'Cause I wanna
The main highlight left to share is that Heidi and I did indeed make it to the top of Hoosier Pass (11,500ish feet) after our night in Breckenridge. We pulled out into the streets of Breckenridge a bit past 8 a.m. and my thoughts over the next mile or two were, "I...can...not...breathe...at...all," whilst inhaling exhaust from the numerous construction pick-ups tooling by and questioning why-oh-why I wanted to go up into the mountains with a fully loaded bike-cycle.
Thank goodness the body is an adaptable thing, and both Heidi and I thought the climb up the pass was, as usual, not even close to as bad as we'd imagined. Other than a noxious smell wafting off of some Colorado plant (or was it bear scat or a lagoon?), we actually enjoyed most of the climb. Rain threatened, but didn't fall, and the morning stayed cool with temps in the 50s or low 60s.
They were improving the roadway a few miles from the top, but for most of the construction zone we biked in the "dead lane"--despite its name, we thoroughly enjoyed having a smooth lane to ourselves. Towards the top of the pass the road twisted in hairpin turns and looked dauntingly steep, but I guess those other mountains we'd climbed paid off, because we were both feeling strong at the top.
Jubilantly, we took photos of ourselves with the Hoosier Pass sign, and, to the amusement of the bored construction worker across the road, we attempted to lift our loaded bikes over our heads (maybe by the Appalachians...).
Papa Rempel and Brother Dan joined us for the descent, right after another construction worker told a string of stories about biker deaths in Colorado construction zones. We got in a good 30 miles together, and what a funny crew we must have been to those passing us. Two women with touring bikes and gear, an older gent with an unloaded hybrid bike, and a bearded young man wearing overalls and a flannel shirt, crouched over his aero bars.
Look forward to having more travel tales to share soon, and hopefully this time at home will give us (well, Heidi) time to post the rest of our (her awesome) photos from the trip. Cheerio.
Thank goodness the body is an adaptable thing, and both Heidi and I thought the climb up the pass was, as usual, not even close to as bad as we'd imagined. Other than a noxious smell wafting off of some Colorado plant (or was it bear scat or a lagoon?), we actually enjoyed most of the climb. Rain threatened, but didn't fall, and the morning stayed cool with temps in the 50s or low 60s.
They were improving the roadway a few miles from the top, but for most of the construction zone we biked in the "dead lane"--despite its name, we thoroughly enjoyed having a smooth lane to ourselves. Towards the top of the pass the road twisted in hairpin turns and looked dauntingly steep, but I guess those other mountains we'd climbed paid off, because we were both feeling strong at the top.
Jubilantly, we took photos of ourselves with the Hoosier Pass sign, and, to the amusement of the bored construction worker across the road, we attempted to lift our loaded bikes over our heads (maybe by the Appalachians...).
Papa Rempel and Brother Dan joined us for the descent, right after another construction worker told a string of stories about biker deaths in Colorado construction zones. We got in a good 30 miles together, and what a funny crew we must have been to those passing us. Two women with touring bikes and gear, an older gent with an unloaded hybrid bike, and a bearded young man wearing overalls and a flannel shirt, crouched over his aero bars.
Look forward to having more travel tales to share soon, and hopefully this time at home will give us (well, Heidi) time to post the rest of our (her awesome) photos from the trip. Cheerio.
posted by Heidi & Liz at 3:14 PM
1 Comments:
Hey girls, keep up the awesome work! You have officially climbed a mountain twice as big as my highest this summer (5667 ft); way to go!!! All of your pictures are really hurting me as I want to be on the road again, possibly joining you. When having a tough day back here teaching middle school, I miss the freedom of the open road. Keep soaking it in for all of us couped up sheep... I think I am now sold on doing the western half of the transam too. So beautiful. One cool thing, I took 6 weeks off after I finished my trip and just got back on a bike last week and averaged 21 mph while riding with a group! And the best part, I didn't have to apply any chamois butt'r.
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