Life is Short, Live it Now or, Welcome Back to Colorado

Last summer I moved to Squamish, BC. The goal was to establish myself in a little mountain town I could call home. A place with amazing road riding, epic mountain biking, incredible people and that good ole small town feeling.

While I did enjoy many amazing cycling adventures in BC that summer, and I did make a few good friends while there, I never really got the warm, fuzzy feeling I craved.

That fall I drove to Ontario for a visit, back through Colorado and on to Texas for the winter. That week in Colorado reminded me I may have already found that special place in the mountains.

BC or CO, BC or CO? I anguished over my future for several months, debating it with friends, seeking answers from the desert. With a pending job offer from one of the best bike shops I’ve ever come across, I had to make a decision.

Since my mother’s death in 2010 and my father’s in 2012, I have really tried to fulfill the mantra that life is short, we must live it now. Colorado, especially Salida and the Arkansas River Valley, have brought me so much peace and happiness.

I have a large group of friends here, my best friend Reilly is in Denver and the cycling really is the best I’ve ever known. So, a decision was made; live life, live it now, do what makes me happiest.

Two weeks ago I arrived in Salida, Colorado. Since then I’ve reunited with many friends and have been out for several short rides while my body acclimates to living at 7000′ elevation. I couldn’t be happier.

Yesterday, long distance cycling guru Aaron Weinsheimer and I set out for our first long ride of the season. I was a little nervous, not knowing just how I would fare up at 11,000′ and for hour after hour.  Turns out, I had nothing to fear.
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Our 84mile (8400′ climbing) route took us from Salida along route285 then up Poncha Creek Rd, a steep, tough, 3mile climb. Incidentally, Poncha is the last major climb during the VaporTrail125, to which I’ve registered for the third time.

Crossing the Continental Divide at the pass, we descended Marshall Pass Road to Sargents where we ate french fries, drank coffee and refilled water at the Tomichi Creek Trading Post. From there, up Old Monarch Pass Road, an 11mile dirt road that seems to go on forever. Crossing back over the Divide at Monarch Pass, we again refuelled, refilled water, and headed downhill towards the Colorado Trail. Two tough sections of climbing(aka hike-a-bike), several miles of alpine single-track then about 15miles of dirt and paved roads to home. Glorious!

While a bit of indigestion slowed me down while climbing Old Monarch, at hour eight of the day and as we hit the Colorado Trail, I found my second wind. I felt strong for the last tough section of the day, climbing well and shredding the single-track with seemingly fresh feeling legs. Even the brutal head wind back to town couldn’t slow me down.

I felt strong and I felt acclimated, my breathing was never laboured. I rode well nearly all day and worked hard when I needed to. Most importantly, I felt happy and at peace, suffering for hours in the Colorado Rockies.

Truly, I am alive and living. Now all I need to do is figure out how to stay here permanently….

Ride data: https://www.strava.com/activities/1614399352