Turd on the Run

[dbarkdoll_imp]

Great report. Hey, when you hiked down to the river in Black Canyon, you didn’t happen to find. “Gorge Flyshop” ball cap, did ya? Mine blew off my head while hiking there in 2007. Let me know.

I did not, haha. I did manage to loose a pair of sunglasses as well though.
Left Ft Collins on, well, to be perfectly honest I don't remember what day I left lol. Doesn't matter. I do recall riding towards Estes Park though. I should have stopped and hung out there for a bit probably but I was eager to get into Rocky Mountain National Park before it got too crowded and before the afternoon storms started rolling through. What an incredibly beautiful and intense place.



The road in takes its time gaining elevation to where at first I was like, "is this it..?" The answer was a resounding no, this is not it. Eventually I was up above 10,000 feet and still climbing, in a completely alien and surreal world up in the clouds. 14'ers everywhere. Fast, colddd winds, especially for mid August. Well above the tree line. A totally barren and inhospitable place indeed but one filled with amazing beauty. The highest point on the road is 12,183 ft. Highest elevation I was at for the trip and my whole life I believe.









So hard to get a good picture there, the spaces are just so massive.

While I could have spent all afternoon up there the brisk winds and looming clouds convinced me otherwise so it was time to make my retreat. I had made it this far without getting caught in an alpine storm and was looking to keep that going. Rode south until I found a campground (after several failed attempts down a very long gravel road) near Lake Granby.