Hopkins 4K for Cancer

July 8, 2006

Naturita, CO
Montrose, CO to Naturita, CO

86 miles

The land showing more and more signs of dryness, we started out from Montrose this morning knowing that another mountain pass lay in our way, this one slightly higher (9000 ft) but less steep than McClure’s pass two days earlier. After a section of steep switchbacks, the grade became shallower for the last few miles. After this shallow, straight section to the top, we enjoyed a fun descent into a canyon on the other side. This, however, was far from being the high point of the day.

We ate lunch on the side of the road in the canyon. While stopped a local cyclist came by in the opposite direction and talked with us for a while. He warned of a storm crossing our path just ahead. At first we didn’t see the ominous clouds from inside the canyon, so we just took our sweet time at lunch after the cyclist left. However, we slowly started to see the black clouds filter into view until eventually the decision to either outride it or wait it out became a difficult one. As the storm began moving towards our lunch stop, we started filing out in a hurry. It was only a few turns down the canyon before everything let loose.

There is something about getting soaked from head to toe in a torrential downpour that makes you move. Everyone I talked to that day described it as the ability to push your hardest without feeling much pain. You bike as fast as you can because subconsciously you think it will get you out of the storm faster. Also it keeps you warm. The adrenaline from it all makes you feel more alive than ever before. Our group became a free for all of mashing our gears in the rain, with Derrick and I yelling and screaming at the storm in fits of joy. We caught up with Raffi and Katie Ross right as the road started a long, steep climb out of the canyon. Here the rain gave way and we had a very invigorating climb, the entire canyon coming into view in crimson light. We all filed to the top: Chris, Raffi, Joe, Stater, James, Katie, and me, still energized. Then Garrett climbed up out of nowhere (he wasn’t even at lunch), along with the local cyclist we had met earlier.

The rain started again at the top, and we were freezing. Garrett took off, and a few of us followed. The attitude was infectious, and we spent the next 25 miles going faster than we ever thought possible. Every turn seemed to take us back into the storm, which did not dissipate until we were taking our final descent into Naturita. It was here that James caught on to the end of our group of 5, surprising us all. We had thought him a local cyclist when he was still appearing in the distance because of the amazing speed actually required to catch our group. When we got to the middle school gym we were so cold that we just went into the showers in our jerseys before our personal gear arrived and stood in the warm water. The day had left us with a renewed exhilaration for what we were doing. Being able to feel this alive is part of what our mission is all about. I feel that when we experience life to this extent we are best able to honor those who are not as fortunate. It was a great last day in the great state of Colorado.

-Ryan T