Salida Big Friggin’ Loop

The Salida Big Friggin’ Loop is a 106mile(85mile ‘base’ route) unsupported race that loops from Salida to Buena Vista, Colorado and back. Part of the Colorado Endurance Series, I attempted the race in 2014 but got off course and only rode about 100miles, disqualifying myself from the official standings. But let’s be clear, official is a bit of a strong word.

No support, no course markings, no feed-zones and certainly no prizes. At best, you collect a rock strategically placed by race organizer, Tom Purvis, to earn yourself a 30min time bonus.

One might be inclined to think, ‘how hard can it be?’ You ride up hill to Blanks Cabin, take the Colorado Trail(CT) to Mt Princeton and on to Cottonwood then descend to BV where you have lunch. Then it’s just a bunch of dirt roads and rail-trail back to Salida. How hard can it be?

It can be very hard, very. And it was.

I always forget just how tough that section of the CT can be, especially with the hike-a-bike parts early on. Then there’s that hateful road climb back up to the CT from the water stop at Mt Princeton.

In Buena Vista, riding partners Aaron, Reilly and I ate lunch, took on a bunch of fluids and enjoyed a quick head-dunk in the cold Arkansas River. From there the route takes the Midland Trail for what seems like forever, especially under the blazing sun and temperatures in the low 90’s. Then the climbing really starts. Through Chubb Park, over Trout Creek Pass to Windmill Rd, where the headwinds started to blow in earnest, bringing the smoke from fires down by Durango.

Late in the day, the lack of recent long rides and a bout of nausea caused Reilly to take a short-cut home. That left Aaron and I to climb and climb some more. Eventually we got off the bikes and slowly hiked up the tree-strewn side-hill ‘trail’ to the abandoned mining town of Futurity where we claimed our SBFL “chips.”

On top of that, the huge cost of the viagra canada deliver process makes it more painful. There are two methods tadalafil buy canada available to help erectile dysfunction. 4. Bitter taste in tadalafil in canada mouth at night, sour vomiting. generic viagra mastercard The first hot air balloons were essentially cloth bags with a smoky fire built on a grill attached to the bottom. Downhill from Futurity brought us to, well, more climbing. It’s a long, long slog up to Aspen Ridge but I was feeling good, having found my second wind. At last we descended Route175 back to Salida. Done.

14hrs 2mins. 106miles. 11,715′(officials say it’s 12,400′) of climbing. That, is one Big Friggin’ Loop. By the end, I was feeling pretty wasted, but I never cramped, I never felt bad.

While Aaron and my earlier long ride was a good prep for the SBFL, this race certainly has got me into endurance/distance mode for the summer. Just gotta turn those pedals, one at a time, for hour after hour after hour…

https://www.strava.com/activities/1629485562

Salida Big Friggin’ Loop 2018 Results