Day 48: Sapinero to Lake City

June 15, 2010

Today's ride is in memory of my grandmother Ruth Tasto who died today at the age of 98. Colorado was one of her favorite places.

Overnight was cold and calm with a heavy dew. But the sun started shining on my tent at 6AM. Still some ice in water bottles at 7 AM. Finally blue sky after 3 cloudy days. I got on the road at 8:40.

Campground view of the north wall of the Gunnison river canyon. It's the easternmost part of the national park.

Within sight of the campground is the turnoff for a 14-mile gravel road called Blue Mesa Cutoff. Half the road is in the Ute Mountain Indian reservation. The road climbs 800 feet through a canyon up to the mesa. There are no houses. Just range land. No traffic. Sagebrush and grass persist above 8000 feet elevation before forest begins.

14 miles of gravel on Blue Mesa Cutoff road.

After a few miles of rolling hills the road descends steeply to the Lake Fork Gunnison river.

Shangri La. Final descent to the Lake Fork Gunnison river.

There are no services on today's route. I made lunch at a 5-site National Forest campground alongside the Lake fork Gunnison river. The gravel road continues 2 miles along the river, then connects to highway 149.

I turned right, still upstream, towards Lake City. The highway has 1 or 2 cars per minute, still tranquil.

Highway 149 climbing along the river to Lake City.

Clouds were building in the afternoon but it was mostly sunny, about 75F. Near Lake City I had to stop to repair a flat. #3 so far...another tiny wire.

I rode back and forth through Lake City (population 375, elevation 8658 ft.). It's a low-key tourist town with a historic district. Most of the tourists and shopkeepers are from Texas. I really like the place. A former mining town, of course. But it's rustic and small, an anti-Telluride.

Lake City has a couple of grand buildings.

I camped at the Elkhorn RV park. $20. Nice grassy campsite with Wi-Fi. I'm surprised that my AT&T phone actually has service. Dinner was Texas-style barbeque brisket and pulled pork. Life is good.

Today I only pedaled 42.5 miles, but most of it was uphill and 14 miles was gravel.

Distance: 42.5 mi. (68 km) 14 miles on gravel

Climbing: 3100 ft. (940 m)

Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 2,193 miles (3,529 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	1
Comment on this entry	Comment	4

Kelly IniguezThe search engine here took me right to your journal. I think I finally have half a route for my zero birthday trip. I remembered you rode the Cut Off Road. Has it really been 11 years? Horrors!

I believe I have a plan that is sticking - we are leaving when school gets out, heading south to Taos, then making our way back north. We have a few new days in there - mostly it is revisiting old favorites, where we haven't gone in years. 27 riding days. 4 days off.

We would ride from Lake City to the cabins at Sapinero, then to Crawford. That makes the day to Crawford a far easier day.

Then we'll come home for a couple of days and do a loop north - I want a re-do on the trip you came out and rode. I wasn't in a good mental place, with all of my bike trouble that trip.

What are you thinking of for next summer!
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Wayne EstesI really enjoyed the Blue Mesa route. Big climb but not too big. Good views. Low traffic. The unpaved part was well graded.

I also really liked riding along the Lake Fork Gunnison river to Lake City. I can see why you have pedaled that route several times.

I hope your "60" tour works out. I did the Blue Mesa route when I was still camping. It would be very different as a motel tour.

Right now I'm leaning towards doing an 11 day Willamette Valley covered bridges tour from June 21 thru July 1. Then a 15 day Spokane to Boise route in mid to late September. Both route maps are at the end of my newest journal.
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Wayne EstesTo Kelly IniguezI wonder if you could visit Ojo Caliente on your way to Taos? They recently had a devastating fire. The soaking pools are surely intact, but the lodge and locker rooms burned down, I think.
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Kelly IniguezWe took the Sapinero cut off. The road surface wasn’t near as nice as what you experienced.
Reply to this comment
2 years ago