle rollers of our own. We stop briefly at the support stop, mile 18, before continuing.  
 
In 2 miles the first climb starts a bit steeply, but eases into a fairly gentle, 13 mile climb, with a false summit and a brief descent before resuming the inexorable climbing. Gradient was easy, mostly 4% with a few spikes. At the false summit, there was a great view of the headwaters of the Rio Grande River. I stop to take a photo and while I was stopped, Kim arrives. Kim is from the Houston area and knows one of my Houston Rando acquaintances. I met her the first day but she was a far better climber than I so our visits were fleeting. She took a photo of me at that overlook and I would have, of her, but one of her friends arrived, and did that for me. I go on to enjoy the quick 200 ft drop but the the road was rough with freeze/thaw cracks and there was gravel in spots, so it wasn't the complete joy I anticipated. The climb resumes but still an easy gradient and before I know it, I was at the summit. I stop for a summit sign photo (10998 ft) and then push on.  
 
Next up would be about a 400 ft descent and a steady climb to the Slumgullion summit, which was at mile 40. The climb up Slumgullion from the south is not nearly as difficult as the climb from the north. I've done both. But that isn't to say there's not anything hard from the south. There was a significant bit at 9% and at that moment, I was up near 11000 ft elevation. It catches me by surprise and I put a foot down. This is where I learn how to get started again on a significant gradient, a skill that would be valuable later in the day. Of course I do try to start but I am in too low a gear. So I get off and manually move the shift lever and then turn the cranks while lifting up the back end. I'm glad I don't have a long wheelbase bent! I finally get it into a high enough gear and I am able to resume the climb. Once rolling, I shift back down to more comfortable gearing.  
 
A little farther ahead is the official photographer. When I get close to her, she aims, I smile and watch her (not the road), and I immediately veer off to the left side of the road, barely avoiding a crash! Fortunately, there are no oncoming cars!  
 
Another mile, and I am at the summit. It was a long haul to the summit and it was about noon by then. I stop and eat some fruit but don't dally too long. I don’t want to be caught out in afternoon rain and I still had 66 miles left! After taking a summit photo {11361 ft), I was off and down the relentless, steep descent. Unfortunately, the road had greatly deteriorated in the 3 years since I'd been there. This time there were frequent freeze/thaw cracks and sections where the pavement was completely missing! This was not a descent to let it go, on. I ride the brake much of the way down, and it is a long way down. The views are awesome though and I take several photos. I finally reach the bottom: Lake City, a popular tourist destination, with numerous restaurants, B&B's, and outdoor eateries. I saw dozens of cyclists had stopped, but I was pushing on. However, I did stop to remove my leg warmers and arm warmers. It was by this time quite hot.  
 
For the next 22 miles, I enjoy a general descent of about 900 ft, although there are several abrupt and steep climbs of short duration along the way. A few miles beyond Lake City, the creek flowing down from the mountains behind me was just to my right, noisily making its way to Blue Mesa Reservoir, miles downstream. Then one of those abrupt, steep climbs appeared out of nowhere, which I climb, but now the bubbling creek is no longer in hearing. I look right and am astonished to see that in its place is a deep, narrow canyon. There must have been an awesome waterfall just behind me, but it wasn't visible. The canyon went on for miles and was spectacular in places.
 
By the time I reach the next support stop, I am out of water. But, I make it in, fill camelbak and bottles, and hang out awhile, resting in the 98° heat. Not only is it hot, but as I was about to find out, we were faced with 2 very steep climbs in the next 15 miles. I knew about the climbs; I was clueless how steep they were.  
 
The first of the climbs has a prevailing gradient of about 7% on the main climb after initial ups and downs; the second climb has a gradient of 8% on the main climb. The first climb is 5.3 miles, an 844 ft climb to approx 8900 ft, a roasting hot climb with a light tailwind. The following descent of 747 ft in 3.65 miles had a smoking steep plunge in the middle of the descent. This is where I hit 65 mph! That was screaming fast but it is straight as an arrow, smooth pavement, and feels vertical. I have no idea what the gradient is. I am too busy watching the bottom arrive!  
 
The second climb tops out at about 9100 ft with an ascent of 881 ft in 3.74 miles, but the descent is gentle. I have to put a foot down during the second climb. I am getting tired, for some odd reason. But, thanks to practice on Slumgullion, I have no trouble getting going again. The descent of 1289 ft takes place over a stretch of nearly 11 miles. At this point the course shows a turn east on US 50 with 13 miles remaining to the hotel in Gunnison. We have a net 400 ft climb over the remaining distance, but what makes it hard is the headwind - an outflow wind from a storm over the nearby mountains.
 
I finish about 4:15PM and it is still in the 80s. An hour later it is raining and chilly. The rain continues for hours, shutting down our plans for brew pub and dinner. Instead we catch a ride with Alpine, ferrying a group from the hotel to a nearby Italian restaurant. It is a nice dinner and a nice meet and greet of others from the "hotel" riders' group. Now we can look forward to a relatively easy day tomorrow!
 
Garmin elevation range: 7284 to 10782 (highest summits Spring Creek Pass officially 10998, Slumgullion Pass officially 11361, 2 unnamed summits in the last 30 miles before Gunnison, approx 8900 and 9100); start elevation in Creede was 8800 and end elevation in Gunnison was 7683.