Salida-Saguache, CO: Big vistas in the San Luis Valley

July 8, 2017

Every morning I wake up and think how nice it would be to be in my own bed. Then I get on the road and I'm excited to be touring.

I haven't been doing very good at getting out the door. It's different when I know someone else will be there at the appointed time. By myself . . . eh, not so much. But this morning I have ice in all of the bottles and my Hydroflask. I am set for the climb up Poncha Pass! I've only ridden up once this direction and it was tough. The other side is a middle chainring ride the entire distance. Crazy easy.

This weekend is a Brewers Festival in Salida. Everything is booked solid and there are cars everywhere. I was happy to get out of town. I'm back on 285, which wasn't so fun yesterday. It's early today, so not too much traffic. There's the same wide shoulder. Riding is just fine. I enjoyed the view on the climb. I checked out the turn to Marshall Pass. It's a dirt pass that's on the Great Divide route. It's supposed to be very gentle, following a railroad bed and comes out at Sargents, on the way to Gunnison. But there was rain in town last night and it's supposed to rain again today. I'm good with a nice dirt road, I'm not so enthusiastic about a mud road. After all the discussion we had about dirt alternates before leaving home, the actual discussion last night on which direction to go was very short. It probably had something to do with the fact it was raining at the moment.

I had left making a reservation to the last minute, as we would either stay in Saguache or Sargents, depending on which road we decided to take. Look at me, being all laid back on reservation making. But that almost backfired. When I called Lorraine in Saguache, we got the last room. She asked me 3-4 times if we only needed one room, as we are always traveling with a group. No, really. Just one room. That was good, since that's all she has.

The ride up the pass was pleasantly easy. From the 7 miles to the top sign, the first couple of miles were granny gear. Then probably four miles of middle chain ring, then one more mile of granny to the top. How about that? I guess my legs are getting in the touring grove. I had to look around at the view from this side of the road. Yes, it's the same but different.

It was mile 12 at the top - 34 more miles to town. My hope was the wind would be friendly. It didn't take long to get down to where the valley opened up. There are forest fires all around and the sky was hazy. I saw a variety of wild flowers. Aspen trees. Pine trees. Those soon disappeared as I entered the San Luis Valley.

Soon I was to the turn. Left for the Sand Dunes and Alamosa. Right for Saguache. All of the traffic went left. Yes! Even though I was still on 285, the direct route south was on 17. Now there was little traffic. 15 more miles to town. The clouds I had been watching decided to gather up and rain some. I got only a few drops, but soon the road was wet enough the cars were kicking up water. It looks like I had just missed a cloud burst.

I got a text from Jacinto. He was ten miles from town. I was nine miles out. I told him to hurry and catch me. But he didn't. There had been a pesky headwind for most of the day, but when the road turned, it became a sidewind. Even I was averaging 15 mph for most of the day.

Later Jacinto said he was at the top at 10:40. I was there at 10:10. I climbed slower than he did, but we pretty much paced each other the rest of the day. He reported in that the yoga shorts weren't the cure he was hoping. I had already pointed out that the good shorts have a diamond shaped crotch to be kind to the tender parts. I offered that maybe men's parts are tougher than women's. Apparently not. He says where the seams came together rubbed him also. So. Guys, there you go - if you go for compression shorts - get the kind with the diamond crotch. But if you shop yoga shorts rather than compression shorts, the price is far cheaper. Same thing. Different name and price.

I got to town first and headed down the short business district to see what was new. I was curious to see if the old movie theatre had switched to digital and was still open. No. Closed. But there was a brand new theater across the street next to a brand new pizza place. The bakery was open. Four men were sitting outside and yelled that my bike looked like lots of fun. I waved back. I had to make another turn down the street because I was confused about the two movie theatres. I ended up stopping by the four men and asked them if they were locals. Yes indeed. We chatted a half hour or so. How much of what I was told is true, I'm not sure.

One interesting tidbit is that Saguache has authorized 30 grow permits for marijuana grow operations. That's nice tax money for the city. However, they do not allow marijuana to be sold in town. One man said it didn't matter as everyone has five or six plants in their back yard anyway. Lorraine did verify the part about the permits. I trust her information.

Jacinto called to say he was in town, I told the coffee klutch goodbye and headed to the motel. Lorraine had switched us to a room with good wi-fi. She has done lots of work on the place. This year it has new stucco and new metal siding. Our bathroom has been redone very stylish.

Saguache is a happening little town. They've gotten all sorts of grant money and the main drag (two blocks?) has sidewalks and street posts now. Almost all of the store fronts are open. Stay here, you'll be happy you did.

I've been leaving late. Jacinto has been up almost every morning to see me off.

This is Jacinto's favorite kind of road with lots of turns so you never know what is around the bend. He says straight roads make him feel lazy.

This is the first ponderosa pine I've noticed. We are definitely heading south.

One advantage to riding a killer pass is that the subsequent passes seem easy. There was seven miles from the bottom of the pass sign to the top. I spent at least half of that distance in the middle chain ring. That was a nice surprise.

the owners have planted a nice little wind break here. It just needs to grow up. Those clouds look a bit concerning to me.

This photo is for Genny. She and I were the only ones to notice the wild lilies last summer. She would have seen these also. There weren't many today.Bill Shaneyfelt sent me a guestbook message letting me know this is an evening primrose. Thank you, Bill!

Saguache as seen from the northern approach. On CR AA there is a camel farm. I did not find out about that until I hit town. They sell all sorts of camel related products, including milk. In Saguache. Who knew? Edit - 10/20/17 - while researching lodging in the area I came across mention of the Camel B&B. You could meet the source of that camel milk!

I was most surprised to see a new movie theatre in town across the street from the old theatre. Locals have opened this up. $7.00 admission, G or PG rates only. I was impressed they had the $60,000. For digital to run a weekend only operation.

The locals with all of the info. I was asked why I didn't have solar assist on my bike and offered a beer at the new pizza place. They were sitting outside of the coffee shop. Some things never change. I'm not sure how much of what I was told was the truth, but it was entertaining. The guy in the red shirt offered me the beer at the new pizza place. The man in the white shirt and overalls told me with all of that bicycling I didn't look a day under 40, then he changed it to 30 and then 25. I told him if he kept going, I would be too young for the beer.

Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 386 miles (621 km)

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