Party on the Rez

Happy 4th of July. Happy Canada Day,eh! Down with the Brits! Loaded up for a test run of bike camping over the 4th. The test is to see if I can load up with camping gear, bike stuff, ride to a wilderness area 80 miles away (125 K) and camp for a night or two and ride back.

Packing list includes all the standard stuff for camping (tent, sleeping bag, stove, water pump, tequila flask, etc) plus road stuff like tubes, pump, Gu, extra water, etc.  This all added up fast and I had to do without some stuff I would have taken. You'll note I did not leave behind my Reef Sandals. I go nowhere without them.

It was 97F or so  (about 100 C, kidding! About 33 C) and there was no escaping the sun. I drank roughly 1 liter / 10 miles (16K), so I drank 8 liters of water before I got off the bike. Then drank another 2 or so. 

 

I got "mapquested" by google maps...My directions did not correspond to the road names in Ignacio, CO. The people I asked for directions did not know what roads I was looking for (there were not a lot of roads in the area). Anyhow, although I put in 75-80 rolling miles I did not get as far north as I wanted and got pushed west. I was too cooked to wander off on side roads for 10 miles at a time to see if it would lead me where I wanted. 

Test run was medium successful. I can load the bike to ride to nearby wilderness areas. Hike in and camp and return safely. No car. No I.C.E. needed. The bike rode like it was made of wet spaghetti. And it was hard work. I have serioius respect for those bike tourists that you see all loaded up and grinding up a long hill.

Headed out via Navajo Dam Road. 15 or so miles (25K) of steep rollers. All going east. Lesson learned. I know that the wind here is driven by heat from the sun. That means an easterly breeze picks up in the morning and then it switches to westerly in the afternoon. My route took me due east on steep rollers with a decent head wind. If I ride this road again, I will not sleep in since "I have all day to ride". I will get outta bed and beat the head winds. 

The San Juan River was dammed to create Navajo Lake. This is classic I.C.E. Central. (I.C.E. = Internal Combustion Engine) The bigger your engine the more fun you have. I have not bothered to spend time there yet, but I admit it is gorgeous. If you take away the jet skis I might stop by.

The water stays cold and the river that runs downhill is supposed to be one of the premier trout fisheries in the Southwest. I will be back to check out the fishing.

View looking down at the river below the dam.