Day 3 - Durango to Pagosa Springs

I had a great night's sleep in a bed!  Thanks to Marianne for hosting me and getting up at 5 AM and driving me to the start.  Apparently I also missed the drama of a extremely loud snorer near our tents.

I had a lot of concern after yesterday how I would survive today.  My legs were fried, shoulders aching and tail end on fire.  On the road 5 minutes to six today, out of the gate 15 mile climb to Vallecitos, trying to beat the heat.  The start was 48 degrees and saw two elk right in the middle of Durango.  Surprising, the early climb I felt strong and I made it to pancakes ahead of Warren and Peter, whom I thought would catch me on the uphill.  

After the climb and flapjacks at rest stop #1, we had a rolling downhill, which cruised through the pastoral farms near Bayfield, Colorado.  It heated up around 10:30.  We ended up about as far south, Navajo Reservoir, as far as you can get without entering New Mexico.  We had the opposite, a steady rolling climb, for the next 26 miles.  Chimney Rock was the most interesting sight in my opinion.

It was hot at the rest stop about 17 miles from Pagosa with uphill still to climb.  To my relief, all downhill once in Pagosa Springs.  Pagosa Springs seemed like an endless road as it was 4-5 miles from the entry to the other end were the high school was.  Total mileage was 86.5 miles, ascent in the book was around 3400 ft, but I registered 3635 ft.  My max speed today was 46.9 mph.  I rode all day with very little discomfort - to my surprise.

Pagosa put together a sweet little bbq and concert, complete with a beer garden.  The river was alongside and Warren and Peter turned me on to sitting in the chilly Pagosa river to stimulate circulation and get all the toxins out.  It was freezing, but it hurt so good!  I am burning a lot of energy, 6693 today according to Garmin.  I had enchiladas and beans....followed a couple of hours later with a plate of spagetti and meatballs.  Each stand in the park was serving a different local charity.  And I made a new friend!

Tonight, just after showering, it appeared a dust storm hit the tent area, but it was just someone dragging the baseball fields for games tonight.  We are camped in the outfield on one of the fields.

Tomorrow is Wolf Creek pass, about a 4600 ft climb right off the bat (nice reference to baseball games being played tonight eh?).  15 uphill miles to pancakes.

Onward and upward.

-Steve