Making sure the Spot Locater is on, as shown here, before my continuing quest to explore the Great Divide Trail that I started last year.   Had to wait until the snow was melted above 10,000, as the first two days of this leg would necessitate camping at that altitude.  Fortunately my new Zpacks 20° sleeping bag arrived in time so even if it did dip below freezing (which it did) I’d be toasty in the sack.

This leg was a continuation of the trip from Steamboat Springs (northern Colorado) to Del Norte (50 miles north of the southern Colorado boarder).  I’d planned for a 3 to 5 day ride from Del Norte over Indiana Pass (11,910′) on south over a number of other 10+ passes to Abiquiu, NM and then to Cuba, NM and hopefully Grants, NM off I-40 in south central New Mexico.

The ride went well, but I didn’t feel I was making the mileage I had the year before, probably because I didn’t train for the Iron Horse Classic this year.  However, last year I didn’t attempt as many or as high passes on the first day so I rationalized the under performance.  The new(er) 29’er was superb and my load was well within race weight, even the motor ran well, I just didn’t knock off the higher mileage I’d expected.  Weather was perfect starting out, but as all mountain folk know, afternoon thunderstorms are always a possibility and by lunch I had to don my leggings and a rain coat because the light precip was actually snow.  By the time I passed over the first range of passes and made to a NewMexico mountain town of Platoro, it started raining and I ducked into a fortuitous cafe for snack and cup of hot water.  Only logged about 70 miles the first day but I did find an excellent camping sport by the river.  I must have been tired, as I didn’t consider the colder temps along the river when I chose this site.  My tent didn’t seem to have any condensation of the inside until I realized it had frozen and flaked off when stowing the tent.

Second day rose up several more passes and stayed high along the Rio Grande National Forest.  This country was absolutely spectacular in it’s views, high mountain meadows and total lack of usage.  What a pleasure it was riding thru this high alpine terrain.  I’ll have to admit to losing my way twice because I wasn’t paying attention to a couple of turn-offs, but fortunately they weren’t but two miles the first time and one mile the second.  Enough to scold yourself for having to climb again where you shouldn’t have.

I did meet a number of cyclists and one CDT thru-hike along the way.  The first was a north bound solo rider who racer two years earlier (Bobby from Buena Vista, CO).  He was 7 days from the Mexico boarder trying to make the entire route in 20 days total.  Nice to compare gear and rigs with him and learn that mine was very comparable.  Next I caughtup with 3 guys out of Albuquerque who were “shaking-down” their bike, bodies and gear for a 50 mile section of the same trail I was on.  Two of the bikes were pulling Bob trailers and they had at least 55 pounds of bike and gear.  I don’t believe they made their goal the first day because I ended up stopping at their campground destination to get water and they weren’t there.  I also met a couple cycling north and they were 18 days from the Mexico boarder.  I didn’t ask but they probably are planning on the entire summer to complete the 2,900 mile route.

The bad news is that I bailed out at the end of the third day in Abiquiu, NM suffering from a buttock blister that kept me out of the saddle most of that day.  It’s hard to inspect the degree of injury but retrospective diagnosis said it was over a silver dollar-sized oozing mess.

For those who didn’t get my daily Spot track I’m including the last 50 GPS tracking locations that the Spot locator provides on line.