Wednesday, July 22nd 2009
Travel Denver to Anchorage
After dropping Sierra off at our friends’ house, we headed to DIA, parking in the Pikes Peak lot of all places and caught the shuttle to the Alaska Air desk. The line was not long, but for some reason the line was moving extremely slow. I kept patiently waiting, using my crutch for support, but eventually just went and sat down until it was our turn.
I took advantage of the complimentary wheel chair ride to the gate which was a bit of a trip, as I have never been in one before. This was actually a sweet way to get through security, as there is a separate handicapped line with no wait. Although we had plenty of time before our flight, I was feeling good about bypassing the unusually long line so quickly and not having to crutch my way through. The good feelings were short lived though, I was directed to a glass enclosure where I had to wait, balancing without my crutch. Eventually, a smug TSA guy came along and escorted me over to a seat, where he went about his job of being a smug @-hole. Nothing against fat, dumpy, picked on as a kid TSA guys wearing coke bottle glasses, but this guy was worthy of a Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm episode.
He took great pleasure of making snide remarks and flexing his great TSA Homeland Security muscle. I was outwardly annoyed by him, but at the same time amused, as I of course had nothing to worry about. It was tempting to smart off back to him, but any wise guy comments post 9-11 could clear a whole airport, so I just sucked it up. Just got me thinking about what a sad life he must have and that this is his ONLY place in the world where he has any feeling of worth. Even with this setback, it was still quicker and easier than waiting in line and we were soon on our way.
Our flight was on time, leaving around 9pm, where we headed non-stop to Anchorage. My foot quickly became swollen and started throbbing, so I took a vicoden and some ibuprofen, which unfortunately did not do much.
Thursday, July 23rd
We arrived in Anchorage around 1am local time feeling a bit whacked out from not sleeping (3am MST). Our baggage arrived without incident and we caught a cab to the RV park where Allison’s parents were awaiting our arrival (sleeping of course). After several hours of sleep (thanks to the eye mask, as it gets light a bit after 4am), we ate breakfast and headed South along the Turnagain Arm toward Seward. The Turnagain Arm is a long and narrow bay off of the Cook Inlet and has one of the largest tides in the world (~40 ft. or so). The unique topography of the inlet/sea floor and the large tides create a boar tide that comes roaring through the bay. You can literally see the several foot high walls of water stretching across the bay, marching in quick succession, one after the other, quickly covering the exposed mud flats. For some reason, every time I visit Alaska, I am continually fascinated by this phenomena.
I had been to Seward twice in the past and it was rainy both times and this trip was no exception. We found an awesome RV park at the far end of town that accommodated 10 or so RV’s and was literally right on Resurrection Bay with amazing views of the bay, and ironically Mt. Marathon. Our camp spot was a 10 minute hobble from the Sea Life Center, so we headed over there for something to do. Neat place with lots of local sea life in tanks/enclosures.
I’ll have to admit that I actually did not mind the rain in Seward. You just expect it and prepare for it. It also helped that I had a broken foot and helped minimize my urges to get out and hike up peaks. The sound of the steady rain on the metal roof of the camper is very lulling and relaxing and makes for excellent sleeping.
Friday, July 24th
Today was the much anticipated 10 hour glacier cruise to the Northwestern Glacier. We took a similar cruise to the nearby Holgate glacier in 2004, but this trip would cover some new area that we heard was very dramatic. There was some question as to whether or not the boat would actually make it to the glacier because of the choppy seas that would toss around the 70ft. SS Chugach. The swells in Resurrection Bay were not too bad, but once we got to the mouth of the bay, we were on the edge of the Gulf of Alaska which has some of the stormiest seas on earth, things got a little fun. The seas were 4-8 feet, which does not sound like much, but it made for some good rocking and rolling. I actually really enjoy it, but others on the boat were quite nauseous and several people were tossed about. It was interesting trying to get around the boat on a bum foot, but I managed pretty well.
The choppy sections were short lived though, as the majority of the route navigated relatively sheltered bays, inlets and passages. We saw several Humpback Whales, Dahl Porpoise, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Seals, Puffins etc….
One of the highlights was a short side trip into a narrow bay ringed by sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high, where there were numerous waterfalls cascading from unknown heights and the captain of the ship nudged the front of the boat within feet of the rock wall and cascades.
Since it had been so rainy, it had spurred an increase in glacial activity and filled the bay with icebergs. We maneuvered through the ice, pushing aside small bergs that would clunk loudly under the hull, but eventually the ice got too dense and we could get no closer than ~1 mile.
Saturday, July 25th
We took our time getting out of Seward and then enjoyed the scenic drive North to Palmer on our way to Denali. On the way, we passed many cyclists heading in the opposite direction. I felt pity for them, as it was cool, windy, raining hard at times and the road was quite barren and lonely. Most of them were solo riders and they all had the same miserable look etched on their face.
We eventually stopped by the Exit Glacier for lunch and did some walking around while Allison’s parents napped in the camper. My ability to walk was getting a bit better, but it was still tedious to get around. My urge to explore always gets the best of me though and we started working our way through a game trail through the dense alders in hopes of getting closer view of an awesome hanging glacier. The whole way, I thought of Timothy Treadwell stories of the Grizzly Maze and we made enough noise as to not surprise anything that could eat us. Eventually, the writing was on the wall that attempting this with a broken foot was a bad idea, so we headed back.
Sunday, July 26th
After an excellent Alaska style breakfast in Palmer with plenty of grease and fat, we drove onward to Denali. Of course the Alaska Range was socked in with clouds, even though the weather overhead was warming and clearing, but either way, it was a quite scenic drive. Upon arriving at the park, we checked in at the campground office and proceeded West to the Teklanika Campground at mile 29 of the restricted access, bus only road (one time travel permitted by those accessing the campground). That evening, we explored a bit along the river and attended a ranger talk about Barbara Washburn, the first woman to climb Denali, and wife of Bradford Washburn, the late famous climber/photographer/cartographer.
Monday, July 27th
We had tickets for the bus out to Wonder Lake at mile 86 of the 90 mile dirt road, which worked out great, as we picked it up at the campground at mile 29, saving us over an hour of bus riding on both ends of the trip. This is truly N. America’s version of going on a safari. You can’t go a mile without seeing Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Moose, Dall Sheep, Caribou etc… Over the course of our two bus rides on the one (and only) road through the park, we counted 21 Grizzlys, 1 Wolf, 2 Moose and countless others of the aforementioned animals.
Our bus driver was very informative, but not overly yappy and not over zealous with corny humor, which was a refreshing relief. We made nice long stops for the bears (my favorite by far) and shorter stops for the grazers which worked out well. Once we made it to Eielson visitor center at mile 66, the prime viewing spot for Denali, it was unfortunately very obscured by clouds, offering occasional glimpses to ~15,000 feet. I have seen it from here on a bluebird day on a previous trip and knew what we were missing out on.
I also spied a nice trail switch backing up the hillside for ~1,200 vertical or so to a high ridge. We only had a half hour here, but Allison and I took off up the trail to see how far we could get. After 10 minutes and not gaining much distance or elevation, I decided that I should turn back and not risk hurting my foot or missing the bus, but Allison headed up a little further. Hmm…. Something to do the next day I thought.
We proceeded the final 20 miles or so to Wonder Lake, where we could catch smoke and cloud obscured glimpses of Denali’s 18,000 vertical foot Wickersham Wall. On a clear day, this would be a STUNNING stretch of road and would make an awesome bike ride. Hopefully next time.
Tuesday, July 28th
Back on the bus to the Eielson visitor center at mile 66 in hopes of better views of Denali. Between wildlife viewing stops, we had one fleeting view of the N. summit at 19,400 feet, but as quick as we realized what we were seeing, it was gone for the day. The highlight of this bus ride was seeing a wolf trotting down the road straight toward us, then casually passed our stopped bus on the side I was sitting, so I was able to snap a few good pictures. He was a skinny little guy, but it was awesome to see a wolf in the wild.
From Eielson, we headed back up the trail we surveyed the previous day. It was a bit steep, but smooth enough that I could shuffle up it with a bit of difficulty and minimal discomfort of my broken bone. I eventually perfected an awkward hobble/shuffle and set my sights on gaining the ridge crest, which for a long time seemed to be an unlikely goal. Without really trying too hard, I ended up passing just about everyone I saw ahead of me, even those with a seemingly insurmountable head start. I made it to the ridge in a surprising 35 minutes, even though I stopped a few times and got hung up for a while behind a ranger led interpretive tour. Everyone I passed seemed a little shocked and made a comment of sorts about me hiking up so high with a broken foot.
I spent a long time on the highest bump on the ridge, which seemed much like a summit, enjoying the warm and calm conditions. Though Denali was obscured, the views from here were astounding. There was a higher summit about a mile away, but it had some ups/down and looked like it would be tough to negotiate with all the talus and I opted not to push my luck, so I just called it good. The trip down was tricky, but Allison spotted me and I managed to descend safely without incident, getting down 2 minutes slower than my ascent.
To top off the day, we attended another ranger led talk in the campground about moose and learned some interesting moose facts, such as, moose can dive as deep as 30 feet underwater if need be!
Wednesday, July 29th
Our 3 night stay at the Teklanika campground was up, so we travelled 13 miles East, back toward the park entrance to the Savage River Campground. After claiming a nice spot, we headed to the main village at the park entrance to dump black/grey water, refill with fresh water and check out the main visitor center. While there, we learned of a demonstration of the dog sled teams that they use in winter to travel throughout the park. I feared that it would be corny and touristy, but it was actually quite fun to go and pat the dogs and watch them pull a sled with wheels around a dirt track. I was impressed with how excited the dogs became as they were harnessed and attached to the sled, reaching a feverish pitch and then taking off like they were shot out of a cannon with surprising speed. I can only imagine that dog sledding would be one of the coolest things to do for an outdoor enthusiast and dog lover.
Thursday, July 30th
Drove to Talkeetna, where we spent a good part of the afternoon investigating flights around Denali, but were reluctant to commit, as the skies seemed pretty cloudy. The highlight was eating at a restaurant called the “West Rib Café and Pub”. I have seen pictures and read reports of famished climbers replenishing calories here after big climbs, indulging in giant burgers, fries and beers. I had to see what all the fuss was about and was not let down. Sitting on the outdoor patio was very pleasant and the burgers and fries were awesome. I can’t comment on the beer, as I don’t drink beer, but Allison seemed to like it.
Friday, July 31st
After a peaceful night sleep in a free “camp spot” on the backside of an abandoned building next to the airport, we awoke to clearing skies overhead and eagerly decided to commit to a sightseeing flight. We headed over to K2 Air and made arrangements for their flight that goes around Denali, passing Hunter, Foraker, Huntington, Moose’s Tooth and passes through the Ruth Gorge.
As soon as we got up above the trees, we could see what should be the Alaska Range, but was a wall of clouds instead. We still headed in that direction with great hopes, but the ceiling was about 8,000 feet and we “just” ended up flying through the Ruth Gorge (9,000 feet deep) and into the Sheldon Amphitheater. As we were looping around, I could see a small clearing toward Denali and could tell that there was abundant blue sky on the other side, but we had killed too much time flying around the Sheldon Amphitheater and “Little Switzerland”. Although I went into it knowing full well I should not get my hopes up, I couldn’t help but to get excited about the prospects of such a flight. Although we flew past some awesome scenery, it was still a bit of a let down to have to turn around so soon. We got a small discount because of the amended flight, but it was still expensive.
That afternoon, we took our time getting back to Anchorage, where we caught our 10:55pm flight back to Denver. Ironically, the most complete view we got of the Alaska Range was as soon as we took off from Anchorage, as the highest peaks were soaring above the clouds, with the midnight sun creating a magical backdrop. This was my 5th trip to Alaska and it never disappoints. I can’t wait to go again!
Pictures:
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/jeffvalliere/2009_07_23_Alaska/
Sierra
Sierra
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
7/17/09 Racing Old Ladies
Recovery is coming along, I am feeling less pain every day, but every now and then I get some unsolicited throbbing to remind me that my bone is still broken, just in case I am tempted to forget. Days at work are actually better than being at home from a mental standpoint, as I have to be there anyways. Having a few days off now is a real test of mental fortitude, as seeing Allison and Sierra leave early in the morning to go climb Bierstadt was tough, as is driving and looking at the mountains on a bluebird day. Once live coverage of Le Tour ends each morning, I am brimming with energy and itching to get outside and play.
Yesterday I ran a few errands in Boulder, one being a trip to the DMV to renew my registration. As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an 80ish year old woman getting out of her car and preparing to go inside. For some reason, habit and instinct I guess, I knew I had to beat her across the lot and into the building so I could get my number before her. I scrambled to get the crutches out of the back of my Element and quickly set off across the lot in hot pursuit. She had a pretty good gap, but I was able to close it down by the time we reached the curb before the front door. She had the advantage here, but I quickly recovered and made it to the door with a good 30+ foot advantage. I tagged the handi door opener and cruised across the lobby in with a strong sense of satisfaction, although not quite like beating Dave up Bear Peak ;).
I grabbed ticket #144 and waited my turn. Once I was up, I soon realized that they do not accept credit cards...... cash or check only. WTF! Are they serious? In this day and age? I normally carry around one check in my wallet, for stupid times like these, but today I was SOL. I bit my tongue, as it was not the clerk's fault and gimped my way to my bank, which fortunately was just down the street.
As I returned, I noticed the old lady was leaving, new sticker in hand. Guess she had the last laugh afterall. Once I finished my errands, I stopped by Boulder Creek and sat with my feet in the water for about an hour enjoying the summer day. It was a bit of torture, watching all the bikes and runners cruise by, but I will be back at it before I know it.
Yesterday I ran a few errands in Boulder, one being a trip to the DMV to renew my registration. As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an 80ish year old woman getting out of her car and preparing to go inside. For some reason, habit and instinct I guess, I knew I had to beat her across the lot and into the building so I could get my number before her. I scrambled to get the crutches out of the back of my Element and quickly set off across the lot in hot pursuit. She had a pretty good gap, but I was able to close it down by the time we reached the curb before the front door. She had the advantage here, but I quickly recovered and made it to the door with a good 30+ foot advantage. I tagged the handi door opener and cruised across the lobby in with a strong sense of satisfaction, although not quite like beating Dave up Bear Peak ;).
I grabbed ticket #144 and waited my turn. Once I was up, I soon realized that they do not accept credit cards...... cash or check only. WTF! Are they serious? In this day and age? I normally carry around one check in my wallet, for stupid times like these, but today I was SOL. I bit my tongue, as it was not the clerk's fault and gimped my way to my bank, which fortunately was just down the street.
As I returned, I noticed the old lady was leaving, new sticker in hand. Guess she had the last laugh afterall. Once I finished my errands, I stopped by Boulder Creek and sat with my feet in the water for about an hour enjoying the summer day. It was a bit of torture, watching all the bikes and runners cruise by, but I will be back at it before I know it.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, 7/13/09 Broken Foot!
Well, went to see Jeremy today, had my foot x-rayed again and it is officially broken. The ligaments are also a bit stretched/torn which explains the swelling. Rather than lament about the obvious negatives of having this happen in July, I am thankful that the bone is only broken 75% of the way across and not fully through, which sounds like it would be a real mess to fix.
As it stands now, I have to wear a stiff plastic removable boot for 1 full month, all the time, while using crutches as to put no weight on it. I was also forbidden to ride my bike and thus no Mt. Evans bike race on Saturday (I was thinking of signing up). After the month is up, then it was suggested that I take it fairly easy for another month or so, which means biking for me at that point.
Also on the plus side, I am thankful that it is not cold and snowy, which would be a real pain to hobble crutch around. I also get a pass from walking the dog before/after work, can probably escape houshold chores and there will certainly be no lawn mowing. As an additional bonus, the Tour continues for 2 more weeks and I have the VS. channel and a swell DVR player.
My upcoming 10 day trip to Alaska will have to be experienced like most Americans, from a comfortable seat, no runs up Mt. Marathon, Mt. Healy, Pioneer Peak......
As it stands now, I have to wear a stiff plastic removable boot for 1 full month, all the time, while using crutches as to put no weight on it. I was also forbidden to ride my bike and thus no Mt. Evans bike race on Saturday (I was thinking of signing up). After the month is up, then it was suggested that I take it fairly easy for another month or so, which means biking for me at that point.
Also on the plus side, I am thankful that it is not cold and snowy, which would be a real pain to hobble crutch around. I also get a pass from walking the dog before/after work, can probably escape houshold chores and there will certainly be no lawn mowing. As an additional bonus, the Tour continues for 2 more weeks and I have the VS. channel and a swell DVR player.
My upcoming 10 day trip to Alaska will have to be experienced like most Americans, from a comfortable seat, no runs up Mt. Marathon, Mt. Healy, Pioneer Peak......
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, 7/11/09 Grays Peak Attempt
After 2 months of discomfort and minor pain in my foot, I really did myself in yesterday on an easy hike of all things.
It all started at the very end of April, where a new pair of shoes were feeling a bit unsupportive and made the outside edge of my feet feel a bit sore and fatigued. I ran in them for two weeks, hoping I would “break them in”, but the writing was on the wall and I decided to give up on them to be on the safe side.
Within days, my right foot felt completely normal, but I had some lingering discomfort in my left foot, though only when I stepped on a pointy rock running downhill, otherwise I never even remembered that it was there. For insurance though, I took it pretty easy on the downhill runs and wore the most supportive, cushy comfortable shoes I had. The issue remained the same all of May and the first half of June, never getting better, never getting worse, until I ran the Brook Loop TT.
The downhill section of the loop is fairly rocky and technical. Normally, this descent would be no big deal, but for some reason, my left foot really started flare up, not just the occasional step, but every step. At the finish, it was clear that I had a problem and I decided to take some time off from running and heal. Over the next two weeks, I hiked some (easy) and biked a lot, but each time I tested my foot out with an easy run, it was clear that I had made no progress.
Feeling a bit anxious about the Pikes countdown timer, I decided to not mess around and go see sports injury guru Jeremy Rodgers who helped me with my knee two years ago. He took an x-ray and found nothing, determined that whatever it is that is bugging me was minor, prescribed some exercises, an night boot etc…. and I was beginning to make progress. I ran Green Mountain almost daily and though not cleared up, I felt better and better each day, so much better that I decided to run Quandary on Thursday.
Minutes into the Quandary run, I felt the pain in my left foot, more than I had in the past running uphill which slowed me a good bit, not wanting to really push off hard on the left side. The descent was somewhat painful, some steps especially painful, yet I still ran trying to catch my friend Nate. Although I was running to catch him, I was really favoring my injured foot and thought I was going a somewhat conservative speed.
I was pretty discouraged by the end of the run, having regressed to an all time low (regarding this injury). I could see my Pikes aspirations going down the drain, assuming that my foot would be giving me enough discomfort that I would not be able to train properly. I was still planning on running it, but had lowered my expectations to just getting the finishing shirt/jacket or whatever it is they will give away at the top this year.
Coincidentally, I had my final “follow up” appt. with Jeremy the next day. I woke up with my foot feeling sore, but slightly better than the previous day. When I went in, he gave me the carbon fiber insole for my shoe that I had been eagerly awaiting that was on order. I put that in my shoe and in an instant, I was feeling almost no discomfort when I put pressure on my foot. Amazing! (or so I thought).
I debated what to do on Saturday and strongly considered riding my bike, preferably up Mt. Evans, which in my gut I knew would be the best thing to do. Sierra’s extra playful demeanor indicated that she had energy to burn and I felt bad that she had not been for any hikes in a while. Taking pity on her, I decided to join my friends Nate and Dan for a trip up Grays and Torreys.
Though probably not the best idea, I felt confident that I could at least hike easy and just enjoy the day, get in some altitude and enjoy the company of good friends. I felt great for the first hour, truly amazed at how that plate was protecting my foot. At an altitude of a little over 13k, just prior to the Grays/Torreys junction, I stepped on a rock about the size of a tennis ball. Had I stepped on it with my good foot, it would have passed without notice, but I inadvertently stepped on it with my suspect foot, where it rolled (I think it only rolled like it did because it was already somewhat weakened) in such a way that something in my foot really let go.
The pain was unbearable and it about put me to the ground. I sat on a rock and encouraged Nate and Dan to continue and I would head back and wait. I started down the rocky trail and it was immediately evident that this was going to be the toughest ~3 miles of my life. I grabbed the boulders on the side of the trail for support, but progress was agonizingly slow. I could see that soon the trail would level a bit and there would be no boulders to assist me and I was stressing about what I would do. I tried walking backwards, but it was still very painful and very awkward. A few backward steps and I would certainly fall.
I was contemplating just sitting there to wait for Nate and Dan to return and have them help me, or crawl. Just as I was contemplating this, a woman caught up to me, having turned around due to the altitude (she is from sea level) and offered to let me use her hiking pole. I told her that I would be really slow, but she insisted that it was no big deal, as her friends were up the mountain as well and she was in no hurry.
The pole helped keep me upright and balanced, but did little to alleviate the pain in my foot. Sierra was getting a bit impatient and a bit confused over my situation and was getting too far ahead and distracted, so my new friend offered to walk her on leash, which helped me to focus on my task at hand.
The peak was incredibly crowded, even more so than last July when I deemed it the most crowded I had ever seen it. Almost everyone on the way up asked if I was OK, if I needed help, needed asprin, needed to borrow their poles etc…... I was not OK, but did not really know how to answer. It was quite sobering and embarrassing to be hobbling along, so feeble and immobile when normally I bound up and down these peaks with speed and confidence, feeling as though I can conquer the world.
It took me 2.5 hours to get back to the summer trailhead, where Nate and Dan returned 10 minutes after. Luckily Nate drove us up in his Jeep and we did not have to walk all the way to Bakerville. Even the jostling ride down hurt and I continued to have shooting pains through my foot and continue to do so as I write this.
Walking around the house is very difficult, driving my car is very painful because of the clutch. I am going to pick up some crutches soon, Kevin is loaning me a boot that I can wear to keep my foot from flexing and I hope to see a podiatrist tomorrow. Right now my foot is swollen and painful. Any thoughts of running Pikes Peak are completely down the tubes. Though I am very bummed out about it, I am strangely relieved about it at the same time (not to be guessing/stressing over not training well). It is amazing how quickly priorities shift from wanting to run up a mountain, to just wanting to walk around the house, work, supermarket, walk the dog etc….
I can’t recall ever hurting this bad, maybe breaking my leg when I was 6, but that was a long time ago. This one will certainly take some time to recover from, whatever the podiatrist diagnoses it as. Once the swelling goes down, I hope to be able to at least ride my bike within the next week if it does not hurt.
It all started at the very end of April, where a new pair of shoes were feeling a bit unsupportive and made the outside edge of my feet feel a bit sore and fatigued. I ran in them for two weeks, hoping I would “break them in”, but the writing was on the wall and I decided to give up on them to be on the safe side.
Within days, my right foot felt completely normal, but I had some lingering discomfort in my left foot, though only when I stepped on a pointy rock running downhill, otherwise I never even remembered that it was there. For insurance though, I took it pretty easy on the downhill runs and wore the most supportive, cushy comfortable shoes I had. The issue remained the same all of May and the first half of June, never getting better, never getting worse, until I ran the Brook Loop TT.
The downhill section of the loop is fairly rocky and technical. Normally, this descent would be no big deal, but for some reason, my left foot really started flare up, not just the occasional step, but every step. At the finish, it was clear that I had a problem and I decided to take some time off from running and heal. Over the next two weeks, I hiked some (easy) and biked a lot, but each time I tested my foot out with an easy run, it was clear that I had made no progress.
Feeling a bit anxious about the Pikes countdown timer, I decided to not mess around and go see sports injury guru Jeremy Rodgers who helped me with my knee two years ago. He took an x-ray and found nothing, determined that whatever it is that is bugging me was minor, prescribed some exercises, an night boot etc…. and I was beginning to make progress. I ran Green Mountain almost daily and though not cleared up, I felt better and better each day, so much better that I decided to run Quandary on Thursday.
Minutes into the Quandary run, I felt the pain in my left foot, more than I had in the past running uphill which slowed me a good bit, not wanting to really push off hard on the left side. The descent was somewhat painful, some steps especially painful, yet I still ran trying to catch my friend Nate. Although I was running to catch him, I was really favoring my injured foot and thought I was going a somewhat conservative speed.
I was pretty discouraged by the end of the run, having regressed to an all time low (regarding this injury). I could see my Pikes aspirations going down the drain, assuming that my foot would be giving me enough discomfort that I would not be able to train properly. I was still planning on running it, but had lowered my expectations to just getting the finishing shirt/jacket or whatever it is they will give away at the top this year.
Coincidentally, I had my final “follow up” appt. with Jeremy the next day. I woke up with my foot feeling sore, but slightly better than the previous day. When I went in, he gave me the carbon fiber insole for my shoe that I had been eagerly awaiting that was on order. I put that in my shoe and in an instant, I was feeling almost no discomfort when I put pressure on my foot. Amazing! (or so I thought).
I debated what to do on Saturday and strongly considered riding my bike, preferably up Mt. Evans, which in my gut I knew would be the best thing to do. Sierra’s extra playful demeanor indicated that she had energy to burn and I felt bad that she had not been for any hikes in a while. Taking pity on her, I decided to join my friends Nate and Dan for a trip up Grays and Torreys.
Though probably not the best idea, I felt confident that I could at least hike easy and just enjoy the day, get in some altitude and enjoy the company of good friends. I felt great for the first hour, truly amazed at how that plate was protecting my foot. At an altitude of a little over 13k, just prior to the Grays/Torreys junction, I stepped on a rock about the size of a tennis ball. Had I stepped on it with my good foot, it would have passed without notice, but I inadvertently stepped on it with my suspect foot, where it rolled (I think it only rolled like it did because it was already somewhat weakened) in such a way that something in my foot really let go.
The pain was unbearable and it about put me to the ground. I sat on a rock and encouraged Nate and Dan to continue and I would head back and wait. I started down the rocky trail and it was immediately evident that this was going to be the toughest ~3 miles of my life. I grabbed the boulders on the side of the trail for support, but progress was agonizingly slow. I could see that soon the trail would level a bit and there would be no boulders to assist me and I was stressing about what I would do. I tried walking backwards, but it was still very painful and very awkward. A few backward steps and I would certainly fall.
I was contemplating just sitting there to wait for Nate and Dan to return and have them help me, or crawl. Just as I was contemplating this, a woman caught up to me, having turned around due to the altitude (she is from sea level) and offered to let me use her hiking pole. I told her that I would be really slow, but she insisted that it was no big deal, as her friends were up the mountain as well and she was in no hurry.
The pole helped keep me upright and balanced, but did little to alleviate the pain in my foot. Sierra was getting a bit impatient and a bit confused over my situation and was getting too far ahead and distracted, so my new friend offered to walk her on leash, which helped me to focus on my task at hand.
The peak was incredibly crowded, even more so than last July when I deemed it the most crowded I had ever seen it. Almost everyone on the way up asked if I was OK, if I needed help, needed asprin, needed to borrow their poles etc…... I was not OK, but did not really know how to answer. It was quite sobering and embarrassing to be hobbling along, so feeble and immobile when normally I bound up and down these peaks with speed and confidence, feeling as though I can conquer the world.
It took me 2.5 hours to get back to the summer trailhead, where Nate and Dan returned 10 minutes after. Luckily Nate drove us up in his Jeep and we did not have to walk all the way to Bakerville. Even the jostling ride down hurt and I continued to have shooting pains through my foot and continue to do so as I write this.
Walking around the house is very difficult, driving my car is very painful because of the clutch. I am going to pick up some crutches soon, Kevin is loaning me a boot that I can wear to keep my foot from flexing and I hope to see a podiatrist tomorrow. Right now my foot is swollen and painful. Any thoughts of running Pikes Peak are completely down the tubes. Though I am very bummed out about it, I am strangely relieved about it at the same time (not to be guessing/stressing over not training well). It is amazing how quickly priorities shift from wanting to run up a mountain, to just wanting to walk around the house, work, supermarket, walk the dog etc….
I can’t recall ever hurting this bad, maybe breaking my leg when I was 6, but that was a long time ago. This one will certainly take some time to recover from, whatever the podiatrist diagnoses it as. Once the swelling goes down, I hope to be able to at least ride my bike within the next week if it does not hurt.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
7/09/09 Quandary Peak
Quandary Peak
East Ridge from Monte Christo TH
7/09/09
5.4 miles/3,370 vertical
Jeff Valliere, Nate Bahrenburg
After nursing a minor foot injury the last few weeks and being crazy busy with all kinds of random things, it was high time to go run a 14er. My foot was feeling better and since Allison, her friend Stef and Nate’s wife Gina wanted to go to Breckenridge for the day, Nate and I decided to make a quick trip up Quandary.
This was Nate’s second fourteener (he joined me for Princeton as his first back in 1997), so after a long hiatus, I was not sure what to expect. Nate runs some to stay fit, so I knew he would be strong.
I started up the trail with Nate as a bit of a warm up, as my plan was to give him a head start and catch him along the way. I went back to the car, ate/drank a bit and got ready. I took my time, sure that I would catch Nate before the top.
I started my watch at exactly 9:11am, 30 minutes after Nate began. I felt OK, but my foot was acting up, where the pain increased little by little as I went along. I was also feeling a little run down and dopey, from only getting 3.5 hours of sleep the previous night. I typically get 8+ hours, but for some unknown reason have been sleeping like crap lately.
I was hoping to break an hour, but was really not sure how close I would come, as I was really starting to favor my left foot. Aside from the foot and the lack of sleep, my fitness generally felt good. I was surprised at where the trail was routed after tree-line, as I have not been up here in the summer since 1995.
The trail was in great shape, but as it got rockier higher up, I was being really careful as to where and how I placed my left foot. I was starting to pass people and goats, but still no Nate…. Did he hide behind a bush and is now watching me chase a ghost?
As I neared what I thought to be the top, I was sure I was going to break an hour, but I naively had forgotten that last spot where you realize you have another 100+ vertical, that today was covered in snow. It was here I spotted Nate on his descent, where he informed me that he made it up in 1:25!!
He asked how I was doing and I huffed out “crappy!”. I tagged the top in 1:02:56, and sucked down one of my two 7oz bottles of Heed. Everyone on top was well dressed and looked at me like I was nuts in running shorts, t-shirt and not much else, though it was a very pleasant day.
My sub goal was to run the round trip in 1:45 or better, but as soon as I started down, I was sure this would be unlikely. My main goal was to quickly catch Nate and hike down with him, but he was making surprisingly quick work of the descent. The rocks and talus were just killing my foot with each awkward step and several steps were just sending severe bolts of pain, nearly causing me to fall down. I gingerly hobbled down the rocks, always trying to strategically place the gimpy foot.
I was so bummed by this, as I have been seeing my PT for two weeks and felt I was making good progress, now it was worse than it had ever been. I hopped along for what seemed like forever and never did catch Nate, just the occasional glimpse of him ahead.
I finally reached the trailhead in a total time of 1:42:01 and was a bit surprised by this. I should have been stoked, but was more upset over the fact that although I had been running Green Mountain almost daily with minimal pain, I was now seeing Pikes Peak ambitions slip away.
I soaked my throbbing foot in the ice cold creek for a short while, talking to Nate about his hike/run. Not that I am that surprised, but I was very impressed that he did the round trip in 2:10, after not getting up a 14er in 12 years, wearing hiking shoes and carrying a clunky fanny pack. I am suspicious that he might be doing some stealth training and not telling me.
Not sure what I am going to do about this foot thing, besides continue with my treatment regimen and ride my bike to stay fit. Things do not seem all that hopeful at this point and am starting to think I have some sort of Pikes Peak curse.
Splits:
Treeline: 14:50
False summit: 41ish
Summit: 1:02:56
Finish: 1:42:01
East Ridge from Monte Christo TH
7/09/09
5.4 miles/3,370 vertical
Jeff Valliere, Nate Bahrenburg
After nursing a minor foot injury the last few weeks and being crazy busy with all kinds of random things, it was high time to go run a 14er. My foot was feeling better and since Allison, her friend Stef and Nate’s wife Gina wanted to go to Breckenridge for the day, Nate and I decided to make a quick trip up Quandary.
This was Nate’s second fourteener (he joined me for Princeton as his first back in 1997), so after a long hiatus, I was not sure what to expect. Nate runs some to stay fit, so I knew he would be strong.
I started up the trail with Nate as a bit of a warm up, as my plan was to give him a head start and catch him along the way. I went back to the car, ate/drank a bit and got ready. I took my time, sure that I would catch Nate before the top.
I started my watch at exactly 9:11am, 30 minutes after Nate began. I felt OK, but my foot was acting up, where the pain increased little by little as I went along. I was also feeling a little run down and dopey, from only getting 3.5 hours of sleep the previous night. I typically get 8+ hours, but for some unknown reason have been sleeping like crap lately.
I was hoping to break an hour, but was really not sure how close I would come, as I was really starting to favor my left foot. Aside from the foot and the lack of sleep, my fitness generally felt good. I was surprised at where the trail was routed after tree-line, as I have not been up here in the summer since 1995.
The trail was in great shape, but as it got rockier higher up, I was being really careful as to where and how I placed my left foot. I was starting to pass people and goats, but still no Nate…. Did he hide behind a bush and is now watching me chase a ghost?
As I neared what I thought to be the top, I was sure I was going to break an hour, but I naively had forgotten that last spot where you realize you have another 100+ vertical, that today was covered in snow. It was here I spotted Nate on his descent, where he informed me that he made it up in 1:25!!
He asked how I was doing and I huffed out “crappy!”. I tagged the top in 1:02:56, and sucked down one of my two 7oz bottles of Heed. Everyone on top was well dressed and looked at me like I was nuts in running shorts, t-shirt and not much else, though it was a very pleasant day.
My sub goal was to run the round trip in 1:45 or better, but as soon as I started down, I was sure this would be unlikely. My main goal was to quickly catch Nate and hike down with him, but he was making surprisingly quick work of the descent. The rocks and talus were just killing my foot with each awkward step and several steps were just sending severe bolts of pain, nearly causing me to fall down. I gingerly hobbled down the rocks, always trying to strategically place the gimpy foot.
I was so bummed by this, as I have been seeing my PT for two weeks and felt I was making good progress, now it was worse than it had ever been. I hopped along for what seemed like forever and never did catch Nate, just the occasional glimpse of him ahead.
I finally reached the trailhead in a total time of 1:42:01 and was a bit surprised by this. I should have been stoked, but was more upset over the fact that although I had been running Green Mountain almost daily with minimal pain, I was now seeing Pikes Peak ambitions slip away.
I soaked my throbbing foot in the ice cold creek for a short while, talking to Nate about his hike/run. Not that I am that surprised, but I was very impressed that he did the round trip in 2:10, after not getting up a 14er in 12 years, wearing hiking shoes and carrying a clunky fanny pack. I am suspicious that he might be doing some stealth training and not telling me.
Not sure what I am going to do about this foot thing, besides continue with my treatment regimen and ride my bike to stay fit. Things do not seem all that hopeful at this point and am starting to think I have some sort of Pikes Peak curse.
Splits:
Treeline: 14:50
False summit: 41ish
Summit: 1:02:56
Finish: 1:42:01
Monday, July 6, 2009
7/06/09 Green Mountain
A few whacky happenings.... A drunk couple swearing at each other at the Gregory TH, topped off by her puking after he spun her around. Class. Then a dufus coming down Amphitheater with hiking poles started through a 10 foot long narrow section I was already in, I yielded (though I was running up), as he proceded to edge me out with his offensive poles. He then proceeded to inform me that I have to yield to downhill traffic. I politely let him know he was wrong, unless it was a race, where downhill has the right of way. The remainder of the people I saw the rest of the trip seemed as though they were a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Had me wondering if it was a full moon or something. Sure enough, tomorrow is the full moon, so I am sure there is a correlation. Almost landed on a large bull snake on the descent. I pulled some fancy aerial maneuvers to no land on it as I thought it was a rattler at first glance. I screamed like a girl, stopped, then watched it for a while.
Oh yeah, the run. Super easy on the up, casual on the down. The foot is starting to feel a bit better in general, but a misplaced landing can send me hopping.
38 UP
1:03 RT
Oh yeah, the run. Super easy on the up, casual on the down. The foot is starting to feel a bit better in general, but a misplaced landing can send me hopping.
38 UP
1:03 RT
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sunday, 7/5/09 Green Mountain
Jogged up Gregory/Ranger at a moderate pace , saw my first Columbines ever in the Boulder area, just past the Greenman/Ranger jct. on the right. It has been a wet spring/summer indeed!
Descended the usual front side for efficiency, going super easy as to not aggravate my foot. Did not see another person the entire run, except for one frumpy lady back at the Gregory TH who looked at me like I just escaped from prison after I offered up a cheerful "good morning" (got no response). 39:44 up, 1:07 RT, made it to work just a few minutes past 7am.
As an aside, I noticed that Baseline road was lined with signs and orange fencing from below Chautauqua to at least the Gregory TH. The signs read "Special Event, No Parking July 4th from 3pm to 11pm, violators will be towed at owners expense" or something to that effect. All I can think of is fireworks, but aren't those usually at Folsom Field? Perhaps a race I did not hear about? Or just the powers that be, putting limits on 4th of July fun???
Descended the usual front side for efficiency, going super easy as to not aggravate my foot. Did not see another person the entire run, except for one frumpy lady back at the Gregory TH who looked at me like I just escaped from prison after I offered up a cheerful "good morning" (got no response). 39:44 up, 1:07 RT, made it to work just a few minutes past 7am.
As an aside, I noticed that Baseline road was lined with signs and orange fencing from below Chautauqua to at least the Gregory TH. The signs read "Special Event, No Parking July 4th from 3pm to 11pm, violators will be towed at owners expense" or something to that effect. All I can think of is fireworks, but aren't those usually at Folsom Field? Perhaps a race I did not hear about? Or just the powers that be, putting limits on 4th of July fun???
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Saturday, July 4th, 2009 Peak to Peak/Brainard Lake
The weather was looking a little iffy in the morning, so we threw the bikes in the car and drove to Ward to expedite our trip to the Peak to Peak highway. On the way there, we passed literally hundreds of riders and I was itching to be on the bike passing as many as possible. Once we parked and readied for our ride, we headed North toward Allenspark, but turned around just prior due to ever darkening skies. We got sprinkled on a bit, but things seemed good enough when we returned to Ward, so we rode up to Brainard, did a lap, then sat in a nice window of sunshine enjoying the views, fresh piney smell and mountain air. Things soon clouded up and became a bit cold, so we sped back down the hill to the car. It is awesome to be cold on the 4th of July, or at least have the option. Allison just loves her new bike, huge improvement. We topped off the day with a nice lunch in Ned..
Bikebox.
Only one day per year I can wear this stupid windbreaker (and matching socks out of view).
Luckily, Allison looks good, so I don't have to.
Bikebox.
Only one day per year I can wear this stupid windbreaker (and matching socks out of view).
Luckily, Allison looks good, so I don't have to.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday, 7/03/09 S. Boulder and Bear
For lack of any "real" mountain plans, we found ourselves at the Cragmoor TH at 11:20am after a large breakfast at "The Original Pancake House". What we anticipated to be a cool, cloudy morning hike, turned into a hot hike/run with no sunscreen (had it in my backpack/man-purse, but managed to forget that at home). I hiked with Allison and Sierra up to the junction of Fern and decided to run to the top. Was overdressed a bit and wearing clunker shoes (for my foot issue), but managed to get to the saddle in 9:42 and to the summit post in 22:51. Just as I was topping out, I heard somebody call my name, but I still had 5 seconds to go and just muttered a "hold on a sec". It was my good friend Mike Oberg, so we hiked down a few hundred feet to meet Allison and Sierra. I accompanied them back up to the top, then we went over to SBP. Things were slow for the remainder of the hike, as Allison is dealing with a hip issue. We were long out of water, no sunscreen, sunburnt and long bonked after the pancake high, so I was very relieved to get back to the car and head home.
After we ate some lunch, we shifted gears and headed out for a short road ride, so Allison could get her kick a$$ new Specialized Ruby Expert carbon fiber road bike dialed in. Awesome bike, she looks like a pro now, a huge upgrade over her old Schwinn clunker. Riding Peak to Peak to Estes Saturday, hopefully before the weather rolls in.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, 6/30/09 Bear Peak
After having Jeremy Rodgers take a look at my foot and getting the good news that A). my injury is minor B). I can still train C). he can heal me in a short time, I decided to get out for a run. Though it was scorching hot, I was buoyed by the good news and decided to take a trip up Bear Peak.
Mainly because of the music I was listening on my MP3 player, I went on the high side of moderate/easy side of hard, but I was not feeling up to running really hard, as the foot is still sensitive (despite the tape job and sturdy shoes I was wearing) and I am a bit off kilter from taking nearly 2 weeks mostly off of running. Not to mention it was certainly the hottest day of the year so far (at least it seemed like it).
Got to the summit post just as my watch turned 43. Scampered up to the true summit, then took the descent somewhat easy, favoring my foot a bit and trying not to make it any worse. Going easy seemed to help, as I was no worse off afterwards. 1:10:09 for the RT.
Mainly because of the music I was listening on my MP3 player, I went on the high side of moderate/easy side of hard, but I was not feeling up to running really hard, as the foot is still sensitive (despite the tape job and sturdy shoes I was wearing) and I am a bit off kilter from taking nearly 2 weeks mostly off of running. Not to mention it was certainly the hottest day of the year so far (at least it seemed like it).
Got to the summit post just as my watch turned 43. Scampered up to the true summit, then took the descent somewhat easy, favoring my foot a bit and trying not to make it any worse. Going easy seemed to help, as I was no worse off afterwards. 1:10:09 for the RT.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, 6/27/09 Bike Ride to Ward
Left the house on bikes this morning with Kevin and Allison, Baseline, 75th, Jay, 36, Lee Hill/Old Stage, Left Hand. Great morning, cool, clear and everyone was out on their bikes. Turned on the gas a bit the last few miles up to Peak to Peak, but otherwise was a good husband and paced Allison the remainder of the day. She did great considering she only rides once every week or 3, has little/no biking background and rides a heavy tank of a bike. We were going to head up to the Brainard gate, but Allison was a bit tanked by the time she arrived in Ward, so we will save that one for another day.
I am really digging riding the bike and am very much looking forward to getting in a ride or two up Mt. Evans, Berthoud Pass, perhaps the Minturn Loop (Fremont/Tennessee/Vail Pass). Am also fantasizing about the Grand Loop, ~220 miles over Trail Ridge, to WP, over Berthoud, OMG road, Peak to Peak, Ned back to Boulder. Hampsten once told me it was the hardest ride he had ever done. Need to find A). Sag wagon and B). a strong partner or two
I am really digging riding the bike and am very much looking forward to getting in a ride or two up Mt. Evans, Berthoud Pass, perhaps the Minturn Loop (Fremont/Tennessee/Vail Pass). Am also fantasizing about the Grand Loop, ~220 miles over Trail Ridge, to WP, over Berthoud, OMG road, Peak to Peak, Ned back to Boulder. Hampsten once told me it was the hardest ride he had ever done. Need to find A). Sag wagon and B). a strong partner or two
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25th, 2009 Green Mountain
What a crazy birthday (well not that crazy), but certainly memorable. I got an invite from Brandon to go out to lunch, so we met at Wahoos close to work (thanks again Brandon) and at the last minute I invited Tim, as I learned that morning that Tim was moving to California and had Dave's car packed, which was surprising news to say the least. I am happy for Tim that he found a job and is moving to a place he is excited about, but will certainly miss him as a running partner. I have only known Tim since January, but we hit it off immidiately and shared many good runs and an epic winter climb of Longs Peak. Keep in touch Tim!
I was not planning on getting out, but at the last minute I decided to run up Green. My legs felt good at work and in the car, but as soon as I hit the trail, they were like lead and I almost turned around, but kept going since I spent 30 minutes getting to the TH from Longmont. To add to it, it was probably the hottest day of the year thus far (at least the hottest temps I have run in) and my foot is still bugging me despite an easy week.
I just plugged along and although I never felt very good, I enjoyed my time on the trail regardless. I think I was also feeling the bike ride the previous day, noting that my quads were a touch tired.
Made the summit in 36:44, turned tail and headed back down the short way, getting back to the TH in 58:58.
Once in the car, I heard the news of Michael Jackson. As a kid, I was a huge fan, but grew out of it in high school for the most part, yet all the while appreciating his work and talent. He ultimately became one of the biggest celebrity train wrecks, but I will not forget what an amazing performer he was in the 80's and before. Kind of a downer on my 38th birthday.
I was not planning on getting out, but at the last minute I decided to run up Green. My legs felt good at work and in the car, but as soon as I hit the trail, they were like lead and I almost turned around, but kept going since I spent 30 minutes getting to the TH from Longmont. To add to it, it was probably the hottest day of the year thus far (at least the hottest temps I have run in) and my foot is still bugging me despite an easy week.
I just plugged along and although I never felt very good, I enjoyed my time on the trail regardless. I think I was also feeling the bike ride the previous day, noting that my quads were a touch tired.
Made the summit in 36:44, turned tail and headed back down the short way, getting back to the TH in 58:58.
Once in the car, I heard the news of Michael Jackson. As a kid, I was a huge fan, but grew out of it in high school for the most part, yet all the while appreciating his work and talent. He ultimately became one of the biggest celebrity train wrecks, but I will not forget what an amazing performer he was in the 80's and before. Kind of a downer on my 38th birthday.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, 6/24/09 Bike to Work Day
Being reminded about Bike to Work Day a few weeks ago, I was certainly interested in participating and immidiately envisioned leisurely riding in, stopping for free food along the way at as many BTWD food stations as I could map out, but the work e-mail announcement mentioned a "friendly competition". Three categories were listed, longest one way commute, longest round trip and the final one that got my wheels spinning (literally and figuratively)...... most vertical. Hmmm..... did someone say competition and vertical in the same sentence?
I immidiately began plotting to sweep all 3 categories. I drove in Tuesday with extra clothes, food and anything I may need during the day, so I would not have to ride with a pack.
Wednesday morning arrived and I was up at 4:15am, anxious for a great ride. I was thinking of leaving at 5am, but it was just a touch too dark for my comfort level and did not feel like digging out bike lights. I slowly took my time getting ready and was out the door at 5:20am and headed West on Baseline to Flagstaff Road. I took the climb somewhat moderate, enjoying the scenery and basking in the quiet surroundings, fresh air and warming sunshine. I topped out in 33, did an immidiate U and was back down in 9 minutes.
From the base of Flag, I took 6th/4th/Broadway up to Lee Hill. I passed a BTWD station setting up a big griddle and was tempted to stop, but it was still before 7 and I had some riding to do. My legs were still feeling fresh since I went easy on Flag and I settled into a rythm up Lee Hill. At the top, I took a left and continued up the ever steepening Deer Trail. From Broadway, this took 45 minutes going a moderate pace. I took a short break to eat some Gu Chomps, glug some water and take in the morning and views. Looking at the divide, I was itching to ride up to Brainard/Peak to Peak/Estes, but alas I had to get to work.
Back down Deer Trail, back side of Lee Hill, Lefthand to 36 (obeying all laws of course ;)), 36 N. to Nelson Road and into Longmont. I was hoping to top 50 miles for the inbound commute, but arrived at work just before 8:30am with 48ish, and a flat tire! Dang it! I stood up, leaned forward (thus putting the bulk of my weight on my front tire) and put in the final two miles going back and forth in front of our building on the smooth road.
After a full day of work and a tube change, I was out the door at 4:39pm and the skies were threatening. It was warm, but the skies were starting to produce, yet I was sure I could make it home in time if I pedaled fast. Heading South on 95th, I really cranked it up, motivated to not get myself involved with any of the lightning I could see striking not too far to the West. Aside from going up one roller, I was never going under 25, and had the speed up over 40 at one point when I sprinted to get in the draft of a hay truck. I eventually got sick of the blowing hay in my face and was a bit spun out in my top gear, since I put on some easier climbing gears for the morning climbing, backing off once we got to 45mph.
The weather held barely long enough for me to put in a few extra miles to get up over 70 for the day which was my goal. I hope to find out today if I won at least one of the categories (and a $50 Visa gift card).
Stats: 71.25 miles
Vertical: ~5,800
Time: 4:26
The time looks kind of slow for 71 miles, but with all the vertical, there was a lot of climbing at 7-9 mph to skew the average (16mph). In Florida, we used to regularly churn out 100 miles in less than 3:50, but that was pancake flat at sea level.
This ride was so fun, I can see adding in a few more climbs next time, maybe make a day of it and get SuperFlag, Magnolia, Sugarloaf, Sunshine, Lee Hill/Deer Trail, SuperJames.
I immidiately began plotting to sweep all 3 categories. I drove in Tuesday with extra clothes, food and anything I may need during the day, so I would not have to ride with a pack.
Wednesday morning arrived and I was up at 4:15am, anxious for a great ride. I was thinking of leaving at 5am, but it was just a touch too dark for my comfort level and did not feel like digging out bike lights. I slowly took my time getting ready and was out the door at 5:20am and headed West on Baseline to Flagstaff Road. I took the climb somewhat moderate, enjoying the scenery and basking in the quiet surroundings, fresh air and warming sunshine. I topped out in 33, did an immidiate U and was back down in 9 minutes.
From the base of Flag, I took 6th/4th/Broadway up to Lee Hill. I passed a BTWD station setting up a big griddle and was tempted to stop, but it was still before 7 and I had some riding to do. My legs were still feeling fresh since I went easy on Flag and I settled into a rythm up Lee Hill. At the top, I took a left and continued up the ever steepening Deer Trail. From Broadway, this took 45 minutes going a moderate pace. I took a short break to eat some Gu Chomps, glug some water and take in the morning and views. Looking at the divide, I was itching to ride up to Brainard/Peak to Peak/Estes, but alas I had to get to work.
Back down Deer Trail, back side of Lee Hill, Lefthand to 36 (obeying all laws of course ;)), 36 N. to Nelson Road and into Longmont. I was hoping to top 50 miles for the inbound commute, but arrived at work just before 8:30am with 48ish, and a flat tire! Dang it! I stood up, leaned forward (thus putting the bulk of my weight on my front tire) and put in the final two miles going back and forth in front of our building on the smooth road.
After a full day of work and a tube change, I was out the door at 4:39pm and the skies were threatening. It was warm, but the skies were starting to produce, yet I was sure I could make it home in time if I pedaled fast. Heading South on 95th, I really cranked it up, motivated to not get myself involved with any of the lightning I could see striking not too far to the West. Aside from going up one roller, I was never going under 25, and had the speed up over 40 at one point when I sprinted to get in the draft of a hay truck. I eventually got sick of the blowing hay in my face and was a bit spun out in my top gear, since I put on some easier climbing gears for the morning climbing, backing off once we got to 45mph.
The weather held barely long enough for me to put in a few extra miles to get up over 70 for the day which was my goal. I hope to find out today if I won at least one of the categories (and a $50 Visa gift card).
Stats: 71.25 miles
Vertical: ~5,800
Time: 4:26
The time looks kind of slow for 71 miles, but with all the vertical, there was a lot of climbing at 7-9 mph to skew the average (16mph). In Florida, we used to regularly churn out 100 miles in less than 3:50, but that was pancake flat at sea level.
This ride was so fun, I can see adding in a few more climbs next time, maybe make a day of it and get SuperFlag, Magnolia, Sugarloaf, Sunshine, Lee Hill/Deer Trail, SuperJames.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday, 6/15/09 Sanitas
It has been a while since I have been on Sanitas, but it was cool and damp and I needed something short. I went really easy, but about half way up, I could hear some thunder kicking up and getting closer, so I picked up the tempo to moderate for the last 5 minutes or so. Hit the pole at 19:50 and turned back down the hill with out breaking stride. Down in 11.
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