View from Steamboat
Kodak DC50 photo (by Nelson Kibler)
Today we had another big climb: Steamboat Mountain--3,500 ft. Like Stone Mountain, this pass was a serious climb, but it consisted of a series of plateaus and steep climbs (almost like natural switchbacks), so it wasn't as taxing to me as it might seem. While I certainly huffed and puffed for about 2 hours (often in my granny gear at 4-5 mph) I felt pretty good about the climb except for the fact that the winding road led to several close encounters of the vehicular kind.
Going downhill there were some 10% grades, so I got moving pretty
fast, but headwinds kept me from moving as fast I would have liked.
As I descended toward Ft. Nelson, the headwinds became worse and I slowed
to a crawl. About 5 miles out, however, I got a second wind and the winds
swung around to my tail and I started galloping toward camp. I didn't set
any records or even pass any of my compatriots, but I did stay ahead of
Bob, Carol & Ritt.
I had hoped to upload new web material from Ft. Nelson, but I was just too
tired to put it together.
At the RV park where we camped in Ft. Nelson, we had a tenting neighbor
couple who had been camped there for 3 months. I classify them as the furthest
north homeless couple. They had erected shelves to hold their belongings
under a shelter roof. Though they didn't work and were receiving some sort
of government assistance, they did drink beer and party most of the time.
I absolutely hated the Ft. Nelson campground. There were literally lines of motorhomes waiting to get into the park.
77 miles.
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© Ed Noonan 1996, 1997