Tour Divide Day 13

Tour Divide Day 13- Breckenridge to Marshal Pass, 120 miles

It's five am and I can't sleep so you my faithful readers get another lovely blog entry.

Staying up this late is really interesting compared to life on the Divide. On the Divide I would already be riding. I would be standing and working my way slowly into sitting as the swelling in my saddle sores subsided. I don't remember specifically working through the saddle sore pain on day thirteen but I am SURE I did.....

Day thirteen's morning started out early (445 am!!). It was brisk and it made me glad I hoteled it for the night. The climb over Boreas Pass loomed large in my mind as I was getting ready and I was sweating it as I rode out of town.

As the climb started I slowly let my legs wake up to the idea of powering through another long day in the saddle. The climbing was steepish and I definitely worked for it, especially at 11,000 feet, but at the same time it didn't seem too terribly hard. As I rounded every corner I kept thinking that it I was really going to be in for it but then the climb would let me down with more gentle grades. I eventually made it to the top without really needing to leave the middle ring. It was kinda.... disappointing. (I know, I'm whining that the climb wasn't harder. It's what the TD does to you!)

This is a video from the top of the pass. The snow in the background should tell you why I didn't want to sleep outside!

After I hit the pass I had one thing on my mind, Absolute Bikes in Salida. I needed some bike lovin'!

I passed through Como and immediately I wished I had stayed there. It was a quaint little town but different from all the rest of the small towns on the Divide. It was artsy. And, the signs were actually funny. The town just had a charm that was all its own. I shall go back some day I do reckon.

The roads outside of Como were nice, gentle rolling and smoooooooooooth. In fact the roads were freshly graded smooth. So fresh in fact I rode past the graders as they were grading on the roadway. It was like carving fresh turns in three feet of powder snow.

I was cooking right along when I came across a nice gal by the name of Patti who was riding the route northbound. We stopped to chat. It turns out she was touring the route in pieces from her home in Del Norte. She told me she was the Patti listed with her husband Gary on the ACA services directory. They let Divide riders and racers camp at their place. She said I should call Gary while I was in town.

Patti and I parted ways. I headed towards the next little town (I can't recall the name but it's the one from Ride the Divide where they interview the nice lady from the general store and she says Matthew Lee is going to name his son "Branch"). The store owner was really nice (just like in the movie!). If you go there, bring cash. I don't think they take credit (hint, hint!). After filling my jersey with ice cream sandwiches I was off towards Salida.

It started to get pretty hot out. There was just something about the heat that takes me for a ride. I always lost a ton of energy from about 11am, when it started getting hot, until 4pm, when the sun started going down and it got cooler. As the race went further south this window got bigger and bigger until I was suffering in the heat from 930am until 630pm.

Eventually I crested the top of the canyon road outside of Salida. I was grateful for some respite from the climb and heat. I started bombing down the pass. As I neared the bottom, about six miles later, I realized my spot had come off of my bike.... somewhere on the descent. I reluctantly turned around and started climbing back up the hill. As I was riding a jeep passed me.

I flagged him down and explained my predicament. I asked it he saw my Spot if he could kick it out of the road so it didn't get run over. He seemed astonished at the race that I was undertaking and at the same time amused at my worry about the Spot. I guess it is interesting that I wasn't worried for my safety out there at all but I was worried about loosing $200 worth of gear. He drove off up the pass and I continued riding up for another mile.

As I rounded a bend I saw the same jeep driving down the canyon road. When the driver saw me he started waving my spot out the window. He had actually driven up to the top, found my spot, and brought it back to me. He was so nice about it too. I wish I had his address to send him a thank you. Hopefully he will see this blog someday and see how thankful I am!

I got into Salida and after some confusion (stupid iPhone mapping program!) I found Absolute Bikes. As I was pulling up to the door a mechanic who was out test riding a bike half a bock away shouted at me, "DUDE YOU NEED A NEW REAR TIRE. I CAN SEE IT FROM HERE!" I looked down. My poor Nanoraptors were bald. They looked like they were city commuter slicks. How did I not notice that?!

The mechanic took my bike from me and got going on a quick once over. Lucky for me, there wasn't anything wrong and the tune up was done before I was done eating at the cafe next door. (Absolute Bikes rules!!!!) I rode up to the local grocery store and gathered some supplies for the trek to Del Norte. My profile showed there were a few tough climbs between here and there but from the looks of it I was confident I could hit Del Norte by the next afternoon. Boy was I way off.

After a resupply at the grocery store and a phone chat with my wife, I was off. I got turned around in the city a bit and had to back track to find where I left the course. Eventually I was on my way headed up towards Marshal Pass.

As I was climbing another rider pulled up next to me. He was riding so fast he actually had to BRAKE to slow down to my speed while climbing into the pass. It was Aidan Harding , one of my favorite bike racers. He is just such a nice guy. The kind of nice that makes you happy to see him do well. (I was even happy to watch him pass me going up the climb and I hate getting passed!)

We chatted for a bit. It turns out he had broken his frame and had to back track on the course to get it fixed. That's how awesome he is. He broke his bike, back tracked, fixed it, re-rode to where he left off on the course, and still caught me. I let him go on the climb because, 1) I can't ride nearly as well as him and 2) he rides a single speed and those guys have to climb hard.

It was awesome to meet one of my heroes.

I continued to climb at my relative snail pace into the darkness of the night. I was hoping to make Sergeants but the darkness made it really hard to ride the dirt road and I kept falling. It felt a bit too cold to camp but I was beginning to fell like I might not have a choice. Descending on that road would have been suicide in the dark.

Then I saw it, a beacon of hope in an otherwise dismal world. It was.....

Another forest service bathroom!!! Wooooohooooo!!!!

I scampered in, prepped my bike and bed. And, hit the hay. I felt like it was a pretty good day on the divide overall and I got to meet Aidan!!

In this video I claim that I want to sleep in. Little did I know what would happen in the morning!!