Riding away from home

Last June Lan and I took a 3 week vacation/honeymoon with our mtn bikes.  We hit Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Colorado & Nevada. In Utah we rode at Slickrock in Moab, that was way cool but way over my experience level so I did a lot of walking. Someday we'll go back again and I'll have the knowledge to ride it.

 In Colorado we rode in the desert at Gunnison and the mountains in Crested Butte and Leadville. I LOVE Crested Butte and the Quaking Aspen!  My favorite trail that we rode was Snodgrass, just above & north/west of CB. We rode it 3 times and I could ride it every day of the year and be happy. We also hit part of 401 too. The Sheriff in CB is

Pete, a good friend of Lans, he took us out on Snodgrass and told us about hitting 401.

 Went out to dinner with Pete and his wife at SECRET STASH; Lan and I ordered the BOOTY CALL pizza and it was the best pizza I have ever eaten, ever, anywhere, in this world.

We stayed at a Hostel in Gunnison, WANDERLUST HOSTEL. Great prices, really nice hostess (Amy, who also works at Secret Stash), neat place. Amy is also a trail guide and she took us out to the trails in the desert. Wow, so different from CB which was only 20 miles away but nice trails none the less.

 In Leadville we rode around in the town and out around a lake. The trail we had chosen to ride on was closed to bikes to we rode on the road, up a 2 mile long hill. I am very proud to say I didn't have to get off and push my bike for the entire hill and it was at high elevations, yay for a Puget Sound girl.   Riding at elevation was difficult for me because it was hard to breathe. I didn't have a problem with my skills nor strength, it was just the thin air. But by the time we rode Snodgrass (ele. 9,500 ft) the last time I was totally loving it. Thats why it was so much easier in Leadville (ele. 10,152) to be able to ride up that long hill without dying.

Lan knew that this trip would be good for my training and he was right. After we got home I was able to ride much easier and faster on my road bike and I kicked ass in the Danskin, Trek, Tri Turtle & Black Diamond Triathlons.