Telluride

Kahn got his new tires and wanted to try them on a climb. So, being at a ski resort we tried to ride up the slope on a maintenance road. HA! It was too difficult. So, we went down and rode along the river on a very easy trail. Kahn played in the river some and we took some side trails but nothing too taxing. Later in the evening we rode to the town park to play tennis.

This was the first time either of us had been to Telluride and we fell in love with the place. I really wanted to just stay there. We bought a bottle of Telluride wine to drink when we actually move there!

I wonder what happened to that bottle of wine! lol I can't remember. Knowing me, I carted it around to graduate school and then drank it, smashed it, or flushed it down the toilet when we broke up! lol I would definitely enjoy another visit to Telluride! What a place! The music festival would be a great time to do that. (=

Winter Park

Went up Little Vasquez a short ways to the Blue Sky Trail. Kahn had seen it earlier when we had jogged. He liked the bridge. It was a little steep at first then flattened out. Very pretty. Kahn went down a little side trail to cross the Vasquez Ford. The water was quite deep and going fast. He made it across and talked to some campers then came back. We went back and met up with the Tunnel Hill Trail which was very steep. That we followed for awhile exploring some side trails but always going back to Tunnel Hill. That ran into Little Vasquez which Kahn thought went right to our condo. So barreled down the trail averaging about 20 mph. Kahn then took a small detour up to behind our condo. Then down through the wooded area and down to our driveway.

The next day...

We got up early and did the exact ride minus the ford. Kahn thinks he got up to 30 mph while I know I got up to 24 mph.

This was the trip of one of my most embarrassing moments! When we got back from one of our rides, no one was around. So we jumped into the hot tub and started removing clothing. Why we had suits on in the first place I have no idea. Well... my bottoms got sucked into the filter and we couldn't get them out. Around that time his parents showed up! lol So we had to call maintanence to come get them out. I can't remember what we said, but I remember we tried to convince them of an innocent reason for me being bottomless! lol I'm quite sure they didn't buy it. And I did get my bottoms back in good shape!

Delaney Buttes - Walden

Distance - 7 miles

Sheryl, Pam, and I rode around all 3 Delaney Butte lakes. Most of it was pretty easy but we went off only a few Jeep roads. The most interesting thing we saw was a cow carcass. We had to go back so Damon could get the head but it was gone. We got a little muddy but not much. It was about 7 miles.

Delaney Buttes - Walden

Distance - 1/5 miles

Rode around one of the Delaney Buttes lakes only about 1 1/2 miles if even. Then I rode around in the lake itself to clean of the tires. Fun -

Waterton Canyon

Memorial Day

Distance - 15.16
Time - 2.6.35
Max speed - 25.5 mph

Went up with Kahn, Farrel, and Sheryl. The ride up the canyon was quite slow and there were a ton of people there. Kahn and I continued up the Colorado Trail but both were very tired. We only went up an extra 1.5 miles. The whole trip was 15.16 miles which took us 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 35 seconds. Kahn's mom and dad fished awhile and we passed them unknowingly going down. So, we had to wait about 30 minutes. It was an okay ride. Total miles now equal 79 miles. Our maximum speed was 25.5 mph but only for a few seconds.

Bergen Park IV

Distance - 5.56
Time - 0.51.33

I went up to Evergreen to go to Alderfer/Three Sisters. But, when I finally found it, it was too wide open for as windy as it was out. VERY WINDY! So, I went back to familiar territory in Bergen Park. It was windy there too but as usual once I got back into the mountains it was blocked. I went the same direction as last time but took the long way around up Sleepy "S" instead of cutting across Elk Ridge. Going down I again made it around the "killer switchback" but decided I needed to try going up it. So I had to do it 5 times before I made it. BUT I DID MAKE IT! That made me extremely happy. Hopefully if I ever go that direction again I can remember how I did it. Basically, I was just going too slow and when I tried it faster I made it. No finesse. It ended up being 5.56 miles and I did it in 51 minutes and 33 seconds. Total miles are 52.

I did that friggin switchback SO many times before I finally got it. It was so frustrating! I just kept walking my bike up again so I could try it over. I was generally the type of person to take what I thought was the correct line rather than to just power through things. On this one, I learned that finesse just doesn't always cut it. I always loved this trail! Even when I moved back to Denver with Kammy I would go back to Bergen over and over. I can still smells the scents and hear the sounds! (= Ahh the good ol' days!

Bergen Park III

Distance - 4.35
Time - 0.46.42

Very short 4.35 mile ride. I went in the opposite direction than we usually go and it was good. I didn't take the Lazy S trail all the way around but went up Elkridge to Meadow View then around. I liked doing that long straightaway first instead of at the end when my legs are rubber. It was a good warm up. There was some snow and mud so I got dirty. It was great going fast at the very end. It only tookd 46 minutes 42 seconds. My total mileage is at 46 miles.

Amazing that I would drive that far (about 45 minutes) for a 4 mile ride! lol Tells you how much I really enjoyed it even though I couldn't go very far. Truth is, I knew, ever then, that I could go farther on some of these days. But I would get nervous being alone in the woods. I wasn't used to that yet. Knowing how I felt, I'm proud of my 20s self for pushing myself to get out there! (=

Waterton Canyon/Colorado Trail

Distance - 16.11 miles
Time - 1.52.18
Max speed - 23mph

Today was quite a long ride at 16.11 miles. It was great for working on endurance and fat loss but my butt is not very happy. Water was the same with quite a few people enjoying the beautiful day. Six miles to the big dam and my legs were really starting to ache. But once I got there I just couldn't talk myself out of exploring a small amount of the Colorado Trail. So off I went. I stopped at the top of a grueling .25 mile hill to check out a map and it turns out there is a loop that comes out at the top of Waterton. So, I went up the rest of the grueling .5 mile jeep road when it turned into beautiful singletrack. I couldn't believe I had never done this before. I continued up for 2 miles and then decided I was too hungry and tired to finish the 5-mile loop so I turned around and raced down at a max speed of 23 mph! It was very windy so going down Wateron was really not that easy. I finishe dwith 16.11 miles in 1 hour 52 minutes 18 seconds! It was a very fulfilling day.

All I can say to this is.... CUTE! lol "Grueling!" lol Actually that is quite a difficult little hill. Very short but very steep! And that I was too hungry to finish 5 extra miles. (= That's just cute. And I would say that 23 mph at that time for me was pretty damn good! Guess my quest for speed was just natural! (= It's fun for me to read these old entries!

Matthews - Winters Park

Distance - 26 miles

I went by myself this time. The conditions were much more favorable. I only did the first part to where you overlook Red Rocks. It was about 4.3 miles and I think it took about 1 1/2 hours. I spent a lot of time practicing finding a line and trying to go fast. On the way back 2 guys caught up to me so I let them pass but then we kept playing catch up back and forth. I lost my first bike part - a front pedal reflector - going over an irrigation log. I saved it though. It wasn't a very taxing ride but it was good technical practice. On the final descent I was trying to jump and I finally got the front up about 2 inches and the back up about 1 inch. Hey you gotta start somewhere.

What a dork! I save everything! I probably still have that stupid pedal reflector somewhere!

Bergen Park II / Elk Meadow

Distance - 22 miles

This time I had problems. I was having a hard time breathing and the gears on my bike kept shifting spontaneously. It was quite snowy so we had to walk every once in awhile. That made Kahn upset and he threw a couple tantrums (along with his bike.)

Bergen Park I / Elk Meadow

Distance = 15 miles

We rode very slowly. Kahn appeared to have altitude sickness or something similar and it wasn't very enjoyable. It was also very cold. So on the last stretch I kept going because my fingers and toes were numb. Kahn passed out and I didn't even know. We both made it back though.

LOL I'm real supportive eh? I have to say that he was usually ahead of me and never waited. So I didn't feel bad about that part. Maybe I should have! lol I did go back to help him. I wish I knew how cold it was that day. It seems to me that I was much more of a wuss in my 20s than I am now! (=

Hayden Park - Green Mountain Trail

Distance - 7 miles

Our 5th anniversary ride. The area was mostly rolling hills though very steep. We ended up going only about 1/2 mile up and 1/2 mile down. Kahn was having chain trouble and I was beat from being up all night. So, though we got very tired we were actually quite lazy. This is definitely a trail to try again once we get in better shape.

Wow! I can't believe what bad shape I was in back then! I also didn't have the technology in my bike that I did later. But still, I was young. I should have been able to power up that hill! I do remember that hill too. I rode it many years later with a better bike and better legs! It wasn't nearly as difficult for me. The statement about me being up all night was about a job I had at a residential treatment facility in which I did overnights Sunday through Wednesday nights. I didn't usually sleep on Thursdays so that I could have a "regular" weekend. It was quite silly of me to think I could mountain bike that evening! lol But, I was trying to be the good straight girlfriend! ha!

Matthews - Winters Park

I've been unpacking boxes of papers, books, and other miscellany from my previous lives. I ran across a notebook that had what I assume is the beginning of my bicycling journals. It's quite funny. I'm thinking this online thing is a relatively permanent document and I would like to keep my entries for posterity.

Anyway, here is the first...

Distance = 6 miles
Time = Approximately 1.30.00

Kahn (he was my boyfriend way back when) and I rode through mud, slush, and ice. Going up was very messy and seemingly endless. Going down the other side through Red Rocks was much nicer and we could lay off the brakes. We had decided (Kahn's idea) to do the whole trail then ride back up to the van on the road to clean the tires. It was very long. I got mad and Kahn rode most of the way alone. I walked my bike. It was horrible. The trail was great though. I think it's the best time Kahn and I have had riding a trail. In my opinion, a big reason for that is that I can handle my bike better and don't get frustrated. Anyway, that was the first ride of the year and the season. I rode a bit over 6 miles, Kahn rode more since he didn't walk up the road. I think it took about an hour and a half. Ugh. We have some training to do.

I have to comment on how funny this is to me now! This was 14 years ago and I remember that day very clearly. I was so pissed that he wanted to ride the road up that hill. That might have had something to do with my long-felt distain for road biking! Though I have to remember it was a mountain bike!