Jul 7
Stage 8: Conquering the Continental Divide
Short one tonight as I am using my free time tonight to work on my message for this coming week’s event.
Making our way up Monarch Pass
Today was our second day in the Colorado Rockies. Starting outside of Gunnison, we headed east on Route 50 towards Monarch Pass, which is a 11,312 foot pass on the Continental Divide. While we were psyched about another challenging mountain pass, we were besieged by a wicked thunderstorm as we began the summit attempt. We decided to wait out the storm by picnicking in the van by the roadside. Eventually we were able to get out of the van and make our way to the summit.
Biking while the storms loom overhead
Jared is first to make it to the top!
Rich glad he made it to the top
We made our way further east and then north towards the Buena Vista area. We are staying at a neat hotel at the foot of Mt. Princeton in Nathrop.
Lots of traffic all day today.
We adjusted the route slightly tomorrow to try and get another challenging mountain pass in (yes, we are gluttons for punishment!). From this area, we are heading north towards Breckenridge. As we do so, we’ll climb Hoosier Pass at 11,500 feet. We figure that’s a good warm up ride for the big daddy—Mt. Evans (14,300 feet) on Tuesday.
Video update: It’s been a comedy of errors on getting the daily video up and running. First, it was a computer glitch. Second, it was an audio error on our finished video from yesterday. Tonight, it was simply lack of time. We’ll work to have them up and running shortly. Thanks for your patience!
Kim’s Bicycle charm she got in Ouray
Rich looking intense on a climb
1 Comment so far
Leave a comment
You were in some of our familiar territory when we lived out there 30 years ago - Buena Vista was always Maury’s favorite spot. I was not remembering Nathrop as being much of anything but a sign along the road, but things change a lot in 30 years! I think there was a road around there that went back to the old ghost town of Saint Elmo - when we took Rich and Sandi, Joe and Carolyn there back around 1979 or so that they came to visit us, there was nothing there but the old buildings and the high mountains - Tincup Pass was the mountain pass in that area, but I never got there. Anyway, we were out there in the early ’90’s or maybe late ’80’s, I don’t remember for sure, and there was some people living up there year round - used snowmobiles to get in and out in the winter, I guess - or maybe the people that had kids home-schooled them. I always thought it was such a pretty drive back through there.
Was over Hoosier Pass one time - good luck - you are certainly gluttons for punishment! I am really enjoying your daily updates and Doyle has been reading them also - he thought some of those mountain rides were something else!
Enjoy the day.
Aunt Amy