A couple months ago, I was chatting with mates Forrest and Shelley. They were thinking about a Trek Travel training camp in Boulder, CO. Sounded like fun but wasn't really thinking in that direction. A few weeks later, I am re-thinking EVERYTHING as retirement musing has become retirement planning (as in starting to work part time in the not too far distant future) and thinking the Boulder trip sounds like FUN! And my beloved (the canoe racer in the family) said it sounds like fun also. So to make a long story short, we now are 4 days into a 7-day climbing camp. We drove out from Janesville, WI, leaving Saturday at 5AM and rolling in about 6:30 PM and then off into the hills the next day. We have had a couple epic days. Tuesday started with the Morgul Bismark loop then up Coal Creek 8 mile climb, over to Nederland and down Boulder Canyon into town. Not a LOT of miles but winds and heat - 20 mph winds and 95 in Boulder. A bit cooler in the high country but still mid 80s and I am SO not used to it. SO glad to have very good support from the guides as I have been going thru water like a sailor on leave goes thru beer (and yes, some of that too). The Estes Park loop the next day was much better - less winds and a little cooler and did not overdo it on the climbs so the 20 miles at 4% did not seem so bad. Unfortunately, my order for a change in wind direction for the descent apparently had not made it thru. Today was a nice easy recovery day on the flats before we do Left Hand Canyon tomorrow. Gonna have to eat my Wheaties in the AM!
Jim Merrifield
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