RG, you doing all that alone on the big bike? Impressive!
Rob, it is and then it ain't. I'm not sure who came up with that saying but we'll go with it for now. Seems like every ascent follows a similar pattern. As I go up, there will be a sequence of strata... places and zones where - by whatever mechanism of nature - the path changes personality. Sometimes drastically. Lower elevations are generally pleasant dirt or kitty litter gravel. Kitty litter is smooth but can be deceptively wicked. I find a lot of it around sharper switchbacks. When the immediate ascent coming out of the switchback is off camber, putting the spurs into the bike a tad too soon has exciting results. The rear tries to kick out and sometimes is quite successful.
Continuing higher up the mountain, I start to see transitions. Typically it's a distance where pointed angular rocks begin to poke up and gradually become a lot of the road. I call this a road because that's what they usually start out as. But – that holds true for only some distance up the hill. After a point things get kinda chunky. These areas take constant weaving between larger obstacles and berm surfing to avoid scree filled erosion. There are unending opportunities for pinching a tube or banging a rim into a perfect square or triangle through this. From increasingly protruding rocks the path changes into areas having not one blessed rock attached to any other. If you're familiar with the western side of Ophir pass – that's it. There are also normally areas where huge domed shaped rocks become the road. They mostly form little hills and folds and make for fine traction. Having the front tire drop into a crevasse is a hazard but mostly avoidable.
Approaching higher altitude is where the road becomes two track that a few heartier quads have pushed through. Here's the part where the trail takes on more of the hillside tilt and pleasant horizontal shelf road similarities end. By now we're in loose 3-6” angular rocks. They behave themselves remarkably well provided the angle of incline isn't crazy and traction entirely elusive. There's a certain need for keeping speed and momentum to help – and I know this sounds nuts, but – get the motorcycle up on plane. Like a boat. Slowing too much means literally sinking into the mess, having several of the little buggers grab the front and make mischief with your life. Having the front end deflected or the rear kick out is simply going to happen - so deal.
At some point the trail either makes it to the top of the mountain or just gets to a spot where pitons and rope are needed. Here, turning around is something best considered before stopping the motorcycle. This is my least favorite part of the ride. I've yet to figure out how to make my downhill leg telescope out a few more inches. I take it slow and gentle and sometimes have to do some creative maneuverings. Always leaning up hill. Wiggle some stuff and try to move forward or back – keeping a really close eye on the edge of whatever it is I don't want to go over. Eventually it works... so far.
As far as getting into trouble goes out here alone, there are so doggone many people up here right now. Seems folks from Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and who knows where else have discovered our biggest state park (Colorado). This past Saturday had to have been some kind of record. I didn't know there were that many jeeps and quads running loose in the free world. A portion of these things are rentals and the folks driving them may have zero experience with high altitude navigation. They go slow and there may be groups of them all lined up along the trail. I've gotten very accustomed to passing. They generally haven't gotten comfortable with being passed. Mostly, they're great about it. They hear or see me behind and either stop or move over just a squeeze. Some are so entirely wrapped up in driving that an unexpected flash of orange zipping past is sort of disturbing. I consider it my duty to help desensitize them to the trauma.
To answer your question about it being dangerous out here alone. Well, mostly alone is a temporary thing. To be certain, folks do get hurt regularly out here. Scott and crew came upon a motorcycle accident last week. I've learned since that the girl didn't make it. That was on pavement up on Molass pass. We see rescue helicopters at least two or three times a week. I mean, statistically, you put this many folks in these mountains with moto toys and little experience and stuff is simply going to happen. It'll slow down a lot in a couple of week when folks start going back home and schools start gearing back up. That's when I'll need to mind my manners a lot closer about getting in over my head out there, alone.
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