A Better Day Redux

So todays challenge was to rerun the route of Tuesday but this time without the 40 or so pounds of small child trailering behind me.

On Your Marks.

We were off. I planned to follow the exact route I had with Sam on Tuesday but this time solo. I really wanted to see how fast I could do it without the extra weight and the drag of his buggy.

I set out up to the valley's main road and followed it along to the point the South Valley bike trail starts. I shot down the paved trail. The flat spots did not slow me and the descents did not feel like someone was pushing the back of the bike along. Anyone who has towed a trailer wihtout having the brakes set properly will know what I mean. I turned towards and the entered Deer Creek Canyon. This time the cars were a little closer but everyone was playing well.

After leaving the canyon I hit the hill that had required so much effort with Sam. It was way less effort this time and I reached the Kippling/C-470 intersection feeling way fresher than Tuesday. After waiting for traffic I joined the C-470 bike trail heading North. Again the trail was more comfortable and faster. I was really missing my 12 cog today. A new one is on it's way and should be here soon. In no time I was entering the valley and was soon back at home.

Ah, the stats. Well the trip took 46.12, a 3+ minute improvement over Tuesday. Not as much difference as I thought it would be so I guess Sam's fun will continue. Today though I completed the 10.2 miles having burned 1578 Calories. Hummn. That's almost 500 more than Tuesday but I did complete the run at an average pace of 5.06 a full minute per mile quicker. I guess the discreps are losses are from traffic etc.

An Odd Thing:
My BGL this morning was 176. I was quite amazed by that. I had not cheated yesterday and, unless I am sleep-eating (I don't take Ambien though) I can't account for it. After the ride I was a pleasant 104. I will accept comments or ideas to do with this high level. Any clues?

A Better Day Redux

Running Up That Road and Running Up That Hill.....

Ah, you have to love Kate Bush. I know, I know her music is kind of old now but sometimes you just have to admire a lyric.

Massey Draw
This is a small watercourse that runs from West Ranch (erm in the West) down through The Valley and eventually enters Chatfield Reservoir in it's North West corner. It's a small and spidery thing at best but a couple of times a year the water sluices through it and has carved a reasonable little gully in the earth. A couple of years ago it even did damage across C-470 near to Meadow Ranch golf club. It flooded out some basements and the County rebuilt the waterway with a more controlled (read concrete) channel. As the watercourse leaves The Valley it also takes a lot of the storm drain water with it.

The Valley trail system has a non-developed trail that runs from the circuit road up the gully to West Ranch. It starts off nice and tame. Mown back grasses reach side of the trail until you cross the Colorow Trail that run to the North and pretty much follows the contour line up the valley. From here the Massey Draw Trail begins to climb as you enter the brush oak and the few trees that line the upper banks of the waterway. At this intersection there is a red stone bench which gives a great view through the Dakota Hogback and out towards the buildings at Arapahoe and I-25 many miles away.

Now the trail climbs into the main tree line. The mix of oak, pines and aspens broaden and the trail is now in cool shade with a pleasant breeze. The watercourse is almost completely dry at the moment as it has been several days since our last good storm. As I entered the canopy three whitetail deer were grazing quietly on the other bank. The trail again climbed a little steeper and began to zigzag across the contours. In places there were definite signs of "work" but mostly the trail was pleasantly undeveloped. There was a small wooden bridge that crosses the dry bed and the trail then continues on the south bank. I passed one fellow trail user who was jogging down and we both continued on our ways. The trail became less distinct as fewer boot marks were to be seen, the mountain bike tracks had long since ended. The trail began to twist again this time to clear a group of large boulders. Here I met a couple also descending. Their dog was enjoying running on a head. We exchanged greetings and again I was alone on the trail. Eventually the trail comes to a very large boulder with a large fissure that is the continuation of the trail up to West Ranch. Light was failing and I decided I did not want to boulder. At that point, only 50 or so feet from the top. I turned to descend.

The descent took very little time. Once emerging from the brush into the open parkland I decided I need to add some distance. I turned North along Colorow Trail and followed it until I reached the Lost Canyon trail. This is a minor but more developed trail that the Rangers use to access this part of the open space. I followed it down to the houses and following it's descent met up with the main road in the valley and headed for home.

The Stats. I covered 3.76 miles in 1:09:16. Now this is not stellar for the distance BUT the trail climbs just over 1000 feet to the point I turned at in 1.5 linear miles. My average pace was 18.26 with a total energy expenditure of 754 Cal. My BGL was a nice 110 after the fact.

A Better Day.

Well after yesterdays disappointments on Green Mountain we set off for a more aces sable and perhaps more complete adventure.
Sam was not too keen to go out in the trailer today but after we got back from the mundane tasks of grocery shopping he was more easily persuaded to come out again. He didn't want to drive anywhere (he can be so bossy) but was excited to put his helmet and get into the buggy.

We set out straight up the road this time and turned south on the road the runs around the valley. Nice paved roads made for a fast and comfortable ride for both of us. At the main intersection we turned onto the bike trail we have been on before and runs through South Valley Park. This is down hill for a lot of it's length. Now not long after I got the Diamondback I clipped a rock with the back of the bike. The stacked gears on the back of any derailleur gear system is called a cassette. I knocked about four teeth and the the ring they sit on off the cog that is the smallest ring in the cassette. I didn't do any other damage and I have been riding it this way for a year or so. The only disadvantage is I don't have a high-speed cruising gear. I have 27 and not the 28 the bike came with. This is a disadvantage going down hill at speed with a squealing 3 year old. I can't go any faster!

We turned off the end of the trail and rode down towards Deer Creek Canyon Road. Now I had thought using this road might not be a good idea with Sam in back, There has been issues on this road between cyclists and drivers. I have had lots of experience of this when I was in the Fire Department. This road is in the District we served. I bit the bullet and turned to the east. As we rode along I hugged the white line. Much to my amazement all cars gave us a wide berth. All the way through the canyon cars and their drivers were courteous. We emerged from the canyon and found perhaps the reason for the courtesy, a sheriffs cruiser sitting watching traffic.

The hill from where the road emerges through the Dakota Hogback is punishing if you have 40 pounds or so of small child hooked to the back of your bike. About half way up I pulled off the road to allow my heart rate to drop a little. A lady on a road bike passed me and shouted a hello. She was kind enough to note it's much harder with a trailer. Once the road turns to the east again, it flattens out. We finally made it to where Kippling crosses C-470. We crossed under the highway and joined the bike path that runs the length of the road. We finally made it to the Valley again and crossed back through into familiar Open Space.

The stats for today are much improved over yesterday. 10.2 miles in 49:34 at an average pace of 6.06. Not bad for a bike with one gear short. The Cals were good too 1013. I did remember to check my BGL both before and after the ride. Pre was 100 and post was 114. Such a good ride.