Day 44 Jun 30: Hot Sulphur Springs CO to Six Mile Gap Campground WY

 

 Woke up at Pioneer Park campground at Hot Sulfur Springs rested but everything was wet from the night before. Torrential late afternoon thundershowers with lightning right near us and buckets of rain had rolled through while we were hanging out at the hot springs resort lounge area the previous evening. It was one of those things where you think all the angry gods in heaven are having bowling league. Bill and I had left some of the tent fly zips open and Bill’s sleeping bag and some of our other things had gotten wet. Packing up a wet tent and damp everything is no fun. Rolled out at 6:10am and stopped by Jaz’s motel to use his bathroom and let him know our plans which was to get to Walden CO 65 miles away with a big pass to get up and over. In the end we wound up pushing on to just past the Wyoming border to Six Mile Gap CG for a 89 mile day. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Out of Hot Sulfur Springs we went up CO-125 due north through Willow Creek Pass. We had been a little nervous about the status of the road because Google Maps said it was closed. Bill did some research by calling the Sheriff who said that the road had recently reopened.

The problem with that whole canyon was that a huge wildfire had come through there in 2020 and deforested it and now there are a bunch of mudslides all up and down the highway. As we rode along we observed this firsthand. What a mess. But Colorado DOT has a lot of heavy machinery up there and are doing a diligent job keeping the road clear. Regrowth had allowed for an explosion of various wildflowers, so all in all it was a pretty climb. But oy, the rain.

Ramen is Rife

A constant heavy drizzle that finally let up at the summit. By the time we crested I was soaked, shivering and uncomfortable. Then we heard our names yelled out and we found Eric and Leisa taking a break at a pull out cooking a batch of hot ramen. Genius! We made a batch for ourselves and that really took the chill off. Rode a screaming, endless downhill past the town of Rand and by then, the temps were warmer, we were dry and miles of lovely, flat-ish ribbon of road lay ahead of us with a gentle tailwind. Just goes to show you, never give up because just around the corner it can be completely different and better. Pulled into the town of Walden and lo, first business on the left is a coin-op laundromat. We tumbled our wet things in a dryer and air-dried our tents on a fence. All better!

Jaz at River Rock Cafe

Then onward to lunch at River Rock Cafe which was super yummy. Eric and Jaz had a huge, decadent open faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes all drowning in gravy…no veg. We had thought we would end in Walden, but as Bill said, a great tailwind is a bad thing to waste. 

So we pushed north another 25 miles. There were pronghorn antelope, coyotes, foxes, a bald eagle and even a sighting of an adolescent black bear bounding in a field about 25 yards away. We crossed into Wyoming to Six Mile Gap campground. Arriving right about the same time was an elderly couple in a gorgeous Travato motorvan. Tom the Dutchman yelled over to us that he was jealous and impressed with our biking adventure. He was drinking a Coors so I boldly asked him if he had some for us. Of course he did! But it was warm, not refrigerated. Leisa prickled at the idea of warm beer to which I said that we have proven time and again that we are capable of going to new lows and enjoying the results, which we did. As we sat around drinking our drinks and congratulating ourselves on a big day, we noticed a few raindrops and a wall of dark approaching. We dashed to set up tents and cover our gear and barely took cover when all hell broke loose. Lightning and thunder where you count 1-1000, then kaboom thunder! Flash flood grade rain pouring down. This went on for about an hour. As Bill and I sat in our tent the wind was blowing so hard that it pressed the tent supports flat on us. And then just like that, it was over and we were treated to a beautiful sunset and the floor of our tent wash a big gully wash. What a day.

Day 43 June 29th Green Mountain Reservoir to Sulfur Hot Springs, CO by Erik Erickson and Leisa Moss

We rode across the dam at the end of the reservoir to get back on to Highway 9.  A big wide shoulder made riding easy.  Two game crossings made it also safe for us from elk and deer.  Kremmling was our morning stop where Eric helped a Continental Divide Racer pump up her tire and get on her way.  From Kremmling we followed the headwaters of the Colorado river for the rest of the day.  The views of the river with the large horse packing group made me almost want to switch my method of transport!  An incline with tall canyon walls took us up to Sulfur Hot Springs.  We spent part of the day at the Springs which were started in 1864.  They have 18 different pools with temperatures ranging 118 to 98.  We spent time in the mineral pools that help restore muscles!  At the one small burger and shake establishment we met Rick, who was riding west to east.  We exchanged info on road conditions and lodging. It is helpful.  One rider, Jaz, that we met earlier found us there.  He recognized Eric's Hard Rock hat!
As we are camping nearby, we are headed back for an evening dip at the springs before climbing into our tents.

 

Day 42 June 28th Fairplay to Heeney, CO by Erik Erickson and Leisa Moss

Our day actually started at Joe and Cheri's house 45 minutes from Fairplay. They
even had a breakfast of quiche and pull apart bread ready for us.  Joe then drove us back to the fire station to start with our bikes.  We quickly got onto Colorado Hwy 9 to go over Housier Pass.  Our first stop was Alma. It was a cute town that we should have spent more time in.  At Alma the bike path we were on disappeared and we biked 8 miles with no shoulder as we climbed 2000 feet to 11,542 feet.  Traffic was not good.  It was an accomplishment to get there safely. Our reward for the ascent was a 10 mile descent and a great breakfast at the Blue Moose in Breckenridge. We got to spend time in the  beautiful setting of Breckinridge.  In Frisco we got a on a great bike path along a reservoir that people were using for paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing, fishing, and boating.  It makes the area very appealling. Construction was hot and heavy everywhere.  In Silverthorne we restocked at Target and got an offer from a lady to house us over night.  We kept riding as we needed to get miles in after a day off. On our last miles of the day we tried to get more refreshments at the Master Bait and Tackle Shop. It was not open!  We have been boiling water for refreshment at Forest Service campground.  The group had a refreshing birthday suit swim and enjoyed the great sunset and the miiky way was also observed in the small hours...

 

Day 40/41 Jun 27: Guffey CO to FairPlay CO x2 (incl a zero day in FairPlay)

 

Pulled out of Wild Bill’s Guffey Garage, and the historic, marvelous, treasure that it is. I just have to say, if you ever get the chance to meet Bill, you owe it to yourself to witness this national treasure. What he is doing to preserve the Wild West is commendable. He is an original TransAm trail angel, right up there with June Curry the Cookie Lady. Got a 6:15am start to be able to tackle the significant elevation ahead and still meet our friend and host Joe Knopinski in Fairplay.

The ride from Guffey to Fairplay was pretty straightforward; beautiful rolling high desert, granite outcroppings, grazing cattle. All this in a persistent drizzle. Eric called it riding through the Irish moors.

We calculated that we would pull into Fairplay around 12:30/1:00-ish, what with all the elevation, but we actually arrived around 10:30! Man, we are faster and stronger than we thought! As we were rolling into Fairplay we heard someone yell our names and it was Joe. Bill and I meet Joe and his wife Cheri on our Portugal bike trip. They graciously offered to host us for the night in their mountain cabin. Mind you, his cabin (more like a 4000 sq ft chalet) is 30 miles away. He arranged with the fire department to stow our bikes so we could get up to the cabin without the hassle of transporting the bikes. The Fire Chief and two of the firemen on shift were so helpful and encouranging. So nice of them to stow our bikes. After taking us on a short tour of historic mining town Fairplay, running errands at the sporting goods store and good old Dollar General we had lunch at South Park Brewery. Yes, this area is the locale and hometown of the South Park kids Cartman, Buttars and Kenny.

Then, on up to the Knopinski mountain manse! And oh what a Shangri La it was! I took a quick survey of the gang for their appetite for taking a “zero” day and they were up for it. Joe and Cheri generously rearranged their schedules and proceeded to feed, nurture and delight us for the next two nights. Highlights include sleeping en suite, high thread count, beef stroganoff dinner, “farm hand” breakfast, fine wines, yoga in the basement with Cheri, doggo time with Kona, epsom salt soaking in their master tub and interesting and lively conversation. A real treat was hiking on their 40 acre property which abuts the National Forest. Joe has done tremendous work trail building and being a steward of the forest by cutting down and chipping trees designated by the forest service and needing to be removed. It is a Herculean effort, and Joe is Hercules. We will never forget Joe and Cheri’s hospitality and look forward to seeing our friends again.