Aug 30 This was another reserve day, in case of unforeseen problems. But as everything turned out perfect, I had a day of rest and relaxation. Hoped to try some whitewater kayaking, but unfortunately, due to the drought in the area, the river was too low and no water sports were possible. So I just checked out Durango and bought some souvenirs. I couldn’t find a Colorado Trail t-shirt anywhere, Continue…
Aug 29 Found it hard to get out of the tent this morning. Too damn cold. Camped in a steep valley, so no chance of getting some sunshine anytime soon. Dressed with everything I had, I finished the remaining kilometers of descent off segment 26. Finally managed to warm up as I started climbing up segment 27. This one was a pleasant surprise. While it still had some push biking, a Continue…
Aug 28 It was a cold night. There was morning frost on the grass behind the hostel. Packed my stuff on the bike and went to the supermarket, for a breakfast burrito and a few more supplies. Tried hitchhiking for the rest of the detour out of Silverton: about 10 km/500m+. Gave up after half an hour and biked up to Molas Pass, trailhead for segment 25. This segment had Continue…
Aug 27 So what can you do in Silverton, Colorado? Hike – not for me, I’m having a zero (hiking slang for rest day) Mountain bike – maybe tomorrow Trail run – this town hosts the Hardrock 100 ultramarathon Rent an OHV (off highway vehicle). The town is OHV-friendly and there are buggies everywhere I went around town a couple of times. It’s very small and easy to get around Continue…
Aug 26 Today was shaping up to be a tough day. Why? Lots of climbing. This is especially difficult with a heavy bike Rocky trails. These reduce your biking speed significantly Weather. When it’s sunny it’s cold at this elevation. When it’s rainy… I hope it won’t. When it’s a thunderstorm… So let’s start with my biggest fear – the weather. At 6 am the skies were crystal clear. At Continue…