June 2, 2025
Hartsel - Frisco
The weather was dull and cool for our departure from Hartsel Lodge. We left the lodge well fed from their "continental" breakfast that included eggs, bacon and sausages. The cook had come in early especially to let us get on the road by 0730.
The road was in good condition for most of the distance to Como, where we stopped for lunch at the Roundhouse Museum.
Most of our morning was riding through what looked like retired grazing land, now growing RV's on large individual plots. Some had small buildings and some had impressive piles of materials waiting to become something.
We passed a broken down vehicle on the road - it looked as though the front axel had broken because the front left wheel was collapsed and under the car. I thought - Let that be a lesson in what happens when you drive too fast over washboards!
After Como we climbed to Boreas Pass. The road surface was of the freshly ploughed variety, with loose soil, loose stones, loose rocks, and holes. Nothing to be done but bump slowly up hill.
Karo veered off onto a walking track, but after pushing her bike though mud and snow, recommended to stay on the road.
A cyclist caught up with me and we chatted about the road and if maybe there would be more maintenance soon. I was imagining a water truck and roller combo to smooth the surface, but he said on that side of the pass, the council had probably done all they planned to do, using a snow plough!
He also told me the Pass had only been open 2 days so our timing was perfect, and on the Breckenridge side things were in a better state. He was a Breckenridge local.
The afternoon thunder storms arrived, but not enough rain to make much mud. The top of the pass was cold and so we quickly headed down to Breckenridge.
After a magnificent, freezing, downhill mostly on pavement, we were suddenly in that other USA where people shopped and strolled the streets, and we bought hot coffee to warm up. What a shock, after so many days in open country!
We followed the magnificent bike paths to Frisco and our motel for the night.
The Motel owners turned out to be Polish, so Karo was delighted to chat.
Today's ride: 95 km (59 miles)
Total: 1,682 km (1,045 miles)
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