Today was great riding, but also difficult. A good remind that much of riding the divide is suffering. Suffering that leads to at outcome - like getting to the next town - and other outcomes, which I hope to one day understand. I'm glad that my mental game survived the hiatus. Tough riding is tough, but you get there eventually if you relax and trust the process. Focusing on hurrying to your destination is the real suffering, and enjoying the suffering is the real destination.
The first 27 miles or so were over rolling rocky hills, very remote and very beautiful. The riding was tough at time due to washboarded roads and rocks, but nothing I'd complain about. My fatter front tire is really helping. It's an 2.6 Ikon instead of my old 2.3 (which is now my rear) and my old rear is worn out and decorating my garage.
Then there was a 7-8 mile climb that, at times, was very steep to about 10k feet, and then I descended 3,000 feet in 10 miles on a great downhill overlooking the a bunch of 14ners (The Peaks of Higher Learning, named after Ivy League Colleges and one Indian Chief) and the down of Salida. It was honestly one of the best downhills I've ever done. Screaming down on gravel, my fat tires eating rocks and smoothing out the washboards.
Salida has been voted the best town on the Divide several times. Yea maybe, if you have money. At 5k people and touristy there is no place to stay for free. Stealth camping also looked iffy. I ended up paying $23 for a hostel which is actually really nice and am now exploring the town.
Other options were riding 15 more miles to a campsite, but it's raining, so having an inside place to stay with other travelers is actually a pretty great deal.
Today I did 50 miles in 4:30 to get in around 2pm, not bad for a big 'ol pass. Tomorrow I have a 27 miles climb up over 3,000 feet of Marshal Pass, but it's steep railroad grade again, so it won't be bad.
Steve is staying at the hostel too. I ride faster but he catches me on the breaks. I don't know how long we'll pace together as he needs to move faster than me, but it's been good. I do want to find more solitude on this ride as well, last year really wore out what I thought was my inexhaustable extrovert battery.
Tonight though I hang out with a ton of backpackers hiking the 14ners around here at the hostel, while hiding from the rain. That should be fun. :)
I heard someone say once that running is learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Which is totally possible, as it turns out!
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