Estes Park to Granby

I started the day knowing that I wouldn't finish the day on a bike. It's been frustrating to enter into climbing days thinking I can't ride like I want to. 

I was wrong. 

The ride through Rocky Mountain National Park into Granby quickly became my favorite ride.  When we entered the park, a ranger told us some scary things about a storm we had to beat at the top of the mountain. Then, about 20 of us started up the mountain.  After about 6 miles, we had all spread out so much that I was alone. Occasionally I would pass someone on the side of the road who had stopped to breathe, or snack, or cry. Eventually, I found myself continually passing and being passed by the same 3 girls. After the experience in Blue Ridge of spending the whole day alone, it was reassuring to find myself alongside some of my teammates.

Around mile 24, one of my teammates who was passing, asked if I had even stopped for any breaks yet. Normally, 24 miles wouldn't be break worthy, but when consistently climbing, it's surprising that I hadn't noticed a need to stop. By lunch, I had made it 31 miles without taking any breaks longer than 4 minutes. I then stayed at lunch only 30 minutes before finishing the day with Dan. 

The whole way up the mountain, I couldn't stop thinking about how impossible and crazy this was. I have a tear in a major muscle in my leg, I've been biking on it for a month, and somehow I still expected to climb to 12,000 feet. After lunch, it was real that I was going to finish the day, and I was going to finish it with someone. 

After lunch, we had 11 miles of downhill, with lots of curvy turns, and plenty of uphill as well. At one point after we had left the park, Dan was talking and I was hearing everything, I just wasn't responding at all. Jay drove past and later described what he had seen as me completely zoned out and Dan just goofing off beside me. It may seem like it was stupid for him to ramble for two hours, but I would not have been able to focus on anything but my leg had it not been for his rambles. When we reached the stop sign before host, I put my right foot down and quickly learned my leg had completely rejected me and buckled underneath me. 

We reached host, ate lasagna, and schemed a mighty plan for Jay to experience the ride he had missed in the van that day.  'Twas cute how excited Jay was once he realized it was completely feasible for him to experience the mighty Trail Ridge Road. More on that tomorrow. For now, mountains.