Stage 2, Sunday, June 25

Start - Boulder. Finish - Winter Park

80 miles / 129 kms

10,880 feet / 3,300 meters

Highest Point - 11,307 feet / 3,440 meters

Passes - Magnolia Drive, Central City Parkway Climb and Berthoud Pass

Ride Time: 5:56:22

Stage Time: 3:37:01

TSS/Suffer Score: 371

Position on Day: 58

Overall GC Position: 60

50-59 Male Position on Day: 6 (-24:41)

50-59 Male Overall GC Position: 6 (-40:46)

Haute Quote: "The first climb Magnolia is really, really hard.  Hope for the best."

The day starts like a Road Runner cartoon where Ralph The Coyote and Sam Sheepdog greet each other before starting work...

SAULI & BROOKE MY NEW BEST RIDDING BUDDIES. CREDIT: WOODSON
"Good morning Brooke."

"Good morning John."

 "How are you?"

"Great."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good."

"Ready for today."

"You bet," Brooke says as she dodges a crash right in front of her at the foot of Magnolia Drive.

Yesterday Brooke Mead, Sauli Haahtela and I worked well together. Like many riders at the Mavic Haute Route Rockies we quickly bonded on the road and now share a common goal - survive to the finish every day. Helping one another with idle chit-chat to keep our minds off the pain, encouraging each other to hang-in there and keeping the pace up are what Haute Route friends do.

Credit: Haute Route
With today's monster stage starting out one of the steepest climbs in Colorado (Magnolia - 4.5 miles averaging 10% with sustained ramps at 15%) the only thing I look forward to this morning is riding with my new peeps Brooke and Sauli.

Sure enough, all three of us coalesce on Magnolia and spend the day suffering more-or-less together.

Personally, I have a great ride, although at the start line nothing is ever guaranteed.  Some days you're the bug, others the windshield. Today I'm a windshield squashing everything the course can throw at me.

Credit: Haute Route
I ride strong and steady up Magnolia, across the Peak-to-Peak Highway and through the final dirt segment.  On the last climb up Berthoud Pass my rear tire goes flat and I quickly change it, not letting misfortune ruin my day.  Although I loose contact with Brooke and Sauli I still ride well up Berthoud to the 11,300ft summit finish.

In the end, my efforts pay off as I move up the overall leader board to 60th, but only manage to gain one place in the Old Guys Who Probably Shouldn't Be Doing This Category.

Full Stage 2 Results

John is a former faux pro cyclist enjoying life as a geriatric rider in search of great bucket rides to keep him in shape and out of trouble - well, at least in shape. 

He writes about his Bucket Rides in all their variety and glory for Granfondo.com. See his other pieces here.

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