A euphoric wake up to a Rocky Mountain sunrise defined our morning. Since our breath wasn't stolen enough, we decided to ride to Leadville, having the highest altitude of an incorporated town in the US at 10,200'. Continuing on route 24, part of The Top of the Rockies Byway, we met the Tennessee, Pass, our first of the day. We viewed stately Mt Elbert, and several lead mines, one perched precariously on a cliff, along with a small town. Our second pass of the day was Trout Creek, elevation 9,487' - a piece of cake! Our ears were popping like corn.
Route 24 ended right after Minturn, a cute little town, and dumped us on 70. Past Vail, we climbed the Vail Pass, nice and easy for trucks and traffic. At Siverthorne we branched off onto route 6 to tackle the Loveland Pass. Much more challenging than the first three, Jules and Rascal worked beautifully together, rolling into the 180s, cut into the mountain to get us up the hill. At 11,990', our highest pass of the day. Snow still clings to mountain and avalanche warnings are posted. As we climbed, the weather began its daily descent from perfect to perfectly ugly. Eyes to the sky, I watched as dark rain filled clouds moved to the earth all around us, but we stayed dry.
Back on 70 for a short jaunt, we left the traffic for Route 40. A stop for lunch in Empire at The Original Hard Rock Cafe gave us a history lesson and a great meal. Open since 1934, it was named for the hard rock miners who frequented and used it as a bunkhouse. Now it houses the cafe, an antique store, the town hall and police station. As we were enjoying our lunch I tried to avoid eye contact with the darkening sky, but that didn't make it any better. Just as we left the restaurant, the skies opened up and we barely had time to get the bike under the overhang at the gas station across the street before the hail came.
Coloradans love this rain. They have been under a drought for several years and these showers are replenishing their water. But this was no shower - it was a deluge. Then, true to these afternoon storms, it was over in 30 minutes, but not trusting the sky, we suited up to ride on.
Our last climb of the day was over Berthoud Pass. Notoriously difficult because of its height, 11,307', and numerous switchbacks, Jules handled it like a pro, slaloming through the curves with the grace of a skier.
Not only did we do the passes today, we also followed the ski trail. Snowmass, Vail, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, Winter Park and many other smaller slopes appeared, green squiggles down mountains where some snow still stands. I can just imagine the excitement in these areas when the air cools and the afternoon rain showers turn to snow.
At the mouth of Rocky Mountain National Park, we called it a day in Granby as the rain dumped on us again. Tomorrow is our final play date with these mountains and then we will decompress as we leave the altitude. Breathless from the elevation and allure of the Rockies, we have spent days with our heads in the clouds, spinning out memories on twisted roads. Crisscrossing the Continental Divide, we have seen the birth of rivers like the Rio Grande and Arkansas and witnessed geological miracles. It will be difficult to leave, but sooner or later we must breathe again.
Good morning Rockies
Leaving beautiful Twin Lakes
The Arkansas
Rain delay
The Original Hard Rock Cafe
In for the night
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