In and Out of the Canyons...

So Friday saw the first big ride of the season. Marja, Dawn and I left Grizzly Flat on the Divide loop up to Drivers flat. Here, instead of following the trail, we dropped down Ruck-a-Chucky to the Middle Fork. From there it was up McKeon Ponderosa(fire road) to Froresthill where we dropped down the other side of the ridge and down to the North Fork of the American on Ponderosa (fire road).

Across the bridge at the bottom and up Ponderosa to Weimar. Despite what Scott says, this climb is tough. Of course it was much nicer at 50 degrees compared to the 98 or so we did this climb last. That's ambient temps, the rock/dirt up this climb bake you like an oven!! The top pitch before the you hit pavement really bites.

A quick cherry coke and snickers at the Weimar General Store and its off to Yankee Jim's and back down to the North Fork. This climb is nice, tough but of a much more consistent gradient than Ponderosa. Once at the top, Roctane down, and then back down to the Middle Fork on McKeon Ponderosa. Now the fun!

Ruck-a-Chucky, or Charles, tends to really slap you in the face when you already have 6k in climbing in your legs. For some reason, Charles and I had a pleasant visit. Maybe even one of my quickest times up that 1.8 miles of nastiness...now the climb is just over 2 miles, but its the first 1.8 that hurt.

So we continued the rest of the Divide loop back to Grizzly Flat and I felt great. The legs felt good, but tight all day until about 4.5 to 5 hours in. A good sign. Chucky and the remainder of the divide were fast with my legs feeling great!

Garmin:

• 53 miles
• 7854 vertical feet

Marja rode strong the entire ride. She is really getting her legs under her. Now that she is riding consistent I am scared to see what she will do this upcoming season.... She really enjoyed that ride as well!