Alpine Loop

I have missed riding the Alpine Loop! I don't think I even did it at all last year. Bummer. It's a good ride.

I was feeling surprisingly good on this ride. I had just gone to the chiropractor, and was expecting to feel like crap while I rode. But I did great! I was riding with three guys and beat them all to Sundance. I was so far ahead that I was able to stop, get out my camera, turn it on and take some pictures of them coming up the climb.


After Sundance, I played a little game with one of the guys: he would pull way out ahead of me, I would chase and catch him, pass him and wait. Pretty soon he would pass me back up and pull way ahead again. We played this game several times before my lower back started to cramp and I backed off.

The gate above Aspen Grove was closed to vehicle traffic. It was great to be able to ride through all the switchbacks without having to worry about a car coming around on the other side. Too bad they're planning on opening the road to traffic this weekend.

(I threw the above picture in to remind me that I need to work on my tan.)

At the summit we decided that we were short on time, so we turned around and rode back down the Sundance side of the loop. I rode the brakes a little bit coming down since there were some trees in the road which had fallen during the last windstorm. Otherwise, the descent was fast and fabulous!

It was an awesome ride. Who can beat perfect weather, beautiful scenery, and feeling great? I even saw Sleevie climbing to the summit when I was on my way back down.

Tomorrows plans: teach a Spinning class, get a massage, and officiate the UVU crit.