Magic

Some things you see in life are beautiful and you appreciate it; but there are some things you see that leave you speechless, make you feel small and powerless, take your breathe away, and you simply can’t believe it’s real. Yesterday was one of those days. There is a reason I wanted to move to Colorado since I was 6, and there’s a reason why 5 years ago I left my life, friends, and loved ones behind and moved up to the Front Range. I love adventure, I love big mountains, and I love the feeling I just described – especially on a mountain bike. Another place I feel that way is in some places in the desert, but the grandeur of the view just isn’t the same.

Small.

Desert small.

Yuki, Jeff, and I went up towards Winter Park, rode to Jones Pass and on part on the Continental Divide Trail around 13,000′ elevation. I thought about it, and exactly one month ago I was in the rolling, lush hills of Germany. Quite different. The world is a big place and I feel so incredibly lucky to see a lot of stunning beautiful places.

Yuki the Kamikaze Bike Ninja. Lethal.(see video below)

We are using the NEW Ergon BC2 packs. Very much improved from the BD2 with better zipper, openings, pockets, and fit. LOVE!

I knew I was worked from the Breck Epic. Every day last week, I left it all out there – Anchorman quote – “I’ve been reduced to RUBBLE!” I didn’t quite realize the amount of fatigue that would accumulate from the event, and I am so happy I decided not to sign up for the Park City Point 2 Point going on today (although I LOVE that race. 75 miles of singletrack, 14,000′ of climbing – just my thing, just not when I’m so tired). I admit that I was pushing my bike a fair amount yesterday on the steep pitches.

The lack of oxygen was getting to me. I have never been so lightheaded on my bike, and I’ve ridden at that altitude many times. I would have to stop and put my head between my knees because I felt like passing out on more than one occasion – I feel for you sea level kids that come up to high altitude to ride – I can now imagine.

Regardless of the difficult time I had riding, I was able to enjoy myself. It has taken me a long time to get to this point. Being type A, I always want to do well, to be fast, to feel good, to be at my best. I would get so frustrated and be really hard on myself in the past, and also sometimes in the present. However, yesterday I was patient and accepting of where I was. I didn’t get overly frustrated and although I knew it would have been more “fun” to be attacking the climbs, I still didn’t take one second for granted. I didn’t try to slog through or force myself. I let myself hike my bike. It wasn’t that my legs were burning, they simply could not turn the pedals.

In fact, hiking your bike on an adventure ride allows you to look around more. You don’t have to stare at the trail just ahead of you and focus quite like you do on a bike. As an aside, I love the “adventure rides” Jeff plans out. They are always so cool, but they aren’t always the kind of ride where you hoot because the singletrack is so fun. They are… epic – hiking, altitude, and huge huge views. I’ll take it. Heck, we’ve been on “adventure” rides hiking an hour through the snow only to have to turn and bolt down the side of the mountain due to an incoming thunderstorm in full gortex without even making it to the top, and not getting to ride the downhill because you hiked UP it in the snow. Wet feet, tired body, very alive soul. At the time, it can be frustrating, but it’s an adventure. I don’t think I would enjoy the the Colorado Trail Race, but there is a relentless part of me that needs to keep going on a trail, no matter how tired I am. Yesterday when we turned around, I felt defeated and slightly irritated. I wanted to hike my bike over the next section of trail to see what was next. The trail reels in my love of nature and curiosity, and like an addict, it’s hard to stop. I see a peak, and I want to stand on top of it, even if i have to crawl on my hands and knees to get there. That driving force in me would get me through the Colorado Trail Race, but I could see myself cracking. Sorry, rambling side point.

If you look close enough, you can see the tiny thumbnail of a moon. The vibrant blue sky in contrast to the spine of the mountain was amazing.