September 17, 2021
Glenwood Cyn, sort of
Trail closure, donuts, Doc Holiday, first Fall color sighting
The day started with a stiff pot of coffee for Genny and breakfast leftovers from the Austin food mart. (We did refrigerate them and keep them in a small cooler while driving-sorry Jacinto.) Then we gathered riding gear together and set off. First stop, Coloradough, Glenwood’s cult donut shop, where we sampled a glazed maple donut and apple fritter. We both preferred the maple due to the fluffiness of the dough and the crispy crust beneath the maple glaze.
Fueled by sugar we rode back through town and turned east on the Glenwood Cyn bike path.
The original incarnation of this trip had us riding through the canyon on day 1 to Eagle. However heavy monsoon rain caused multiple rock slides in a recently burned portion of the canyon. I-70 was closed completely for several weeks and has only recently opened to thru traffic. The bike path, however, is still closed about 7 miles from Glenwood Springs. So…today we are riding out and back on the open portion as a little shakeout and acclimation exercise.
And it was a great little ride! The path is very scenic. Most of it runs below and to the side of the interstate and beside the Colorado river. At times it was a little unnerving to see big trucks flying by just above us on the road. Rafting groups and kayakers floated by whooping it up on the river.
Eventually we came to the closure-at the Shoshone Power Plant. We spoke to a gent who had climbed over the gate and viewed the slide and he says it is really terrible, extensive and unlikely to be fully cleared anytime soon. He bemoaned the major changes to the river flow caused by the slide.
After returning to Glenwood, we changed, bought some takeout and drove up 4-mile Rd. to the local ski hill-Sunlight Mountain Resort - in order to get to higher altitude for awhile. We did a short walk and ate lunch there. And we got our first taste of Fall color as some of the Aspens up there are starting to turn.
After returning to our motel, we walked into town and found the Doc Holiday Trail, which cuts through town and then up a steep hill to a very old cemetery where Doc Holiday was buried after he died in a Glenwood hotel from tuberculosis. The cemetery houses a memorial to Doc since it is not known exactly where his grave is located. The hike up there was steep and hot but the cemetery was quite interesting, if you like that sort of thing.
We are now back at the motel cooling off and planning our next move.
Which turned into dinner and margaritas at Tequilas Mexican eatery. Jim’s carnitas we’re good; Genny was disappointed in her tamale but did enjoy the margarita.
Today's ride: 19 miles (31 km)
Total: 19 miles (31 km)
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