The river at Bass River Resort was out of its banks and only the taller full-size trucks could brave the waters towing tandem trailers to bring Tour riders to the other side. The water was waist-deep at the low-water bridge crossing.
Joshua Carroll (finished) and Scott Whitaker (rode approx. 28mi) ready for 56 miles of wet fun.
Shot of the Tour riders getting the lowdown.
Lisa (rode about 45mi) crossing the bridge at Brazil creek
Jim Davis (finished) crossing the Brazil Creek
Racers crossing the river using a tandem trailer and some palettes to stay dry. One rider tried to pass everyone and ended upside down in the river. Wet and foolish at the same time. Ouch.
Scooter checking in at Berryman.
Bryan Adams getting some refills...
Larry Koester on his rigid 29er SS. He did very well on his first Berryman Epic.
Tuesday night several club members went to REI to showcase the goods and the goodness of GORC. Held at the REI in Brentwood, the night celebrated being outdoors and the country's treasures - our National Parks. REI sponsored the night and promoted Ken Burns' new National Parks documentary.
, and breakfast snacks and lunch are provided by St. Louis County Parks.
1053 below you can see the Arkansas River and set of railroad tracks
It looks like a postcard but this is the view from the observation shelter. Pictures and descriptions are nothing compared to actually seeing the gorge. Truly impressive and lives up to the hype.
Sandy rock formations dot the landscape
Twisty little grinders
Very dry terrain, rocky and super hardpack. The trail must be cut with an ATV mower and it's mandatory as the desert-like grasses want to scrape you up.
Wilson Lake and the Switchgrass trail - a 15 mile loopy loop
When the trail stayed high along the ridges it was fast and flowy
Curves of madness!
Beavers owned the stream following Keystone Gulch and you could see where staff kept knocking down the dams to keep the road from flooding.
Near the timberline you could walk about 30 feet into a mineshaft.
Outside the mine shaft. Some hardy folks worked this area.
Near the top of Keystone Gulch approaching the historic Erikson Mine
Hard rock mining at the top of the world - looking towards the Breckenridge valley two mountain over - you can make out the ski runs in the distance.
Mine ruins above the world
Descending back to Keystone - 7.5 miles up (2 hours) / 7.5 miles down (20 minutes)
A view at "Top of the World" - a 360 degree view of mountains - very humbling
You can't really make it out but this is a wall of dirt so heinous that I had to stop and get a picture. Some people rode it all the way out!
Scooter coming down Bowman's Shortcut
They look like rocks or flowers but they're really free-range sheep
Scott and Scott passing through a wildflower meadow. Two Elks dropped through one of Vail's ski runs and followed a tight creek valley all the way down into Minturn.
Marvin in the meadow
A new bridge crossed the river - here Lisa takes a break.
Everyone made it safely down into Minturn some 3,000 feet lower than at our highest point
Group photo before heading onto Peaks Trail in Breckenridge
This is how you fix the pine beetle problem - or build mansions
Flowing on Peaks
Gnarl sketch section after descending gently at speed almost got me wrecked
Group photo by Rainbow Lake
Dirt jumps in Frisco at the end of Peaks Trail
Rest day - Matt, Lisa, Bryan, Steph and Scooter went to the South Park museum in Fairplay
Then we drove up to Leadville via Buena Vista. It was busy for the upcoming Leadville 100.
Durango Doug took myself and Lisa to a mine he saw from the house driveway. Spontaneous decision at dusk to check it out. Climbing in and out below the gate was a challenge. Worth the effort, though.
Checking out inside the mine, Doug leads me deeper into the unknown. The rocks on the ground are from the mine roof breaking apart over time.
You can see how far back we went inside. Lisa stayed at the gate and probably thought we were crazy. However, she did check it out once we didn't die from a cave-in.
Just outside the mine and getting very dark outside.
Kenosha Pass trailhead
At the high point of the Kenosha to Breckenridge Colorado Trail - 11,985
Our bike shop
Coming up the pass
Solid new bridge construction on the CT
Bryan on Kenosha
Cool view
Mine near the Baker's Tank Loop
Durango Doug rounding the switchback
Riding up to the other house
Group shot before the 1st day ride.
One of the two homes the GORC crew had for the week. Easily a $2.4+ house (mansion)
