Well, it certainly felt that way until a mile or two after Glen Haven when it became bad, worse and insane, in that order.

I started out from Hygiene around 8:30am. I wanted to start earlier, but it appears that my hand has developed a certain reflex action to turn off the alarm without waking up. So ended up starting later than the original plan. The route was roughly 75th-83rd-CR23-CR12-CR29-US34-Drake-Devil’s Gulch Rd-Glen Haven. Up until the intersection of US34 and CR29, it was mostly flat and served as a good warm up for me. The climb started shortly after getting into US34. But it was fairly easy, I doubt if it is any more than 2% until Drake.

Big Thompson Canyon (US34) is truly spectacular. This was the first time I was on this route either by bike or by car and I was completely blown over by rugged canyon walls. It evoked a sense of awe and fear at the same time. There was an element in me that didn’t want to look up to see the top of the walls because of sheer fear for the vertical. But it was also mesmerizing.

Since I was very tentative about my fitness, I was spinning easier gears. Whether I overestimated the difficulty of the climb or underestimated my fitness, it wasn’t difficult at all. Not that I was cruising up at 20mph, but that I was quite comfortable.

Turning right on to Devil’s Gulch Rd at Drake brought more magnificent scenery. The climb was also relatively easy, except in short sections. Couple of miles into Devil’s Gulch Rd, a bunch of riders, apparently pros, passed me, as if I was standing still. A good reality check, I would say.

It took me about 50 minutes to reach Glen Haven from Drake. This section was also quite comfortable. I stopped at the general store in Glen Haven and refilled the water bottles. The shopkeeper told me that the ‘infamous switchbacks’ start about two miles from Glen Haven and that there are seven of them. After a short break, I took off, with my heart beating faster at the mere thought of those switchbacks.

About a mile and a half from the store, the road became much steeper and within a minute, I ran out of gears. I was on the lowest gear, 30-27, on the Look361, and was looking down to see if I have at least one more. Quarter mile into the climb, the first switchback appeared. I checked the cycle computer and I found that my speed was an astonishing 3.9mph! Hey, I wasn’t standing still! That is progress!

After the first switchback, the road got steeper or at least I felt it that way. I do not rememer anything else from the next half a mile except the mantra ‘keep it smooth’, referring to the pedaling. In about 5-6 minutes, which felt like eons, I was at the top. There was a sign board that said ‘A Slice of Heaven’ and wasn’t that true? The view was just unbelievable. I could see Estes Park from there, about five miles down.
The original plan was to ride up to Estes Park and return via CO-7. But I had nothing left in my legs for another climb. I had had enough of climbing for the day. So after spending a few minutes at the top, I turned back.
I reached Hygiene around 2:30pm, a total of 75miles. A fantastic day of riding, I think:)