The last day is a doozy! 80 miles and two mountain passes: Trout Creek and Hoosier Pass. This entire tour offered several new passes for us both. Cottonwood's west side was new, as was Kebler, McClure and now these two. Fun to accomplish some new ones.
Here I am heading up. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was the beginning of Trout Creek.
Somehow I had it in my mind that pass was after the second aid station. Dave took off shortly after this photo.
I was super surprised to top out on this summit having just thought I was riding 'ordinary' increases in elevation. Nice to think a good chunk of the ride was done.
Aid station two was a welcome site. Today, like the others was hot! When I got here, the budget trucks were loading up sag people. Again, another high sag carnage day!
Dave stopped at Fairplay for some protein and a cookie. I arrived later and selected a coffee shop for a nice iced chai. All that remained at this point was going through Alma and summitting Hoosier Pass.
23 miles to the car!
Fairplay is a nice little place. We both noticed this same pretty building. Glad Dave grabbed a photo of it.
Alma is the highest incorporated statutory town in the USA. It's higher than even Leadville. Pretty place.
Selfie!
Hoosier Pass was one that had a ton of false summits! You'd think you'd see the top only to go around the curve and see more road.
Rest stop at the top.
I didn't even stop when I got there - I just cruised up and over and headed to Breckenridge.
Arriving back to the car, we got to go through the finish line balloon show. It was nice and colorful.
Good to be back!
427 miles later...and a couple of sore behinds.
Dave loaded up and I showed up a bit later.
Success! I was psyched to accomplish the entire ride because I've not felt well the week before. It made me wonder if I'd be a sag queen or something. Although an idiot driver in Aspen tried to hit me (stops signs don't apply to him) and a large Hallilburton Truck near Hotchkiss also tried to kill me (you are on my shit list forever Halliburton), even my sore shoulder and rump didn't stop me. Success!
All that remained was hoping in the car and heading home!
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