In Colorado, we have this weird thing called Fall Break. Personally, I think it's weird because the kids have been in school for five weeks? Six weeks? I don't know exactly. I just know that having a four-day weekend after being in school for such a short period of time is strange. And I thought Oregon had a short school year.
Anyway.
We had four days to play and I can't complain about that. We went west to Fruita. It was a truly marvelous choice.
I have sworn off my road bike since the West Elk Classic. In fact, I haven't so much as looked at it since then. I have also (mostly) sworn off long, insane rides because really? I don't need to do those anymore. I can ride dirt and have fun for as few as 5 miles or as many as 30 miles. Whatever. As long as I'm smiling, it's all good.
Fruita was all good.
For the trip, we were back in cahoots with Tim and Sarita. I was certain they would be tired of us after Aspen but they never said anything directly to my face so I am going to assume they still like us?
Actually, it was perfect. We rode in all manner of combinations. I got my ass handed to me numerous times. I rode some difficult trails. Most importantly, everyone liked the food I made. At least, I think so. Because otherwise they just lied to me.
On Saturday, Tim and Brian rode Kokopelli's. I sat in the sun and read a magazine while Tygh napped and the girls played. I would have done that all afternoon if Sarita hadn't showed up and dragged me out to 18 Road.
I am so glad she did. The last time I rode at 18 Road, it was April and I was pretty much a beginning mountain biker. After 6 months, I feel more confident in my skills and I am on a full-suspension bike that weighs 4 pounds less than my previous bike.
It was time to ride Zippety Do Da.
And you know what? I may have hesitated before those steep downhills but I RODE THEM. Fully clipped in and committed, I rode those hills.
Awesome Moment #1 of our Fruita trip. Thanks to Sarita for the coaching. She's rad.
And then Sunday. The decision was made around the campfire on Saturday night and aided by s'mores and alcohol that Sunday would be a great day for an Epic Ride. We had a babysitter so the four of us could ride together. The weather was supposed to be fabulous.
We chose The Edge, 30 miles of awesomeness/frustration/pain/ridiculousness. With 4000 feet of elevation gain. Because what's an epic ride without a little Pain Cave action?
If you ever choose to ride The Edge Loop, know this: the beginning is worth it. The Front Side trail to the road is miles of singletrack fun. Seriously. Miles. Go do it.
And then have someone pick you up in a car at the end. Because then? You will begin ascending a dirt road which in and of itself is not the problem. It's that the dirt road turns in to a rutted, deep, muddy 4 wheel drive road. And it will go up. And up and up and up.
For what seems like ages. You will leave your soul on the road after 2000 feet of climbing. After 3000 feet, you will leave your legs. And by the time you top out on that rutted, deep, muddy road, you will curse that conversation around the campfire the night before and the friends who agreed to do this with you.
Finally, you will top out. And you will descend a ridiculously steep, loose, rocky road CLEANLY. Clipped in, stomach behind your bike seat, scared to death but CLEANLY. And then you will whoop and holler because DAMN. Six months. Six months from beginner to this.
Awesome Moment #2.
Just when you think you can no longer take a 4-wheel drive road, you will enter tight, twisting singletrack through woods and it will be fun. Ridiculous amounts of fun. Until you ride down a wash and that will also be fun. And you will think, ermygerd I love my bike.
Until you hit a rappel. A RAPPEL. With a bike. Yeah, I looked over the edge. Yeah, I briefly thought about it. And then I pushed my bike up and over the hike a bike. Because I just can't afford babysitting fees for an overnight hospital stay.
Once at the junction, our team made the decision to ride The Edge Cutoff.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Most everyone else did not, probably due to the fun downhills followed by stupidly steep uphills. I'm not going to lie. Those uphills hurt. But I have been there before. I can push through a certain amount of pain.
And then we got lost. During that period of lost, we may or may not have ridden our bike down a hill with no trail to reach another trail that turned out to be a mirage.
We were kind of tired.
Eventually, we made it back to the car where I promptly laid down in the parking lot and willed a hot tub to appear in front of me.
It did not happen. I drank a Gatorade instead.
We toasted what was truly an epic. And it was. It was so rad. In fact, it was so rad, I don't need to do it again for a very long time. But it was a serious blast. It had everything an epic ride should have- sweet singletrack, big climbing, lots of time in the pain cave, getting lost, stupid decisions, great weather and good friends.
It was such a freaking win.
This is what basecamp looked like after a long day in the saddle.
This is what my very own mountain man looked like after a very long day in the saddle.
So then...get this...it rained all night. All night. Blergh. This made the trails unrideable in the morning. Combined with the cold temps and our sore legs, we were all MEH. We went on a family hike instead. The Fruita area has really accessible trails with beautiful views that even my 5-year-old can appreciate. Tygh could care less, as evidenced by this picture.
With family time out of the way and the trails dry, Brian and I ditched the kids with Tim and Sarita and took off for a quick jaunt around Mary's Loop.
Awesome Moment #3: Riding together.
Every night, there was this.
On our last day in Fruita, 18 Road was soaked from rain and hail. We chose to head out to the Tabeguache trails in Grand Junction. Last time I rode out there, I hiked approximately 95% more than I rode my bike. Those trails are HARD. This time, I am proud to say that I rode about 80% more than I hiked. That's progress right there.
Because we were solo, Brian and I took turns. While Brian was riding, I threw Tygh on my back in the Ergo and accompanied this lovely lady on a little singletrack expedition.
Side note: I took a nice fall during our Epic Ride. When I came back to camp and told Hazel about it, she said, "Did you get back up and get on your bike? Because I fell in soccer practice last week and it hurt but I got back up and kept running." Yeah, I said. I got back up and got on my bike. Mainly because no one was coming to rescue me and all of my limbs were still intact.
Fast forward two days. Hazel ended up going too fast on a short, steep downhill and endo'ed in to the sand. After brushing her off and drying her tears, do you know what she did?
You got it. She got right back on that bike. While she was definitely more cautious, she never once complained or quit. In fact, she told everyone she met on the trail about how she rode the first hill by herself and it was THRILLING.
SUPER AWESOME MOMENT #4.
Here's what I love about bikes (besides playing on the dirt): We can ride with our kids. We can ride with our friends. We can ride alone. We can be united in our suffering and united in our victories. We can spend hours dreaming of bike rides and hours ON bike rides and all of those hours are wonderful. Riding a bike hurts. Sometimes, riding a bike doesn't hurt. Afterwards, it feels good no matter what.
And really? Riding a bike brings out our true personalities. Cheesy? Absolutely. But also true. My 5-year-old will whine about picking up her toys for hours. But when it comes down to it, she's tenacious and stubborn and silly and fun-loving. My friends may get tired of listening to my baby cry in the middle of the night (dude. ME. TOO.) but really they are patient, encouraging coaches on a bike. They may whine about climbing uphill, but they will finish the job because they, too, are tenacious and stubborn (and also badasses).
Bikes are awesome. Fruita is awesome. Once I get some sleep, I will be plotting my return.
