Today was the best day of the trip so far, and definitely one of the best days of my life. I rode with Sarah M, Chelsea, and Henry - we started the morning in Loveland (elevation 4,982 ft) and biked 33 miles to Estes Park (elevation 7,522 ft). The ride was incredibly beautiful from start to finish and we were so distracted by the awe-inspiring scenery that we hardly felt like we were climbing most of the time.
We started the ride in Big Thompson Canyon where walls of rock surrounded us as we rounded every river bend. Slowly but surely we made our way through the countless switchbacks as the scenery slowly changed, never ceasing to leave me breathless.
We took breaks every once in a while to take in the epic grandeur of the Rockies. The best was an extended stop along the river where we sprawled out on rocks and enjoyed the mild breeze, cold water, and perfect views. As we entered Estes Park we were greeted by the sparkling Lake Estes. With only a few miles left we decided to take a break to enjoy the 360 degree views of the mountains, partially reflected in the lake. It was absolutely magical.
We stopped for lunch at a diner near the host and relaxed as we took in more incredible views and excessive amounts of breakfast food. By the time we made it to the host it was 1:30 so me and Henry quickly changed into hiking attire and biked nearly 4 miles to the Gem Lake Trailhead. It was a 3.4 mile round trip hike reaching an elevation of 8,800 feet!! The views were amazing all the way to the top and I was just completely blown away by the mountains. I've never seen anything that incredible.
Tomorrow we tackle Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved roadway in the country, peaking at 12,000 feet! We'll be well above the tree line at that point and I expect to throw a snowball or two.