Day 25: Climbing "Rabbit Ears"

It is tough to take a pass named "Rabbit Ears' seriously. "Rabbit Ears" suggests something soft, cute, and cuddly. None of those adjectives come close to describing the pass we climbed today. "Rabbit Ears" was seven miles of climbing with a grade of 6 or 7. It should have been called "Cougar Pass," or "Settlers' Folly". Woe to the rider who took this climb lightly.

The climb started at the 50 mile mark. Those first 50 miles were a gradual incline into the wind. Inspite of the headwind the miles went by quickly, for two reasons-three of us shared the burden of boring into the wind, and the scenery was beautiful. This was the first time in weeks that we could enjoy unirrigated greenery.

Just before the ascent I commented, "All we have to do is work hard for the next 12 miles and we can coast home." I did work hard for those 12 miles. It took me more than two and 1/2 hours to get to the top.

For all of its difficulty, the ascent was quite thrilling. I have discovered a climbing technique that works well for me. I go as slow as possible, as in 3-4 mph slow. To go that slow I have to really work on my balance. When I go that slow I can get a moment of rest in between pedal strokes. My breathing remains moderate and I can go at that pace for a long time. When I would climb at 5-6 mph I would need to take frequent breaks and would myself exhausted. My new goal is to see how slow I can go.

After summiting "Rabbit Ears" I had 35 miles to go. Most of it was downhill, which is always a thrill, but there were still some pretty stiff climbs. With all the exertion of the first 60 miles, I didn't have much left for the last 35. With each new climb my legs would protest, "I thought you said we could coast home!" I won't say that again.

I tried to pay attention to the unique mountains and striking rock formations, but, as with school and church, it is hard to pay attention when you are tired. 96 miles was a long ride, especially with a big climb in the middle.

One of the pleasant surprises was seeing some acquaintances from Grand Rapids as I rode into Kremmling. Their interest and support was very encouraging, and their gift of Paydays sealed the deal. Obviously, these are people who really care!

I went to bed as early as I could, put in my ear plugs to protect me from the snorers, and slept till morning.