A grueling 3-pass day, but I was able to get an early start (on the road by 5:30 a.m.).
The climb out of Ouray was a brutal 13 miles with a sharp cliff drop off to our right.
It kept me on my toes early in the morning.
The first pass - Red Mountain Pass (11,019 ft) was was cold and windy, so I didn't stay long. The descent into Silverton was smooth and very chilly.
I could barely feel my fingers when I got to the bottom.
The next pass was Molas Pass (approx 10,800 ft) was much nicer. I stayed long enough to munch a fistfull of grapes and fill my bottles with Gatorade, and then I was off again.
Coal Bank Pass (10,500 ft) was the last pass of the day, and I treated myself to a spinach, feta and chicken crepe. Tasty indeed.
The final 36 miles of the day combined rollers with fast descents on our way into Durango.
Everyone we spoke to this afternoon is in the same boat - our butts are sore and our legs are sore, but we're having a hell of a time and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Lessons from Day 4:
1) Waking up and leaving early means you don't have to wait in a line of 35 people to use the bathroom in the morning.
2) it also means you get the freshest grapes, bananas and oranges at the rest stops.
Here are the stats for the day:
Total miles: 75
Average speed: 12.6 mph
Total pedal time: 5 hrs 51 minutes
Total climbing: approx. 5,700 ft
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Impressive. This was the toughest day I've ever done. Luckily, my attitude recovered by the next day.
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