Subject: UPDATE: Heading to Colorado in June Wow. Just... wow. We were in the Crawford area... high desert. The temps were upper 90s and low 100s every day with UV values around 12. It was DANG hot. My best day of cycling involved just over 3000 feet of climbing. I rode up Hwy 92 from Crawford State Park and got up to a great view at around the 17 mile mark and decided to call it. It was a fantastic ride full of minor switchbacks and gorgeous views. But now I understand why the pros put newspapers under their jerseys on their descents! My worst day was trying to climb Grand Mesa. It was an absolute disaster. The first portion was 1-2% grade for just over 10 miles (with a couple bits of 3-4% thrown in for good measure). I rounded a right hand corner and saw the grade spike. It went from 2% to 7% in about 1/4 mile. I made it in about 14 miles and started having a hard time breathing. It was like I was asthmatic... and I'm not. I was just having a hard time catching a good breath. At that point, I decided to bail on the ride. I rode back to the start, loaded up the gear, and drove to the top of Grand Mesa. On the way, I passed a guy who was powering up like a pro. He was AMAZING to watch! By comparison, I felt like I had had training wheels on my ride. Overall, it was a good trip. If you're ever in for a good leg burn, head on up to Colorado and enjoy the views... and the burn. -Joel |