The morning in Hartsel was cold. We saw frost in a few places and bundled up before we left our tents. Despite the cold we were ready to ride to Salida on a route that was mostly downhill. As we rode through the morning the gravel road slowly climbed into aspen forests again. At the top of the climb I waited to collect my crew, then we descended into Salida.
The descent was fast and twisty. We took a twisty route through town as well - nobody was sure why. Even on an easy day we all want to get to camp ASAP.
Salida was a good town for a rest day - several breweries and cafes. However Dave and I managed to talk ourselves into riding the Monarch Crest trail, a 35 mile IMBA Epic ride starting in the high alpine. The ride is typically done as a shuttle, where the riders are driven up to 12,000 feet and they ride down from there. Monday morning we had breakfast and started calling around for rides, but none were immediately available.
We decided to ride to the bike shop where two men approached Dave and asked if he was doing the Divide. The two had ridden the trip five years ago and recognized the placard on Dave's handlebars. We managed to turn the conversation into a shuttle to the top - the ride was on!
After sorting out a bike for me and beer for the shuttlers Bob and Steve, we waited for them at our hotel. They arrived around 12:30 and took us to the top of Monarch Pass from where we would climb a bit.
We thanked them one last time and set off. The trail climbed some loose 4x4 road and we passed a man who did the "cuckoo" motion at me - not a good sign. Soon we reached the crest, where we traversed the high alpine for several miles. Dave and I rode slowly as we were having a bit of trouble breathing the thin air. Fortunately the rental bike was like a monster truck - easy to climb over anything - as there were boulders littering the trail. It was hard to ride at points as the views were so good.
We ran into our trip leader Rob and another crew member James at the top. Rob had ridden the climb all the way from Salida, nearly 6,000 feet below us.
Soon after we started to roll downhill. We passed Marshall Pass and continued down the trail to the Silver Creek trail, a good bit of singletrack with lots of rocks and a few interesting corners with loose scree. The final third of the ride was a long trail following the hillside with lots of loose, steep climbs. We were anticipating a fast descent into town which refused to materialize, so we bailed out down a gravel road to the highway. The road took us downhill into town, just as darkness was falling. After the ride we rallied to eat a huge meal at the nearby brewery.
The next day we headed to Sargents, CO. In the morning we climbed back up Marshall Pass where Dave and I had been the previous day. The climb was gradual and full of yellow aspens. I felt great until the last mile or so where breakfast started to wear off.
From the top we had miles and miles of beautiful descent into a valley where the aspens were the best we'd seen so far. Most of the group passed me as I stopped many times for photos - my phone is full of pictures of trees now!
We arrived at the campground after fortyish miles, had lunch and set up tents, then rode another thirty where Jim picked us up in the van and drove us back. This would be the first of a few shuttle rides where the locations of our accomodation dictate the ride.
The next day was a ride into Del Norte where we'd have a rest day. The morning was grey, and after lunch it started to rain. On this route there was an alternate available which would skip some singletrack at the end. At the decision point many riders opted to take the alternate, but Dave and I - along with one other in front of us - took the singletrack. We climbed some gravel as the rain turned to light showers. The next left took us onto the singletrack - in reality a 4x4 road. The rain stopped and we enjoyed a fast and flowy descent into town!
This section of trail was probably the best we'd had all trip. Dave and I flew down the trail and rode the final few miles into town feeling refreshed. Although our campsite was wet we had plenty of fun sitting under the dry pavilion with hot chocolate and beer.
I spent the well-needed rest day drinking coffee and eating pastries with Flo at the Mennonite cafe. In the afternoon we headed to the brewery for some pizza and beer. No riding on this rest day!
Out of Del Norte we immediately started climbing Indiana Pass. This is the highest point on the entire GDMBR and it was fifteen miles to the top. We had lunch at the top, around 12,000 feet, and tried to stay warm.
We rode for several miles, all above 11,000 feet. Even flat riding at this elevation tires me out so I was glad for the downhill. Yet again we descended into an aspen-filled valley, this time with some lakes and high peaks ringing it.
The descent lasted forever, even after we stopped in Platoro for a second snack break. We spent the night in the small town of Horca where I camped right next to the Conejos River.
From Horca we started a long day. Not long after starting down a dirt road we saw my favorite sign of the trip so far.
We had finally made it to New Mexico! The final chapter of the trip was beginning. I had been looking forward to NM as perhaps the most unknown part of the route for me.
From there we started down the dirt road. I had heard that New Mexico has some extremely rough forest roads so I felt some trepidation along with the high of entering the final state.
The morning climb became rougher and rougher as it gained elevation, until it was just a field of baby-head rocks. I nicknamed it Babyhead Boulevard, and except for one bump I rode the entire thing. At 10,000 feet even a gradual rocky climb is very difficult!
The top had a lovely view over the Cruces Wilderness Preserve and we regrouped at the top. Flo was livid and declared the last section "not a road." I'm inclined to agree, it's hard to imagine a car driving up it.
We continued along some incredibly rocky roads. My technical riding skills were put on trial more than once over rocks and through mud. After lunch the roads smoothed out, giving my battered hands a break.
That night we camped at 10,000 feet next to Hopewell Lake. The site was cold so we had a great campfire. I had a poor night of sleep due to the thin air, but my tent was dry in the morning - a welcome change from other nights.
Starting so high up meant the next day's ride was mostly downhill. Ponderosa pine replaced the aspens as we dropped. The forest began to remind me of the hills above Boulder.
We rode through the tiny settlements of Vallecitos and El Rito where a few dogs in the street ran after us for a few yards. Eventually we climbed up to Abiquiu where we spent the night above the lake. I stopped for ice cream with a few folks just before the final climb - a coffee / ice cream blend was the perfect recipe for the hill.
There were storm clouds surrounding us but the rain never reached us.
The next day was an 85 mile ride to Cuba. This ride is probably the most challenging day on the entire GDMBR so we were all apprehensive the evening prior. The ride began and we slowly climbed up Polvadera Mesa. Again, the road became rougher the higher we climbed. After thirty-five miles (!) and several snack breaks we reached the top. I had been with Dave and five other riders including Marc from Belgium.
From the top we descended some thankfully smooth gravel. I was flying until I saw a strange scene on the trail before me. As I got closer I realized someone had crashed. Dave and another rider Patrick were tending to Marc who had hit a dip in the road and gone over the bars. He was in a bad way and we had to lift him to his feet to shelter as it had begun to hail. Marc was in severe pain and had broken his collarbone, some ribs, and his shoulder blade, as well as partially collapsing a lung.
We used a variety of communication channels to summon a medical helicopter, which picked Marc up and took him to a hospital in Santa Fe. The mood of the group dropped as the news spread up and down the trail. Marc had been a strong rider and an upbeat presence among us.
I finished the ride with Dave and another rider Bill. Several others saw Marc off and took the van to Cuba. The current news is that he's had surgery and is recovering - some folks have driven to visit him in the hospital. It'll be a few days before he can return to Belgium. We are all sobered by such a bad crash so close to the end - it was an unlucky accident.
Today we had a short ride to a shuttle point through the desert. Our thoughts are still with Marc, even as we turn our attention to the rest day in two days and the final week of the trip through the New Mexican desert.
