Long Ride to Top of Hardscrabble Pass and Back

century ride, Colorado, cycling | UltraRob | Saturday, April 8th, 2006 at 9:59 pm

I rode a little this morning and then met up with a fairly large group of Pikes Peak Velo teammates. It was 26 degrees when I rolled out which isn’t that bad but the forecast was for it to hit the mid-60s so I underdressed a bit so I wouldn’t have too much stuff too carry. My legs were still complaining about my interval workout on Thursday. My friend Larry that is training for the Leadville Trail 100 Leadman competition also was along and continued on with me when everyone else turned around in Penrose around mile 30 for them. He finished all but the Silver Rush last year and that was because he had to go to Germany.

Larry and I were actually planning of going all the way to Westcliffe but got worried we might not be back by dark. I think we would have been but better to be safe. I always forget how long the Hardscrabble Pass climb is. In the middle there is a 2 mile section at 8% grade. I felt great until it got steep but then started looking for a missing gear. The rewarding thing about climbing Hardscrabble is you get an awesome view of the Sangre de Cristo mountains when you get near the top. I had debated about taking the camera but didn’t. I wished I had because the mountains had fresh snow from yesterday’s storm system. They were so pretty! They include the fourteeners Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, Kit Carson, and Humboldt.

I got in 172 miles with 10,220 feet of climbing with an on bike average speed of 16.7 mph. Tomorrow’s ride will be a little shorter but still long with lots of climbing. I took Monday off work and plan to do a long, flat ride to work on staying in the aerobars more.

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