Day 55- Ft Collins

Today I leave the mountains. But not before one last ride through some nice countryside. With very tired legs too that are a direct result of the big climb up to the top of Trail Ridge Road. Today’s ride might be a little difficult.

I have this “cartoon” map of Estes Park that their chamber of commerce outs out. It shows some roads that connect up to Devil’s Gulch Road which is the way I want to leave town. The map is just wrong. It shows that Lone Pine Road connects to Devil’s Gulch. It doesn’t. I eventually did find a route to Devil’s Gulch though and it was all worth it.

There was a very slight climb to the top of the road and then an extremely enjoyable downhill into the little hamlet of Glen Haven. The road was “swoopy” on buttery smooth pavement. The only drawback was that I interrupted the descent for a stop in Glen Haven for a muffin and beverage. Then it was back to the descent.

I should back up a little bit. I ended up on Devil’s Gulch Road because it was recommended to me. If you remember back in Wyoming I met Rupert who hailed me along side of the road outside of Big Piney. During the lunch we had, he pointed out the the Devil’s Gulch road and another road I would take later in the day through Masonville as an alternative route into Ft Collins. Rupert’s advice was worth listening to it turns out.

The Devil’s Gulch Road eventually intersected Hwy 34 but the downhill descent continued. This was turning into a very enjoyable day after all. My tired legs seemed to have sufficiently recovered with all of the downhill.

Hwy 34 came to the intersection where I would turn off to Masonville after about 9 miles. This route would go the back way to Ft Collins and avoid the flat road from Loveland. There will be plenty of time to ride flat straight roads in the next days and weeks. This road went through some classic “red rock” country that is unique to Colorado and Utah. I don’t think I could ever get tired of red rock country.

Once in Ft Collins, I called Danny Long. If you recall from long ago, we climbed the North Cascades together. He moved to Ft Collins to begin his PhD in mathematics. He has lived in Ft Collins for exactly half a day and is still willing to let me sleep on his floor. Or more exactly, his roommate Elly let me.

It was great to see Danny again. I had last seen him in Winthrop, WA before he headed south. He told me all about his bike tour. He had a blast riding to Portland and the down the Oregon coast, and down to San Francisco. Now it is time for him to buckle down with his continued studies, but it seems like Ft Collins is a good landing spot.

For me, Ft Collins seems like the end of a chapter for this trip. The end of the western mountains and into the plains. There is an adventure out there too but I just don’t know what it is yet. Beginning tomorrow, i will start to write the next chapter.