Courage Day 2

Howdy all!

Another great day on the tour. And I'm on fire. I finished the same 66 mile route in 4:20; a fill half hour quicker than last year. Maybe part of it was trying to outrun a rainstorm, maybe the other half just feeling great.

The ride started out down the bike path from Copper to Dillon. It's a general downhill, riding 20-25 mph with no effort. Unfortunately, it is totally shaded and is a big chilly with todays temperature 55 at the start. That's today's first pic. If you've ever been to Copper, we start in Burning Stones Plaza and ride thru town over the wooden bridge and head out. It is really pretty neat. This is also the finish line for the first two days; tomorrow we will pass thru this gate one more time on the way back to Leadville over Fremont Pass (my favorite).

Today we went around Lake Dillon. There is a rest stop at Keystone, and from there, we went to the thriving village of Montezuma. There's a blue house there (second pic). The blue house is all I remember from last year. from Keystone, its uphill 5.5 miles to the top; it is a beautiful ride. Hit my top sped for today (40.1 mph). On the way down from Montezuma.

After some bike path traverse, we made it back to Lake Dillon. For some reason, I didn't remember the 40 minute ascension on Swan Mountain Road, but it was there and waiting. But I am proud. Granny gear plus 2 most of the way. Good training.

The third pic is some of the bike trail around Lake Dillon.

It started raining around 1PM today, and sprinkled on me for the last hour or so of my ride. Since then, it has rained off and on and is still raining now. Might be a wet sendoff to Copper tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the 'easy' day with only Fremont Pass and, if we choose, Turquoise Lake. If I skip the lake, I get my rubber ducky team membership revoked, so expect some photos if. The weather is nice.

And so, until tomorrow...be safe.