As it turns out, riding bikes and flying on planes does nothing for your health. I was glad to hear Dan had found a camp for us near Buena Vista (BV) but by the time I got there on Tuesday afternoon having camped out at the airport and doing some errands in town, I was properly sick again.
BV Sicko
But what a camp Dan had found. It was up where we’d camped the week before but this spot was more secluded and all we had to do was climb up on a nearby rock to get a great view. It was the perfect place to try and recover. We’d seen a sign at the entrance to the BLM land stating the usual 14-day travel limit but with the caveat that the land was not to be used for “residential purposes”. That meant we were constantly laughing at just how “residential” our our life felt at camp having showers, working every day and getting into the workshop for van improvements.
While Dan went off to work most days, I spend the rest of the week mostly staying put. Cleo’s short walks was the sum of my adventure. It was hard work knowing that we were surrounded by miles of mountain bike trails and every hour I’d hear the click of a rear hub reminding me of just what I was missing.
I tried to keep my chin up and Dan was the perfect husband – looking after me, gathering a bouquet of flowers and picking up some medication from the local pharmacy as I needed it.
I called in sick on Friday waking up with a lump in my throat and deciding that if I wasn’t good enough to go into an office, I shouldn’t be working. Good thing there was a grand prix on. I napped through both practice sessions and switched between sitting inside and sitting outside. It was the full day of rest I think I needed because things started to improve after that.
I resolved to continue taking it easy over the weekend and if I wasn’t better by Monday, then to hell with it, I’d go riding anyway.
Getting Better in BV
By Saturday, I needed a change of scenery and it was getting way too hot for Cleo to hang around at camp. Since Dan had an afternoon shift and we wanted to keep our camp, we left his van and drove into town in Berta. We went down a dusty, bumpy road to check out the riverside BLM camps and found them to be exposed and crowded with minimal river access. Happy with our residence on top of the hill thanks!
We meandered along the river a ways and found climbing and cool tunnels on the opposite side but hardly any rafters or kayakers going past. The spring run-off meant the river was running scary fast so only the bravest souls were venturing out onto it.
Dan got us settled in at the Riverside Park and we ate a quick lunch before he was off to work. In my Summer dress and floppy hat, I packed a chair and my book and took Cleo off down the river to find a shady spot to spend the afternoon.
It was a lovely walk along the raging river and multiple tourists were posted up to watch the non-existent entertainment of rafters going by. At the end of the walkway, we found our spot and I got Cleo into the water to cool her down before we posted up. I must have sat for an hour before getting into my book. There was enough to watch with the river flowing and mountain bikers/hikers on the opposite bank.
I saw two pairs of kayakers go by and I was in awe and shock. There’s no way I’d be caught doing something so dangerous. I was sat at a very rough part of the river and the only thing I could think was that you couldn’t just put on the brakes when you were tired!
Needing a change of scenery again, we meandered back down the river then started our hunt for water spigots – Berta’s tanks were running low. Dan had told me about a $7.50 option at the local city council but I liked a challenge.
We wandered all around the river park trying spigots but all of them were turned off. Then we started driving around town and found many but they were either off or locked. Ha ha! Gas stations next. I got lucky at the local Phillips where the attendant told me I could help myself to his hose out back. Thanks mate!
We posted up at another local park for the rest of the day, thankful to find a parking spot in the shade. No more than five minutes after texting Dan our location, he wandered across the grass towards us. He was on break! I made him an early dinner and we chatted about our adventures, then he was off again, leaving me to watch some F1 and blog.
Dan came back to us just as it got dark then he drove us “home”.
Workshop Day
Sunday was cooler and so Cleo and I were happy to stay at camp. The lump in my throat had gone down, but I was still taking it easy. I was grateful to have qualifying and a race to watch. We yelled at the TV to our heart’s content in a very residential manner, then Dan was straightaway off to work.
I was happy for the clouds overhead as I got into the workshop. After so much sitting, I had to move around some and I had the perfect project – my office needed an ergonomic step so my feet weren’t dangling off the chair.
It was a pleasure to get on the tools and for the half hour I was stuck inside due to rain, I cleaned the fan cover and marked out the cuts for my oil & condiment block. It was a successful mission and while I’d love to say that Cleo was a great sidekick, she wasn’t. She spent the afternoon holed up in the living room shivering from the distant thunder. Sook.
Dan was home late that night and he was welcomed home by a few growls from Cleo and barely a moan from me.
Breck in Summer
I was back at work but Dan was off – for now. I was in the office for the morning and loving my new foot step but already thinking of the next improvements. Around lunch time, Dan head off to go pick up a few things with the plan of meeting me in Fairplay on our way up to Breckenridge here he worked his second job.
I made sure not to leave anything behind at our “residence” then we were off driving north on the 285. It was a drive that was already becoming familiar but there was always something different to see. In this instance, it was snow on the side of the road!
I parked up at the supermarket in Fairplay and waited for my hubby. I made us both sandwiches and did a spot of work. Cleo’s ear-flapping at the window told me that he’d arrived.
After lunch, I followed Dan into Breckenridge. This is a place I’ve been multiple times in the winter snowboarding but I may as well never have seen it before. I didn’t recognize a thing. It all looked so different in green. Even the parking lot we regularly frequented didn’t ring any bells for me.
After a stop at the supermarket for groceries, Dan led the way to camp. After a couple of closed National Forest roads, clouds darkened the sky and made us feel hasty to find our next residence. We found it down a road that had been recommended to Dan by a cop when he got kicked out of a camp over winter and though the “Drown your campfires” sign was encouraging, every potential spot had “no camping” and “no overnight parking” signs. Weird. This was supposed to be National Forest!
We settled on a spot tucked between some trees and the hill of an old mine, complete with a fire pit. It’s “no camping” sign was only small and was already lying on the ground. Once we were settled, I promptly threw that sign into the bushes.
Despite the threat of rain, I was straight up the hill of the mine to have a look. There was a natural spring running water through a man-made channel and plenty of old structures that once signaled a hive of activity.
We took a leisurely afternoon walk further down the road past the industrial area and saw the only legal camp taken by a guy in a caravan with his Starlink posted outside. His Wifi network was named “Fulltimer”. Fitting.
We both felt disappointed at the lack of camp options, but by the morning, having seen more than half a dozen vans park up in the nearly trailhead illegally, we were starting to think we’d found the best spot of all.
We’re Back!
Dan was off early in the morning to do his laundry and get organized before his first shift back at the Breckenridge bar so Cleo and I had our morning walk to ourselves. It was gorgeous traipsing along a trail that ran alongside a snaking river. This one was flowing fast too.
For the second time in two weeks, we were parked in the heart of a mountain bike trail network so I had a feeling today would be the day. Not just for me getting back from sickness but for Cleo. It had been three months since her ACL surgery and I figured she was ready for a ride.
I knew it was going to be a good day when a butterfly landed on my toe while I was eating breakfast and a hummingbird found his way into the van to say hi. He would come back and visit every day at that spot.
After I finished work, I got to work on my bike. Scottie’s rear tyre was flat so I gave it a good clean out of its old sealant, then got some air loaded back in. It was a pleasure to wipe the dust off my bike. She still feels brand new. Cleo knew what was up and she was raring to go.
We climbed a hill nearby then were onto a lovely mound of single track that wove through the trees.
I let Cleo lead so she could set the pace and she happily trotted along for the three mile loop. Our route took us back the way we’d walked that morning so she knew where to get her water and cool off.
I was ecstatic. Not only was I feeling pretty good but I was mountain biking with my dog!
Three miles was plenty for her so she happily posted up on the front seats after I moved Berta into the shade. She remembered our routine.
Now I was off and I had more than just single track in mind, I was going on a bit of a camp hunt. This was going to be Dan’s residence for the next couple of months while he worked and hung out with Cleo so he wanted a nice stable camp to come back to every day. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of options. The road north was more than what Berta could handle and seemed a long way for a not-too-descent flat spot that was big enough that he’d be sharing with others.
It was single track time now and I was stoked to be on a section of the Colorado trail which runs the length of the state. I was back on my bike!
I rode through some beautiful trail that flowed and had rocky climbed that beat the shit out of my lungs, but I was happy. I stopped mite-climb when I heard whining and I’d found the sled-dog compound. There must have been a hundred dogs in a huge fenced area down the hill. Some were leashed, others had free roam in what looked like a massive playground with some shade structures flapping in the breeze. Poor things, that would be their world for the next few months.
Coming out of the Colorado trail, I was at a river crossing and while I wasn’t going over the other side, there was a white truck that meant to! The truck was facing me and the driver seemed to be considering the plunge into the fast-moving water. Maybe seeing me gave him the confidence he needed because he made a run for it just after I got there. I gave him a huge thumbs up when he made it across the other side and they kindly asked if I needed a lift over the water before heading on down the forest road.
I found my way home on the Gelena Ditch trail and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, it was so flowy and fast.
Cleo was waiting for me at home and she kept me company as I cleaned Scottie. She was happy to go to bed then while I cooked dinner and ate by the fire before having an early night. There was no growling from Cleo when Dan crept in, it seemed she was used to this new situation already.
Flat Schmat
After doing a couple hours of work, we took a walk together before Dan went off to work and I had a pretty boring day, but it was so productive that I was still working at 3pm when Dan came home. He had a day off tomorrow so I wanted to free myself up for that. Needing another half hour to tie things up, he romped off in the Club Wagon to explore the nearby fire road and any potential camps. Unfortunately, he came back with his front tyre making a loud “psssssst” noise. He’d gotten a major flat from a sharp rock.
He’d lost his tyre repair kit and I no longer carried mine, though we brought down the bucket of spare parts to double check. His spare was sound, but he didn’t want to leave his main tyre damaged so after installing his spare, he drove into Frisco to get himself a new tyre repair kit. By the time he came back, I’d fixed the freezer latch that had broken during our drive over the mountain pass and so I’d moved onto my “treat” project of making my oil & salt & pepper block. I was rocking out to music as I did so and made that very clear as he pulled in.
Very residentially, we carried on working through the afternoon, me in the wood shop, Dan in the mechanic’s shop and we both had good results in the end.
I took Cleo off for a walk that was longer than I’d anticipated because we found some single track and I was always tempted to make a loop. It meant a late dinner by the fire, but it was just so easy to do when the sun stays out until 9pm! It was a beautiful night and we thoroughly enjoyed our time outside.
Back to BV
With Dan off work later in the day, he had a lazy start to the day, almost missing out on the morning walk. There was always more to explore and this morning we found a gorgeous little hut that we’d have been happy to call our own.
After a bit of work, we drove off in convoy, saying thank you to our great camp and hoping to find it again in future without a new sign.
We stopped at the supermarket again for Cleo food and other supplies, then we were back down the familiar 285 to Buena Vista.
Our favorite camp was taken but there was one free spot close to the trailhead and while Dan wasn’t initially impressed, after we had lunch and parked the vans strategically for privacy from our neighbors, we came to like our new spot. The view was much-improved and the afternoon shade was a necessity. It was hot enough to need to wet Cleo down twice to stop her from panting.
I was absolutely jonesing to get on the trails I’d spent so much time near last week so after a tiny bit of work in the outdoor office, I was off. Cleo was happy to stay behind this time. I think the driving and the heat had taken it out of her. Dan was equally happy to stay with her and have his own relaxation time.
The single track meandered and I was surprised at how difficult some of the rocky sections were. Keeping in mind that I was probably still in a fragile condition, I didn’t feel bad taking the green lines as opposed to the blue when given the option. I was just finding my feet again after all.
The views of the mountains were stunning as ever and I stopped many times to enjoy them. I was grateful that the Unchained trail wasn’t too gnarly for its black diamond rating and by the time I’d finished climbing up Django, I was pretty chuffed with my technical uphill riding.
Back at our residence, I found Dan dozing off and Cleo parked up in the shade. They’d enjoyed a lovely hour of relaxation together.
Wanting to enjoy our new view, Dan had found a prime fireplace spot just up the hill a bit and set up our chairs with a stack of firewood. We sat until just past sunset talking and admiring the view while our dinner was cooking in the oven. Very residential.
Don’t Stop Me Now
Dan had a late shift so we’d talked plans of doing some riding together but it never eventuated. We walked down a fire road we hadn’t explored yet for our morning walk and it was nice to see the city of BV below us and Dan was able to point out the landmarks.
I ended up working flat-out until lunch time while Dan did some research and we were all happy for the cooler weather brought by thick cloud cover. That cloud cover turned into enough sprinkling rain to make Dan come inside, but it never really came to a downpour.
Dan made us a gorgeous lunch and when I was erring about doing a bit more work after lunch, he rightly encouraged me not to do so and I listened. When he went off to work, the sky was still thick with cloud and Cleo still shivering so I opted for some inside tooling around. I turned the electrical system off and rearranged the electronics so that I could eventually hide them behind a nice cupboard. It was a lot of fiddling but worth it.
It was 3pm when I decided we needed to get out and go riding. After all, I could wake up sick tomorrow! The skies had cleared enough for Cleo to be keen so I took her for a quick jaunt along the Midland trail, then got her comfortable in Berta and rode off again.
Not keen on a big ride, I just did a small loop down to the highway and back.
I didn’t think the views of the mountains could get any better but they just kept taking my breath away. The trails were gorgeous winding every which way so that you never had a steep climb ahead of you.
Back at camp, I didn’t even need to give Scottie a wipe down thanks to the hero dirt that had come from the small rain. I got my workshop clothes back on and did the final install of my oil and salt and pepper block. It may not seem like a big deal, but I was so happy with it not only because it looked great, but because it meant not bending over every time I wanted to add salt or a dash of oil!
I made dinner and ate it at the fireplace we’d made last night. I’d taken my book up with me but I didn’t need it – the weather forming over the mountains was entertainment enough. At one point I couldn’t see any of them thanks to the grey curtain that hung between me and them. My timing was perfect. By the time I’d finished my drink, drops of rain were starting to fall so I drowned the fire quick smart and retreated to the van for an early night.
Trail Friends
Dan had a lie in having gotten in very late last night. I tried to stay in bed with him reading, but I was too restless so up I got and fiddled around a bit then took Cleo on a walk. I know Dan hated missing out but with so many riders starting their day I wanted to get out there too.
Dan was up when we got back and I made us a big breakfast, made even bigger by me breaking too many eggs as I tried to pack them tighter into the fridge. Our neighbors left and we did too shortly after, keeping Dan’s van parked to save our spot.
We had an hour to kill before Dan’s shift so we pulled in to the local farmer’s market which had good live music but a pitiful array of stalls. It took us all of five minutes to tour the whole lot. We got our picnic blanket out then and lay by the raging river while Cleo rested in the cool grass. It wasn’t supposed to be hot today, but when the sun was out we could all feel it.
We talked and watched the spring-time flurries fly about then made our way into BV proper and parked up at McPhelemy Park to get some shade. Dan went off to work while Cleo and I hung out. It was too hot to go riding just yet but all I had to do was wait for the clouds.
It only took an hour or two. We both sat under the trees watching the goings on while I blogged. Once the clouds were in place and the park had cleared out of its lunch parties, I got suited up. It’s such a pleasure that it only takes me ten minutes.
With Cleo happily posted up, I rode like a bandit down main street towards the river. It was busy down there with families out for a hike and boaters putting in and getting out.
Once I crossed over the river, it didn’t take long to leave the tourists behind. I climbed up some beautiful winding single track, basically all the way back to camp. I’m not sure how many hundreds of feet it was but with the trails meandering as they did, there were never any steep pinches.
I ran into a pair of girls conveniently at an intersection so we got to chat a bit before I rode left and they went right. They led with, “beautiful bike” so we made fast friends. At my next intersection, I stopped for a bite to eat and met Corey and Conrad, a father and son pair out in Colorado from Pennsylvania for a highschool-graduation jaunt. They too started the conversation by commenting on my beautiful Scottie! We had a lovely chat and but the end of it the Dad, Corey, wanted a remote job at SLAC. I wished Conrad an enjoyable start to the money-making part of his life working as an electrician.
Trending down now, I was really enjoying the flow corners and rocky sections of these trails. I laughed when I met the same girls at the next intersection. They were doing a similar route to me, only backwards. Lizzy was from Melbourne now living in FairPlay while T was. Breckenridge girl. We chatted a long time now and we got on super well. We split up again when more riders converged on our spot and I regretted not getting their information as I sped off.
Good thing they were going the same direction as me! Only a handful of meters down the trail I came to a road and stopped to get Lizzy’s number. We parted ways after that with those two heading down into town for some ice cream and me off to tackle one of BV’s only black diamond trails called South Broken Boyfriend.
It was a wicked trail and yes, I walked a few sections, but the rock gardens were exceptional. The North part of the trail was a little more cruisy and dropped me back onto the blue stuff to get back to the river.
Conscious of tourists, I couldn’t rip too much but whenever I could, I released my brakes and let fly. What a great ride, I’d enjoyed every inch of it.
I found Cleo sitting vigil in Berta and she was wagging around happy to see me when I got to her. I took her for a tour around the park then parked myself up in a chair to eat some food and relax a bit. Just as I got up to start cleaning the bike, my husband showed up! He’d been let off early and even better, someone was able to cover his next shift so we’d be able to wander over to Pike’s Peak at a leisurely pace instead of doing an early morning rush.
Just after I got my bike on its stand, an older van life guy wandered over, clearly on for a chat and interested in the Berta build. He seemed impressed with the garage but when he saw the inside, he said, “well I don’t have cabinetry like that!” I was glowing with pride. I could tell he would be yarning on so I carried on with my bike cleaning as he regaled us with his stories.
With Scottie looking brand new again, we drove back up our familiar hill to camp and I couldn’t believe how quiet it was. Saturday before Father’s Day and apparently everyone was stuck at home. It felt like we were too.
4 -15 June, 2024