Day 48: Royal Gorge, CO to Hartsel, CO

Friday, July 6, 2012,  49 miles - Total so far: 933 miles*
    * Miles ridden on the TransAm route
    Odometer miles - Today - 50.6 Total to date - 984.9 miles  

Beautiful Colorado mountain scenery - first mountain pass

We left this morning from Echo Canyon campground at 7:40am.  It was a beautiful morning with lots of sun and cool temperatures.  A couple of miles down the busy U.S. Hwy 50 we turned north onto Colorado Hwy 9, our route all the way to Hartsel. 

Start of our ride into the mountains - 47 miles to Hartsel

Beautiful mountain scenery for the day's ride.

About mile 7 we encountered the big climb for the day.  It was about 3 miles of pretty steep ascent in the warming sun, but I made it pretty well.  I made one brief stop near the top, but my plodding pace got me over.  The next 25 miles was a mix of climbing and flats, but nothing as steep as the early climb.  We reached the days high point, Currant Creek Pass, 9404 ft. and then had a 15 mile drop into Hartsel.

Mile 14 (from U.S. 50) - after the day's big climb.

Wendy and Judy reach the top of a long climb at the 20 mile mark.

Nice to see a Bicycle Route 76 sign in Colorado.

Near the top of the pass it started to sprinkle a bit, so I hightailed it down to try to beat any big thunderstorm which might roll in.  Fortunately it only rained lightly for about half the trip down.  I debated stopping to put on my jacket, but pressed on without really needing it.

The long flat run into Hartsel.

A buffalo herd grazing alongside Hwy 9 approaching Hartsel.

Our lodging at Hartsel is actually 2 miles out of town on hwy 59, the Hartsel Guest Ranch.  I would have stopped to look around Hartsel before heading out, but the black skies to the west suggested a thunderstorm might be coming.  I caught up with Wendy's nephew Daniel at town and we pressed on into a strong headwind out to the ranch.

The Hartsel Guest Ranch, two miles outside Hartsel.

We're staying in two cabins with single and double rooms.  I've got a single loft upstairs with Wendy and Gina's room just beyond.  The cabins are a mix of rustic and modern.  There's also a very modern guest house with six luxury rooms.  We talked with Scott, the manager of the ranch.  He said it's owned by a corporate developer and they're trying to popularize it as a dude ranch destination.

My single loft in the cabin.

One of our two cabins.

The modern guest ranch building which contains 6 modern guest rooms - very nice!

There are buffalo grazing on one portion of the property.  Before dinner Scott and a co-worker took most of our group out in a pickup truck to get a close-up look at the buffalo.  I didn't go along, but it seemed like the excursion was a big hit with everyone.  They can also do horseback riding, hunting excursions and fly fishing for trout in a stream which runs through the property.

So overall it was a great day with beautiful views and mountain climbs.  A great start to the Colorado Rockies segment of our ride.