August 7, 2022
A warm up and down day
Elk Creek to Black Canyon
The railroad west of Gunnison initially went right through the Gunnison Gorge. However due to the a couple of dams being built in the 1960s, I know today instead of following the old railroad route, I will have to do a few road climbs.
Before leaving Elk Creek campsite, I take my air mattress to the reservoir to see if I can find a leak, as it keeps slowly going flat overnight. While I'm also tightening the screw which I got in Leadville for the cleat of my left shoe, as it keeps coming loose.
Frustratingly, I can't find a leak in my mattress, despite bending and twisting the mattress as many ways as I can to force the air out.
After following the first reservoir close to water level until the dam wall, as I begin climbing away, I pass a road heading down to the gorge. Since I'm told I can walk in the gorge, I will head down, despite knowing I will have to climb out again.
For a short time, I can walk on the former railroad grade next to the flowing river. Along the way are a few fishermen, while there is a guided boat tour but apparently it's not currently operating.
I do wonder if I could just go this way rather than have to climb up. However with another dam at the end of this gorge, I see on Maps.me, that once again the former rail right of way is flooded, so I can't.
Instead after walking my bike back up the steep road back to the highway, my road climb involves some road works. However, since traffic has to slow, it's actually an easier ride for me as the road goes through a gorge.
Once over the high point it's a quick descent to small town of Cimarron, where the railway once came out of the gorge from.
Thankfully a small general store is here, allowing me to get an ice cream and a cool drink. Which is important since the nearby campground is closed, including the water taps.
There are some railway remains here including cattle yards and on the way through a gorge to the dam wall, a train has been placed on a trestle bridge. While from a distance the dam wall is quite high.
After finding some shade and purchasing another cool drink, my 2nd climb feels okay, despite it being a little steeper. Thankfully the descent is so quick that I'm soon at the turn off to Black Canyon. Which I know will involve the steepest climb of the day.
Its now 5:30pm but it's still warm, so after another cool drink and another ice cream, I begin climbing. However, I'm so tired and at times it's steep enough that I feel like it's quicker and more comfortable to walk my bike. So I do for most of the next couple of hours as the road snakes its way up. Thankfully the day soon cools. Along the way I try to stream a funeral, from back home, but I don't seem to have much reception here. Which so far has been common with Ultra Mobile.
Fortunately I make it up just before sunset to find a camping spot among a large national park campsite. Unfortunately I'm too late to hear a ranger talk tonight, which was an hour earlier than last night at Elk Creek.
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