Western Express Day #4 Sapinero, CO to Ridgway, CO

Western Express Day #4

June 4, 2021

Sapinero, CO to Ridgway, CO - 68 Miles

Start 5:48AM, Finish 4:28PM

Ride Time: 6:06

Ascent: 4249'

Descent: 4455'

Tour Total Miles: 261

Details at: https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20210604-0548-20204

I slept so-so stealth camping behind a small utility building on the outskirts of Lake Fork Campground and overlooking Blue Mesa Reservoir. It was rather warm when I went to bed last night, but cold when I awoke in the morning. I heard trucks rambling down the highway all night long. My alarm was set for 5:30AM and I woke up at 5:20AM. I did a quick pack up and needed to get on the road as soon as possible. There was no condensation inside my tent and I was able to roll it up and stick it into my rear pack. I blew off the aloe and chamois butter regimen. I was now at level three. The sinks and drinking fountains didn’t work at the campground, and the reservoir would have been too cold for me to have taken a dip. It was a steep climb just getting out of the campground. A silver quarter moon hung in the sky.

I was on the road by 5:50AM, and the sun was just coming over the horizon. I took a right on US 50. It was cold and my fingers were freezing. I figured I’d warm up on the climb. As I passed the dam I realized how low the reservoir levels were. The one-way alternating passage through the construction area was from 6:30 to 8:30 AM, and I wanted to hit the earliest side of the window as possible. At the beginning of the tour there had been four things that I was worried about; getting my mom’s ashes to the top of Flattop, my worn middle crank, Monarch pass, and the construction on US 50 between Sapinero and Cymarron. I had emailed the construction crew, who had replied and tried to persuade me to detour. A Warm Showers host had told me about a cyclist who was forced to detour a hundred miles around. Phillip had managed to hitch a ride with a motorist. It was a conundrum.

US 50 cut away from the canyon and climbed up onto a ridge. I was casing all the motor vehicles passing me, and practicing my pitch to get a ride. Pick-up trucks would be the easiest option. But why not an RV vehicle or a flat bed truck? Semi trucks and other motor traffic streamed from the other direction which was made no sense. It was supposed to be closed before 6:30AM. After some climbing I started seeing orange signs and pylons, and I knew I was getting close. It was not yet 6:30AM. A sign said Road Construction 5 Miles Ahead. There was motor traffic in both directions.

I entered the construction area and saw ginormous earthmoving equipment, cones, and lots of earth and rock that had been moved. I reached the top of a climb and saw a downhill side up ahead. I wondered if that was it for my climbing. In addition to today being a construction zone day, it was also a high ascent day. I got cold flying down the other side of the hill. I entered a gorgeous narrow canyon and I realized that I was now headed back up a second hill.

The construction crew were widening the highway and excavating the canyon walls. There were construction vehicles everywhere, but no active work. I rode past a temporary I-beam brace holding back massive boulders and debris. It was just like threading a needle. The highway asphalt was in bad shape but nothing compared to New York City streets. I had feared having to ride on loose gravel.

The second climb was more than a hill, and was formidable. I saw a flagman up ahead on the approaching side. Traffic was stopped coming from the other direction. I appeared to have made it through the gauntlet. It was shortly after 7AM. Early birds don’t have gaps. I waved to the flagman as I pedaled past. There was a long line of motor vehicles waiting and queued up behind him.

It was a long second climb and I was starting to get hot. Rumble strips ran right down the middle of the shoulder. Fortunately there was a passing lane for motor vehicles and I could ride to the left of the white line. I finally saw a downhill sign in the distance. Speeding down into the valley I was freezing, and I almost stopped several times to add another layer. My top speed was 39 miles an hour, and at the bottom of the hill I entered Montrose County. A state trooper was parked on the side of the road and we waved.

The Cimmaron Sinclair station, restaurant, and hotel were all closed. I crossed the Cimmaron River and spotted Newberry’s Store and Rock Shop, which was fortunately open. I stopped and purchased a banana, cheese stick, Starbucks Frappuccino, and orange juice. I sat outside in a rocking bench and soaked up the sun. My bike had been spotlessly clean and polished back in Pueblo, and was already covered with orange brown dust.

Next up was Cerro Summit. I would be climbing more than 1000 feet, and after that it would be an easy day. I pulled over to remove my sweater. I was now in my short-sleeve jersey, UV arm covers, and cycling shorts. I lathered myself with sunscreen and applied chamois butter. I didn’t use the oxygen bottle today and figured it was ready to be jettisoned. I spotted some artistic tar pavement marks, and then, far ahead, I could see the downhill sign. Woohoo! It was 9AM and my work for the day was done. I took the necessary documentation at Cerro Summit, and then it was downhill time. A vast valley laid before me.

I hit 43 miles an hour on the downhill, and didn’t get cold this time. There was motor traffic, so I rode on the shoulder which was wide and in decent condition. I was surrounded by ginormous brown mounds dotted with few a shrubs. The earth was naked revealing it’s wrinkles, rivulets, and veins. This part of Colorado was dry. I was headed west and there were wide open expanses to the west and north. A huge snow-covered range lay to the south.

I entered the city of Montrose, population 19,132 and elevation 5,794’. It was the lowest altitude I’d been since Pueblo. I headed over to the Horsefly brewing Company where I enjoyed several pints of Highland Scottish Ale along with the fried fish special and a dinner salad. I contacted the Warm Showers hosts whom I was supposed to be staying with in Montrose, and cancelled. It was still early in the day and I wanted to crank out another twenty miles. Tomorrow would be another high ascent day, and I wanted to position myself as close to Telluride as possible. Through Warm Showers I hooked up with the mayor of Ridgway, where I’d be staying tonight. It was 86°F and headed up to 90°F. This tour was an elevation and temperature roller coaster. 

I lathered myself up with sunscreen and headed back out on the road. I turned on my iPod and selected WFMU's Duane Train. I left US 50 and headed south on US 550. Riding south through the sprawl I was awestruck with the massive snowcapped mountain range to the south. A pick up truck with stars and bars on it’s tailgate passed me with a blasting muffler.

I was following the Uncompahgre River upstream. I passed a large orchard of cultivated hops. It was sunny and hot with a lot of crappy traffic on US 550. It was a good thing that I had a bit of a tail wind. This brought the Ridgeway brewery that much sooner. I entered Ouray County, the right to farm county. I was sixteen miles away from my destination. Soon after I entered Colona, no population listed.

A couple miles down the road I lost my shoulder. It was less than six inches wide. With tons of two-way traffic high speed. An asshole in a white pick up truck cut me a little close. He had plenty of space over towards the double yellow line. There’s a telephone pole waiting for you, you jerk.

A few miles down the road I crossed over the Uncompahgre River. I was in the mood for a soak, but it was cattle county and there were fences. The massive snowcapped mountain range kept getting closer. I would be dealing with those elevations tomorrow. Pinnacles and colossal gray jagged rock forms beckoned me. I stopped to take a drink of water and my water was hot. On my way into Ridgeway I passed a turquoise colored reservoir. I left the roadway and joined the Marmot Run Trail, which ran alongside US 550 and was much more pleasant.

I headed to Colorado Boy Brewery where I enjoyed several pints of Red Irish Ale along with a pepperoni pizza. My Warm Showers hosts John and Mallory arrived, along with a few of their freinds. It was First Friday in Ridgway, and the weather was fantastic. It was nice to be outside enjoying small town life in Colorado.

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