Climbing to Boreas Pass

First rain I encountered was leaving Breckenridge. It was actually easier to make the climb in the light rain rather than in hot sun.  I chanced to be riding the same day and time as the Breck 100, an endurance race similar to the Leadville 100 in early August.  The Breck 100 mountain bike riders took a single track route up to Boreas Pass but on their return from Como (the 80 mile mark) they rode uphill against my downhill descent.  I first saw them

Notice the Breck 100 racer climbing across the grass to the right of the water tank

climbing near the historic Baker’s Tank and then got the climber’s royal treatment at the 11,482′ Boreas Pass aid station.  Bananas, gel and watermelon were all free to me as though I had a number plate on my handler bars.  The long 10-mile descent went quickly as there was a continuous stream of racers coming up the same road.

Boreas Pass where aid station volunteer fed and photographed me