GDMBR Brush Mountain Lodge to Steamboat Springs| 54 miles, 3,251 ft elevation| Recalibration

There’s nothing like a bikepacking trip to help one recalibrate. I mean the juxtaposition of simple meals and bountiful meals, clean clothes and wicked dirty clothes, brown, barren landscapes and green, wooded landscapes, sandy sleeping bags and clean sheets, dust and sunscreen laden skin and a fresh shower. It just makes you appreciate the little things so much and take nothing for granted.

We said goodbye to Kirsten at Brush Mountain Lodge and started our day with a solid uphill and then a lovely ride through hugh meadows with stunning views of Colorado peaks.

Our climb up the Watershed Divide was manageable until the steep and rocky hike-a-bike at the top. The other side however was ratchet downhill with rocks and washout that made it hard to let loose and bomb down the other side, unless you were Tyler who raced pass me on the descent. He was a man on a mission.😂

About six miles from the top, the route finally opened up and we had sweetest downhill all the way into Clark where we stopped for a snack and met up once again with Tyler and Alex.

Steamboat is apparently a fave destination right now and shelter for bikepackers, whether it be camping, hotel or someone’s backyard was difficult to find. We could see a storm was coming and with our daughter’s help, we scooped up a hotel room for the night. Not mad about it. Another night of clean sheets and tasty food. Thanks, Anne! Not getting too used to this fine living though. It’s back to the tent the next few nights.😊

Another downhill, a favorable tail wind and speedy riding took us all the way into Steamboat before the storm. We needed the night with a dip in the hot tub and ice cream.