I enjoyed an awesome ride a few days ago and was thinking about more of the same, this morning. While watching the sunrise through the window, I noticed that it looked exceptionally calm. So I moseyed out the backdoor to get a little closer to the action. It was indeed a beautiful morning with only a light breeze stirring the branches of the evergreen trees that surround our cottage. The trees were filled with little songbirds, raising a glorious sound.
Pretty cold though, it felt like high thirties or low forties. So I headed back inside, filled the hot pot and punched the button on the coffee grinder. Figuring I could enjoy a nice, fresh, hot cup of coffee while I perused the weather forecast. It was interesting, the breeze was going to be out of the ENE for the next few hours and then rotate around to the WNW. Hmm, if I played my cards right, I could ride the outbound leg with a quartering tailwind, make the turn with the wind and ride the inbound leg with a quartering tailwind as well.
“The best laid plans of mice and men,” or something like that.
Often, the best plan is to choose a direction and get started with the journey, see what develops and adjust to the circumstances. So once the temperature reached a balmy 48 degrees, I headed NW on Double Cross towards the highest point in the county; Landsman Hill. I figured that no matter what the wind did, I’d at least be going downhill on the inbound leg. There’s a triangulation station on top of the ridge out there that I have some history with.
When I was a doodlebugger some 40 years ago, surveying seismic exploration grids in the area; Landsman Hill was the first survey control station that I used in the county to establish a control network. On a clear day you can see the whole county from there and it’s a big county.
I came across a Brittany and a Lab at about mile three and four. I love hunting dogs, they’d much rather poke around in the brush looking for a bird or rabbit than chase after a bike rider, like herd dogs do. Herders drop everything else they’re doing when a bike rider shows up. Every ounce of energy gets used running along side, barking and dashing in for a quick nip at a heel or a calf.
By mile 8, I began to warm up, even without racing any herd dogs. As I traversed one of my favorite roads in the area, I noticed something new. The reason the road is a favorite is because it doesn’t get much traffic. It’s in the middle of nowhere and it doesn’t really go anywhere you can’t get to on another more improved road. But it looks like that’s about to change. I’d noticed survey markings and some pads at the side of the road the last time I came this way but it became clear this time, what was going on.
Xcel Energy is building out a 2 billion dollar, double circuit transmission line, that will snake through Eastern Colorado. It will connect the northern front range to the southern front range with a 610 mile loop of high power transmission lines, to collect all of the present and future output of the alternate energy, (solar and wind) installations spread across the High Plains of Eastern Colorado. They’re calling it; Colorado’s Power Pathway – Suggesting it will increase electric reliability, boost the economy and create jobs.
I have my doubts. I reckon it’s a just a “build back better” boogledoggle that will create higher energy prices for government subsidized green energy and very likely damage the economy, not boost it. Excel has promised to deliver 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2050, which sounds like another load of BS to appease Colorado’s green government and leverage more sudsidies. I’m a natural born sceptic though, so you should do the research and form your own opinion on these matters. Here’s an interesting place to start:
The dark side of ‘green energy’ and its threat to the nation’s environment. What happens to old solar panels, windmills and high tech batteries?
I didn’t mean to get political – let’s get back to the ride.
About a dozen miles deep into the ride I needed to make a decision at a fork in the road. Keep going west, in which case the ride would be >30 miles or go south with options for lower mileage. It was a tough decision, so I pulled over for a break. The perfect time to eat my apple and adjust to the circumstances. This is one of the best lessons for life I can share, and fits perfectly with the 3mph lifestyle. When it’s time to make a decision, just stop; listen to the birds, watch the sun move across the sky and enjoy an apple. The Great Wide World will wait patiently for your decision.
As I sat in the middle of the road, eating my apple and marveling at the quality of the gravel, with chirt flakes, colorful agate chips and chalcedony chunks, it became abundantly clear, more gravel’s better. So I decided to keep going west, out to the very edge of the High Planes. The tart, sweet apple rejuvenated my mind and my legs and I headed for Firstview. As I turned south and rode across the top of Landsman Ridge, the breeze out of the north helped me along and my spirit was rejuvenated too.
As it warmed, I was able to remove the stocking cap and wind jacket. I was over 20 miles into the ride before I seen the first human. I waved at her as she drove by in her SUV and she waved back. I’ve logged thousands of miles on the High Planes dirt and I’ve yet to see another bicycle, after leaving the vicinity of town. Hawks are the most prolific animal I see; Red-Tails are common but there are a half dozen smaller kites and hawks too. Every once in awhile, I see a bald eagle but they’re usually just passing through.
My favorite birds though are upland birds. Around here that usually means Pheasant, Quail and Grouse (Prairie Chickens). Sadly, Prairie Chickens really aren’t huntable here anymore, though they were prized back in the pioneer days. There are a couple large cattle ranches that have preserved large tracts of natural vegetation and have good populations but it’s about conserving a legacy, not hunting. You have to go to Wyoming or Nebraska if you want to hunt these amazing birds. There are huntable numbers in northern Kansas too.
Pheasant hunting is much better north and east of here and Quail hunting is better down south but I’m always on the lookout for any local coveys. There are few things as exciting as easing in to a dog on point, and flushing a covey of birds. You never know exactly what to expect, a single pheasant or a super covey of 50 scaled quail. The explosion of wingbeats always sets the heart racing.
It was another exceptional ride and with the season winding down, greatly appreciated. The forecast says we can expect our first snow in a few days, so I’ll be shifting gears and trading in Double Cross for a solid pair of hiking boots and the Benelli. Playing in the dirt on two legs, rather than two wheels; hunting for dinner or another opportunity to be out there, exploring. Going slow, looking and listening to nature.
I always love these stories, Mike! A good way to start my day.