8.86 miles/4,005 vert./1:59:39/160 avg. HR Garmin Data
Met up with Tony at Chautauqua at 6:45am. Headed out Mesa, Fern, Bear, W. Ridge, Green/Bear then down 1st/2nd access to complete the loop. Was a great morning, reasonable temperatures (low 30s to start and then warming), very little wind aside from a few gusts on upper Fern. Went on the high side of moderate to low side of hard at times but never really dug in and encouraged Tony to just go his own pace on the steeper climbs, while I just plugged along at a more comfortable pace (he was nice enough to wait for me on the summits).
Was a pretty decent workout though given my conditioning level right now, coupled with the glacial trail conditions that slowed things down some. Still a fair bit of ice on Mesa, much of Fern is just bulletproof bobsled run like conditions, especially above the saddle. Bear to Green was ~85% snow and ice, but is less steep, so we could cruise that pretty well. Took the descents pretty cautious, as it would just be too easy right to take a bad fall (OK, I am being a wimp, as Tony had little trouble with it and even gave me a "what's going on back there?" comment, which made me laugh and realize that I was really lagging).
Chautauqua to Bear: 59:17
Bear to Green: 35:05
Green to Chautauqua: 25:16
Crazy that that is barely a 9mi loop. BOOM, 9mi/4k' vert. Solid. My Highgear had 4400', but that's including climbing from my place by Boulder Creek.
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