Ride Stats:
date: this morning, July 3rd, 2011 with my chi-ldhood best friend; Greg.
type of purification: mountain biking
effort: 36 miles, 4,600′ of climbing, all on double & singletrack from elevation ranging from 8,000′ to 11,750′ with a technical grading of 4+ bike skills and significant will power
we both wussed out; we didn’t ride the 15 miles from Durango which would have netted us another 1,200′ of climbing. however, i rationalized it by knowing this was Day 4 of a hard 4 days of training: Wednesday PROP ENHANCED, Thursday; Track workout (running) mile intervals into plyometric stair running and trail running, Friday; a 70k hammerfest road ride with the A/B Club Ride, into…Today’s world-class workout! that ain’t a poor fitness recipe for a 25 year-old, let alone my ol’ lame butt! above; Greg getting ready in the fascinating old mining town of Mayday…our start point for Sacred Sweat.
an hour later, approaching timberline, we stop for some food and water near this snowfield…already my morning was Mantra entrenched and Divinely enchanted up in my Beloved San Juans!
Gregg, a policeman, keeps on climbing up the nearly 10-mile jeep road toward the Kennebec Pass summit…when you are born a Warrior, you’ll know…you’ll Recognize that your life and the way others treat you is different…cuz’ it has to be; you are a Warrior. even Kings bow to Warriors.
on the ascent; peering into Cumberland Basin
an old boiler tank which once fueled the hey day of the Cumberland Mine seems in quaint juxtaposition with the natural beauty of the high San Juans…squint to see “The Notch”…an amazing vortex on Mother Earth which will certainly tighten the sphincters of the common man…come out and visit the Notch!
let the winds reMind you; the same time to see is the same place where you ought to be…looking west toward Tomahawk Basin and Diorite Peak…
nearing the summit of Kennebec, looking north toward, uh…well; the birthplace of WF and countless adventures from its feeble creator…the smoky vapor is from the Arizona fires…Om Mani Padme Hung…
…always remember this Noble Yogin, especially in the Bardo; the nearer you get to the summit?…
…the more difficult it gets…
…until, finally, ahhh….without attachment or aversion; the RIPPIN’ FUN DESCENT. note Gregg in lower photo…background is upper Missionary Ridge
SlideRock section of the Colorado Trail…i haven’t ridden this trail in 20 years…these days; this section is like a sidewalk compared to the ol’ days…back then? this was naught more than a goat trail, and with lugging a super heavy Stumpjumper, this used to be quite the testicular-rising (for both women and men) section…lose your balance = lose a limb or two. for a recent 8-minute great chi hit of this world-class section of singletrack, click here
Sliderock section…gotta keep the breath low and the elbows super soft here…
Greg vaults into some Harebell due to, well, you do this ride…you start losing some neural fitness during the technical sections after a few hours in the saddle…the Harebell don’t seem bothered by Gregs sudden appearance into their day…
just left of this waterfall was a new rock climbing area i was not aware of…can’t wait to try the routes! way remote!
storm clouds gathered…could the summer monsoon already be arriving!?! sure seemed like it; as we tired, the numerous stream crossings began to lurch new levels of fatigue upon our bones…
after descending a few thousand feet from the apex of Father Sky, chi-check time arose with a brutal 1,000′ climb back up out of Junction Creek canyon headwaters…some sections like the one above? don’t lose your balance…
36 miles and another Total Body/Mind/Spirit Transformation later…no more pictures on the ride because we got rained, sleeted, and hailed upon until our return to a relatively dry Durango…
Dewachen looks especially happy ‘chillin’ with the boyz (smart girl).
Earlier in the morning, Dewa cranked a 1/2 mile Kids Race up at Purgatory with her Amma, then did the Alpine Slide (twice).
Let Freedom (be) Ring(ed with Sweat!)
Guided Tours like this available for all ability levels with Coach; click here
Get Out
Do the Do
Be the Be
That is all, have a fantastic, fun, and sacred 4th!
your feeble teacher
These teachings are the "Rasas" or "sap" of Wholistic Fitness. You’ll find insights to ponder, student chi to keep your own chi topped off, and plenty of proven training techniques to test on your own body, mind, and spirit! Also, you’ll find my very popular Race Reports, and news of our Sangha’s (community’s) latest transpersonal fitness adventures!