crmbt- day 2

This will be a day to be on the road early. More than 105 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing, including Slumgullion Pass at 11,530 feet. I've ridden this route from Gunnison to Creede, and it was hard! This year we'll be doing it in reverse. Creede sits at 8799 feet, so the good news is the climb over Spring Creek Pass and Slumgullion Pass will entail  a lot less climbing than coming from the other side.

Twenty-five miles into the ride we'll cross the Continental Divide again at Spring Creek Pass. Fifteen miles further and we'll be at the high point of the day at Slumgullion Pass. It should help us all be up and off the pass before the threat of an afternoon shower.

Then we'll have a fun, if tricky, 8 mile descent off the mountain. That is followed by a stretch of more than 20 miles trending downwards, losing about 1,000 feet of elevation. But in cycling, what goes down must come back up, and after 70 miles in the saddle we have two more climbs before we get to Gunnison. No-name Hill and Nine-Mile Hill are both about 1,000 feet of climbing in 3.5 miles. The grade is less than 5% but it will be warm and I don't expect these to be easy. But enjoying the rugged scenery as we near the Curecanti National Recreation Area and Blue Mesa Reservoir is a great way to spend an afternoon on a bike.

I predict we roll into Gunnison tired, but a good tired. And after a long, hot day, a good night's sleep in the cool mountain air is almost a given.