I'm now 2 full weeks out from the ERock race and I'm feeling pretty good, I feel like I'm recovered to about 85% of normal. Chad and I met in Loveland and head up towards Estes Park but we turn off towards Drake to do a ride on Crosier Mountain. Chad is familiar with this ride and has hiked it numerous times. This is my first time on this one.
As Chad described this ride I was a bit concerned that I'd have the legs and lungs for it. This thing is a very steep climb with little or no rest spots and it is quite technical. As we head up the trail I am reminded how Chad doesn't exaggerate, this is hard but I find myself having a ton of fun. The technical sections are very challenging but I'm clearing a lot of them and feeling very good about myself. Chad, always the technical guru is having an equally fun time.
The top of the climb is mostly unrideable so we carry and push our bikes up the last 1/2 mile so that we can get the super technical downhill on the way out. After checking out the views of Longs Peak and Estes Park we head down to the trail intersection and continue down a different trail than we came up. Chad hasn't ridden this one but he has hiked it and it in his words would be 'wicked technical'... again no overstatement.
We have a great time working our way down the trail, it's slow, requires balance, strength and stamina. Chad had one crash that I'm not luck enough to witness and a small tree took the brunt of his fall. After about 5 minutes and swallowing hard several times Chad is back on his bike and we are on our way again.
The total ride was only about 13 miles but the vertical gain and decent was a good solid work out. We can both feel it in our upper bodies, wrestling these bikes around takes it's toll. I am very surprised that I feel really good, I'm a bit worked in the legs but overall am pleased with how the body is doing.
No comments:
Post a Comment