Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
It was chores, chores, chores today — a full shift’s worth of my usual stock in trade, which is to say bicycles and bullshit — and I didn’t pay much attention to the Black Forest fire until it was about time for Herself to motor on home from her gig in Denver.
And then, holy shit! The friggin’ thing is spreading like a head cold at Interbike and more evacuations are ordered, this time in Bibleburg proper.
“Traffic nightmare in northern Colorado Springs,” quoth the Gazette.
“I-25 is completely congested. Avoid traveling if not necessary,” added the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
El clusterfucko, bucko, as we say south of the border (Monument Hill). I’m thinking she’s gonna be idling at Baptist Road for the better part of quite some time. And you know how those Baptists are.
So I propose going long — E-470 to Interstate 70 to Highway 24 and home. Or maybe C-470 to Highway 285, then jink down through Pine and Deckers to Woodland Park and thence back to the ranch.
Nope. She blazes right on down the Big I to home and hearth — and with hardly a bobble, too. Go figure.
Ride the Rockies is not so fortunate. Thanks to the Royal Gorge fire, they’re getting rerouted through our old stomping grounds of Weirdcliffe, which adds some 33 miles to their ride from Salida to Cañon City, many of them uphill.
I know all of them well, having ridden them as a Crusty County resident and as an entrant in several editions of the late, lamented Hardscrabble Century, which tackled Weirdcliffe from the other direction, from Florence through Wetmore and up Hardscrabble Cañon.
The riding is easier the way the Rockies types are doing it, once they’re past Bear Basin Ranch. From there, it’s mostly downhill to Graybar City. Whip a power salute on H. Rap Brown as you roll past Supermax Florence, kiddos.
Tags: Black Forest Fire, Black Forest Regional Park, Herself
June 13, 2013 at 10:00 pm |
I figured they’d have to reroute through Westcliffe. I wonder what they will do for the final day – press on into Bibleburg and try to ignore the smoke and flames? I remember the Hardscrabble Century too. I think the last time I rode it was 1995 or 1996. Hard to believe almost 20 years have gone by.
June 13, 2013 at 10:28 pm |
No kiddin’, Debby. Long time ago, galaxy far, far away.
I think I first rode it in 1986 or thereabouts. I have shirts from 1988 and ’89, but I remember an earlier ride and a few later ones, too, after Herself and I moved to Bibleburg from Santa Fe in 1991. I’d have to root through the old training logs to make sure.
I expect the ride will finish in Bibleburg as planned as long as the winds stay out of the south. (A tailwind for the ride up 115 would be nice, too.) Downtown you’d have no idea that the north end of the county is on fire if you steered clear of newspapers, radio and teevee. It’s weird, is what.
June 13, 2013 at 11:47 pm |
I hope nobody gets cooked or loses their stuff to the fires. Meanwhile, life is pretty good over on the other side of the pond as you can see here
http://cycleitalia.blogspot.it/2013/06/best-of-piedmont-2013.html
June 14, 2013 at 5:55 am |
Dew point here is up to 50 degrees. 20% chance of rain today and 30% tomorrow. High country, White Mountains, had some rain yesterday. Come on early monsoon!
I have yet to ride a real century, only a metric one. If I am going to add it to the bucket list, I better get with it soon!
Sending humidity from old Mexico your way. Payment due on delivery. One six pack of Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout will take care of the bill. That stout makes my better half happy and content with her selection of me. Powerful stuff!
June 14, 2013 at 7:12 am |
NPR station sez there is another fire over by Cimmeron started by lightning. Its getting so normal….is anyone building houses out of asbestos?
Called my brother back in Buffalo for his birthday yesterday. He said the creek near his house is flooding. Meanwhile, the Rio Not So Grande is projected to dry as far north as Albuquerque this year. Sheesh.
Patrick, from what I can see of your address, I assume you folks are OK through all this?
May we live in interesting times, eh?
June 14, 2013 at 9:33 am |
@Larry, unfortunately no such luck. Lots of stuff gone and some folks too.
June 14, 2013 at 9:50 am |
Stay safe sir
June 14, 2013 at 1:51 pm |
Rain in the Huachuca mountains! Not much, but no cloud to ground lighting, that I can see, so it’s all good.
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=EMX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes
June 14, 2013 at 6:59 pm |
I know this is stupid, but gotta ask. you don’t by any chance know my cousin, Lori Bonati-Phillips, down in Tucson? She is part of a singer-writer duet, Pacific-Buffalo.
June 14, 2013 at 7:44 pm |
Khal, don’t think we know her. Has she ever performed in Sierra Vista, Tombstone, or Bisbee?
June 14, 2013 at 4:00 pm |
You have some roots in Maryland, no? Why not spend the summer in a hot and humid Mid-Atlantic state? But hang on, we’ve already had a tropical storm in June. Just think what August and September and November could provide. There could be a lot of wind (most from congress), maybe a big pipeline could funnel some water out your way – but wait, pipelines are for OIL, not for people.