Another big, loud event in town today (Bronc Day). I got out at 7:40am, before most of the parade set up, but had the pleasure of dodging a team of horses and riders. The night’s cool still hung low in the valleys, but I left it behind as I climbed the Pikes Peak Highway. After three miles, I turned off at Crow Gulch and headed on a connector trail to Ring the Peak Trail.
I often pray the rosary at a stop on my rides (and Hail Marys are awesome for long climbs!), but I thought I’ll make my whole ride an extended rosary with all four mysteries as I stop along the way on the skirts of Holy Mama Mary. This made the ride a perfect speed for a “medium” brain day and this route has plenty of quiet spots to stop. Today was quite humid, with 40-60% humidity, depending on how hot it was at the time. I have yet to figure out how to not sweat on my glasses when that combo happens. Usually my hat takes care of it, but not on this “muggy” days (at least by Colorado standards — I’m sure many of you are laughing at my 75˚F and 40% humidity “problem”!). Several of the access roads are loose, steep gravel and definately LCG and fully exposed to the sun. This wimp was HOT. If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes is a common saying here. Boomers started building up, breezes picked up, and then the clouds blocked the sun. Ahhhhhhhhh! Yes! One LCG hill between and above the Catamount Reservoirs had a bramble of raspberries. This are mountain raspberries: the big ones are the size of your pinky fingernail and they pack flavor that puts store bought to shame. I gathered a mouthful and kept them there as I climbed my way up the ridge a few miles (a great side benefit of nose breathing!). I turned off the back trail onto a back-er trail that often isn’t seen, especially with the grass this grown. By now the clouds were really billowing upwards, when I could glimpse them over the surrounding hills. I made my planned lunch spot and they unloaded. Delicious rain, sleet, and hail and plenty of thunder and lightening to complete the show. What amazing smells! It only lasted 15 minutes, but then the sun warmed the wet meadow of flowers and that fresh mountain rain with electrified air and wild flowers burst forth. Wow! I lazed around till it was time to head home (and hour and a half of riding away). Another boomer along the way, instantly unleashing hail on a descent at 40 mph. I stopped and put my rain jacket back on. This round lasted only 5 minutes, but I kept my jacket on as the temp was around 55˚F and everything was very wet. With a fast and muddy decent the rest of the way home, I arrived in a lull — after the live music outside, and before the live music started up at the bar. Yippee! Pictures start here, then scroll right to see the rest. https://www.flickr.com/photos/deaconpatrick/28581028631/in/album-72157669334583115/ With abandon, Patrick www.OurHolyConception.org www.MindYourHeadCoop.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
