Kremmling to Breckenridge- 44 miles
By David Hardy
Anxious to reach Breckenridge, the boys opted for a quick breakfast of the usual junk food. So we were on the road by7:30-amazing!
Then, misfortune.
Ed flatted less than two minutes later. A metal sliver had pierced his tire. And the flat revealed a hidden problem-once he remounted his wheel, it wouldn't stay aligned. Big problem.
The local mechanic rolled out of bed to give it the old college try, as Ed looks on dubiously.
But there was a bike shop in Kremmling and when Brian called, it was open!
We made our way to it and it looked like a bike cemetery. The undertaker, I mean the owner, ambled out to greet us, mumbling about having to get to work. Inside was a mosh pit of mountain bike parts, old skis, and probably farm implements from the 19th century. Sketchy.
The owner was a sweetheart, but totally unable to help.
No go for Ed.
He pulled me aside: "I'll hitch to Silverthorne and find a bike shop if you and Max lead the way."
Man plans and God laughs so we threw the old plan out the window and went with the new.
We had been warned about heavy road construction for the first 6 miles. No joke. Six miles of dirt with heavy machinery going full bore on each side of us. I heard a horn toot and looked over, there was Ed-successfully hitched!
But the boys, led by Max and Alex, did great and we made it through without being turned into roadbed.
A relatively benign 32 miles later we met Ed at at a bagel shop in Silverthorne.
The crew enjoys a roadside en route to Breckenridge. This scene occurs hourly.
The mechanical issue was a stripped skewer-a ten dollar part- but it took three bike shops to figure it out. Thanks Mountain Sports!
Soon we were on the incredible bike path to Breckenridge. Once again the monsoon hit. We sheltered in Frisco in a parking garage for about an hour and continued on.
David Margolis' mom, Dale, had arranged lodging for us at Dr. David Gray's home outside town.
A perfect place for a bunch of tired, wet scouts. The home came with two friendly dogs, Woody and Laveen, and a house sitter, Meghan Kane. Meghan is a professional downhill mountain bike racer and spinal compression therapist. She entranced the boys with racing stories.
Another saint, Karen Ramus, committee chair of the local Boy Scout troop graciously loaned us her SUV, and a cleaned up group of scouts headed into town for a much needed feast.