Dolce blissed out..
The girl and the dog both love the river! The day started with a swim on the Animas for Dolce in preparation for me getting to do a long road bike ride…albeit longer than planned.
Perhaps one of my greatest joys is watching Dolce be free. She is a constant reminder of living in the moment from the heart. Each day we spend in the RV I plan for time that enables her to feel bliss. Often, we share that bliss such as on hikes, river excursions or long off-leash runs. Then there are things that she cannot share with me (my intended ride) and it is these times when I make sure she does an activity that fills her heart. It’s pretty easy, she’s a golden retriever and relentlessly happy so it’s not as if this is “work” (god-forbid) to me.
Day #6: What’s Best? ~ Dolce plays in the river! My road ride turned cyclocross, river errors and ice cream!
Perhaps one of my greatest joys is watching Dolce be free. She is a constant reminder of living in the moment from the heart. Each day we spend in the RV I plan for time that enables her to feel bliss. Often, we share that bliss such as on hikes, river excursions or long off-leash runs. Then there are things that she cannot share with me (my intended ride) and it is these times when I make sure she does an activity that fills her heart. It’s pretty easy, she’s a golden retriever and relentlessly happy so it’s not as if this is “work” (god-forbid) to me.
Day #6: What’s Best? ~ Dolce plays in the river! My road ride turned cyclocross, river errors and ice cream!
With an exhausted pup, I was free to explore the hills around Durango. I had checked out some of the local loops and picked one that with the ride from the RV would take me about 40 miles with a fair bit of elevation gain. The ride was gorgeous but not without surprise! After mile 10 and my first climb of any significance, thunderclouds started to build in the distance. There had been a headwind most of the first ten miles so I knew those clouds were headed for me! It didn’t look terribly menacing so I pushed on thinking worst case that if it started I would only be in it for an hour or so. Continuing on the loop as planned, I encountered my first of a long stretch of gravel roads. Hmmm, this was not indicated on the loop map. I logically (so I thought) assumed it wouldn’t be too many miles so I stuck it out. My sticking it out turned into more than 15 miles of the ride on gravel/dirt road (mind you, I was on a carbon frame road bike…not an MTB, a comfort bike, or a cyclocross bike). The storm clouds drizzled on me several times yet for short spans. This ride was turning into far more than I had bargained. I kept asking myself if I should turn around? Never liking to miss out on good things, I pressed on as the write-up for the ride was awesome. Let’s just say I finished the ride, was not soaked or freezing and put in 50 miles in the saddle. If you ride, you know that 50 miles in the saddle means ice cream after dinner…and I did just that, cappuccino chip…one of my favorites.
Returning with ample sunshine, I knew that wave was still calling me. You bet, I quickly changed from cycling attire to kayaking attire and off we went. The river was simultaneously not without surprise today. After the fact, I would say I did something foolish, risky. Something that I don’t normally do…that’s how bad I wanted to surf the wave! The construction crew on the river’s edge was busy and shooing people out of the construction area (which offers the direct access to the wave). That required that I carry my kayak well upstream and run two rapids. I made several mistakes: 1. It was cold and rolling would not be pleasant…I ignored that. 2. I went into the middle of the river and caught an eddie behind a rock…I was totally committed to run the rapid. 3. I ran it and flipped. My roll is great, no worries, I was back upright AND freezing! 4. I ran the next rapid sight unseen…it was a mild class III. 5. I was so cold I could only handle a few surfs fearing that if I flipped again my dexterity would be compromised. Live and learn…I still surfed the wave! I ended my day with another 109° soak and ice cream, enthusiastically awaiting what tomorrow would bring.
Returning with ample sunshine, I knew that wave was still calling me. You bet, I quickly changed from cycling attire to kayaking attire and off we went. The river was simultaneously not without surprise today. After the fact, I would say I did something foolish, risky. Something that I don’t normally do…that’s how bad I wanted to surf the wave! The construction crew on the river’s edge was busy and shooing people out of the construction area (which offers the direct access to the wave). That required that I carry my kayak well upstream and run two rapids. I made several mistakes: 1. It was cold and rolling would not be pleasant…I ignored that. 2. I went into the middle of the river and caught an eddie behind a rock…I was totally committed to run the rapid. 3. I ran it and flipped. My roll is great, no worries, I was back upright AND freezing! 4. I ran the next rapid sight unseen…it was a mild class III. 5. I was so cold I could only handle a few surfs fearing that if I flipped again my dexterity would be compromised. Live and learn…I still surfed the wave! I ended my day with another 109° soak and ice cream, enthusiastically awaiting what tomorrow would bring.
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