Previous Obstacle

Breckenridge - July 26th

On the way to Breckenridge I noticed myself moving a bit slower than normal. The petals were turning but I wasn't covering the same distance. I thought I must be tired from the previous days of though riding, and that it was the soreness that was slowing me down. Perhaps true, but more importantly I was going up hill. I had to go up and over Yoder Gulch and anther pass of over 11,000 feet. It was not a very east ride but after conquering Independence Pass this ride was much less threatening. I just kept thinking about the other mountains I had climbed and before I knew it I was at the top of this pass. I was relieved at the idea of going down hill at first but then I got shocked by the temperature drop at the summit. It was about 40 degrees, and in addition to that I would be going down hill with a speed of at least 30 miles per hour. Which means that I would be getting hit in the face with some very cold wind. Furthermore, it started to rain as I cycled down hill. Now it was cold, wet, and I was fearful of stopping on the side of a slick steep mountain, but it was no where near as bad as any Cleveland winters I experienced as a child. Growing up with lake effect snow and bone chilling winters of shoveling snow off the driveway, it was safe to say I had delt with cold weather before. Eventually I made my way down the pass and into the touristy ski town of Breckenridge, but the successes of this ride was dependent on my previous struggles. Independence pass made today's climb seem easier and Cleveland winters make an icebox seem toasty. Its ironic how the previous obstacles made my current challenges seem more manageable and motivated me to continue on.