2015 Colorado Trail Race

Completely Self Supported 550mi bike race on the Colorado Trail 

Damn hard, but Extremely Scenic & Rewarding

Starting a 6,000 feet altitude in Durango, CO the trail quickly climbs

above the 12,000 foot tree line onto the brutaly hard Indian Ridge trail.

The profile showed the route leveling out after this. 

Turns out its still not really rideable because of the table top scree much like

 the background in the picture above.

Eventually the trail become rideable despite the distracting scenery.

Marmots were the only spectators. 

They have no fear of humans & love the very tops of passes.  

The good winter snowpack made for miles & miles of  more wildflowers than I've ever seen

After spend the 2ed night out at the Blair Street Hostel in Silverton CO I headed up this steep dusty road filled with Quads,Buggys & 4x4s

After the road it was a pleasure to get on the Continental Divide Trail & away from civilization.

The Colorado follows the Continental Divide trail for apx the next 200mi 

Approaching the high point of the trail I heard lots of whooping & hollering.

 I noticed these people on top of a hill about a mile off the trail.

Later on I passed about 25 packs laid out beside the trail.

My brain was so cooked it wasn't until two days later I figured out

they were "Bagging a 14er", the official Colorado State Pastime.

High in Colorado

 Dropped down to Lake City, CO after countless passes.

The Raven Rest is a great little hostel & with a 'trail angle' shuttle

leave there at noon every day I almost quit racing to take the shuttle back up the 

13mi Sludgemugon Pass (a really steep road). 

Luck for me the shuttle was full. I went back to the hostel

and resumed racing first thing in the morning.

If you take a ride in a vehicle during the race it had better be an ambulance, 

other wise you are out of the race.

Above the tree line or over looking a valley were the only spots w/ cell reception.

Through & shuttle bikers as well as the through hikers all seem to be heading South Bound.

This worked out well as meeting hikers head on make for a better interaction.

I seldom have to filter water. It was mostly cold & Sweet.

The bridges & trail infrastructure were amazing.

Leaving town after spending the night in Buena Vista, CO.
Rooms were over priced & it turns of the Laundromat had a Shower.
should have done laundry, showered & kept going.
Live & Learn.  

More great bridges & Sweet, cold water.

Found a hiker to do my almost selfie.

Aspen & Douglas Fir were the most common Tree species.
Two of my favorites.

Leaving the tree line heading up to yet another pass, this one between Copper Mtn & Breckenridge.

Meet quite a few bikers along the way.
I'd become semi famous as the "Crazy Old Coot on a SingleSpeed"

The last wilderness detour.

When the Colorado Trail passes into one of the six wildernesses

the bike route detours, usually on to dirt road to get around.

The bridges get even nicer as do the trails as you get closer to Denver.

End of the Trail!

Photo credit to Stefanie Jones
Shout out to Stef for coming out to meet me finishing
.

Back to Durango then Home.

Turn out to still be an Adventure

After resting up for a day at Leifiel & Stefanie's in Littleton, CO I headed out to Glenwood Springs on the CDOT's Bustang service. A shout out to the state of Colorado for Great services & infrastructure.

The Bike Trails in Colorado are Amazing.

I got from Littleton to downtown Denver on bike paths that were completely separate

from the roadways & traffic. After getting to Glenwood Springs I was surprised to find

the same high quality bike path/RR Grade trail running 25mi to Carbondale, CO.

You gotta love the Colorado Highways too

Two days before I came to this hot spring out side of Durango my 10% body weight lose caught up with me. My scale that measures such things said I only had 6% body fat when I started. Meaning I had been burning muscle when I couldn't keep up with the needed calorie intake out on the trail.

This really kills one's immune system, and make it a bad time to come down with diarrhea. 

Luck for me I had decide to get a cheap motel room that rainy night. Next morning

I got some meds at the City Market & rode on not missing any road construction site PortaPotties along the way. the meds kicked in that afternoon. Relived, I was still weaken, dehydrated & walking up mountains I should have been riding. Twice hanging out my thumb I hitched ride pickup truck rides, the last one getting me back to Silvertons Blair Street Hostel for the second time.

Another good nights rest & lot's of food & liquids allowed me to make it back to Durango under my own power. Having two or three fewer passes that I had expected helped also.

In Durango  I stopped by Velorution Cycles to Give Joey Durango my thanks & some trail news. Next back to Sam's who'ed stored my motorcycle for the duration. Sams a fellow bikepacker

 with work commitments that didn't allow him to CTR this year.

The bike/motocycle is a before - on the way to the CTR, I wish a had some of that fat back now.