8/15/2004 (Sunday) - Steamboat Springs Campgrounds to Lynx Pass, 42.12 Miles.

Unlike the fiasco of yesterday - when I was forced to unpack, put my together bike and put up my tent in the dark after the second leg of my flight from Denver to Steamboat Springs was delayed 4 1/2 hours - the first day of my Great Divide Mini Trip went very smoothly. My riding partner (we were "required" one for our first day) was Nancy. The first 10 miles of the trip was very easy, along the paved bike paths of Steamboat Springs and following the Yampa River. Nevertheless, Nancy and I still managed to get lost, losing the bike path and riding on Hwy 40 for several sections (don't snicker, following signed and paved bike paths can still sometimes be tricky!). The next ten miles was also pretty easy, along well-graded dirt roads on rolling, mellow terrain. Things got a little more interesting at Stagecoach Reservoir - where we encountered some single tracking (my first ever!). There was this one little steep bump which I managed to bike up but had to walk down...

The climb up to Lynx Pass started in earnest after Stagecoach Reservoir but remained manageable because it was well-graded and rolling. I stopped every mile or two to rest, eat, catch the scenery, and one time to filter more water. My body was still adjusting to the altitude. I would drink my 100 oz camel bak, 2 32 oz bottles of water, and a bike bottle of apple juice before reaching Lynx Pass camp!

Lynx Pass Camp is beautiful. There are plenty of trees and a good hand-pump well. While I was the first of my group to arrive at camp (I arrived shortly before 3 p.m., having left camp about a quarter till eight), it was John (the John stuck on the airplane with me yesterday) who blew past me about one mile from camp and arrived at camp first.

I had a quick (cooold) scrub down, did laundraries, weathered a short htunderstorm, and had a 4 star cat hole experience before dinner was finally served.

Dinner was rice (mixed with some veggie and morsels of chicken) and beans. We also had yummy camp cheese cake for dessert.