The RV found a new home and it acquired a little dog in the transaction. The couple sold their California home and plan a summer of travels. He spent hours walking them thru all the many details of living, maintaining and driving it. It will be a big change for them and for us.
Someone asked what we planned to do now that we don't have it to travel in. I said I was going to stay in a 5 star resort and order room service.
And last weekend, we came very close to that prediction. Michael and Jenna were in Aspen celebrating their 34th anniversary. We tagged along for one night with our bikes. The Rio Grande trail runs from Glenwood Springs to Aspen..... about 40 miles uphill. It was a pretty day but deceiving as we had a very strong headwind. Fortunately, it was downhill on the way back. We did about 16 miles. It follows the Roaring Fork river and is an old train route.
Mt Sopris above Aspen.
Yes, I wear a hat under my helmet to try and protect from the Colorado sun
We rested our weary butts and enjoyed the luxury of using Mike's Marriott points at the St Regis. I'm certainly not used to having young men offer to unpack my bags and a butler just a phone call away. What does one ask a butler to do ?? Would I have actually paid to stay there?..... probably not but it was a perfect way to spend a weekend with some favorite people.
It looks like I'm leaning on canes but the umbrellas were "just in case".
The next day we rode the Glenwood Canyon trail from No Name rest stop east along the Colorado River. We did this ride many years ago and then climbed the steep trail to Hanging Lake and rode the bikes back to Glenwood Springs. We managed to get drenched by a sudden thunderstorm on the hike down and had a soggy ride back. This time, the sun was brilliant and the winds were strong. And being a weekend, the path was very busy with walkers and bikers. In the above picture, you can see the concrete ribbons of I 70 as it winds it's way through this stunningly beautiful canyon. Below is a view of the path , below the highway and above the river teaming with rafters.
The winds were strong and scary at times. Having the power of the electric assist really helped but I still felt as if I would be blown onto the rocky edge and plummet into the river. The skinny spandex clad bikers whizzed by us and that was unnerving as well. Between the highway noise and the turbulent river, the noise was deafening. I didn't expect that. We only did about 10 miles total and then went our opposite ways toward homes.
It was a perfect weekend and we look forward to more biking meet-ups.
My brother opted for a more powerful ride in the Sierra's..... I wish him fun and safety but I am older and slower so we won't enjoy a ride together.....unless I get younger and faster. !
Back to the real world, we are busy with weeding and watching the flowers bloom and mediocre golf and gatherings with friends. And soon, we head east for exciting days with the new graduate and more family time.
Your photos brought back good memories because I've biked both those paths many times. I know how deafening the Glenwood Canyon Trail can be especially under the spans of 70. Glad that you could live it up at the Regis with your family. Have fun in CT. Safe trip.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your trail descriptions as I had just driven from Glenwood Springs to Moab and came home intrigued by the idea of doing some biking along that route. Hadn't thought about how noisy the bike path along I70 would be! Maybe we'll try the one along the Roaring Fork river after the summer crowds clear out.
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