[DVBC] Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

[Mike Keating]

But not so in the Rockies last week.

I took a 4-day weekend (Thurs. to Sun.) to visit my brother west of Denver
(a euphemism for riding in the Rockies). The main course was Mt. Evans
(14,130 feet - highest paved road in North America). There were two
options - do it more or less solo (there always seems to be other riders
even mid-day during the week) prior to Sunday or do it with Team Evergreen
(local bike club). I opted for Sunday.

The ride was scheduled for 8:00 but I thought I'd leave at 7:00 as I had a
7:00 p.m. flight and had to pack up my bike after the ride and return a
rental car. Various circumstances led to my leaving at 8:00 despite good
intentions.

The ride consisted of a 15-mile climb to Juniper Pass (11,140) then a 3-mile
descent to Echo Lake where a general store and the Mt. Evans Road are. The
first climb was no problem (1:42 compared to 1:40 when I did it on Friday).
A leisurely time at the general store to stock up on water was rudely
interrupted by the report of guys who thought about Mt. Evans then abandoned
when they got the weather report for the top: 31, chill factor 24.

Two years ago I rode right through the winter with temps below 20 and chill
factors of single digits so I have a good collection of cold weather gear.
However, apart from a light rain jacket I was strictly in summer gear. So I
bought a souvenir T-shirt at the general store, put in on under my jersey
and headed out.

At the admission ($3.00) gate I overheard a guard in the next lane laughing
"It's June and you want warm weather?". I hooked up with two locals who
asked if I wanted to ride with them and I said yes. They were "easing into
the climb" while I was going at more or less my top reasonably sustainable
effort (I guess it helps to live at altitude) so they dropped me after about
1.5 miles. Quite windy but nothing dramatic until about 5 miles. Then it
hits the fan: fog so bad I had to slow down (while struggling uphill); nasty
swirling winds; hail, wet roads. And cold. The first time in my life I have
ever been cold going uphill. I made it to 9.6 miles when I had run out of
time to still make my flight so I turned around. Just then I again met my
earlier companions who had reached the top and said "it got a little funky
up there." Well I considered 40 digress, high winds, wet roads, fog and hail
a little funky so I can only imagine what the top was like.

On the descent the Velcro "zipper" separated from the rest of my jacket so I
lost some of the protection from the wind (I hit 40 mph at several stretches
and was generally above 30 except for sharp curves).

The general store was a most welcome refuge. I overheard a comment "all the
bikers coming down look frozen but I even saw someone in a car who looked
cold!"

After 10 minutes inside the store I went back out to ride back home - or so
I thought. I couldn't stop shivering so I had to bail and have my brother
pick me up. Oh, well, maybe next year.

I got my bike packed up and left - only about 20 minutes later than planned.
As I'm cruising east on I-70 I see an ominous sign: "I-70 east closed at
Steele due to police activity. Suggest alternate route." I was hoping Steele
was the last podunk town on the Kansas border. No such luck - it was an exit
about a mile ahead. Turned out to be the site of the Safeway where a gunman
was firing away. Fortunately I was able to catch my brother at home and he
directed me around the situation. The flight turned out to be an hour late
so I made it in plenty of time.