As a mountain bike rider sidekick, it's important to be a rider yourself. It just is. Within 24 hours of being in Palo Duro, we took 4 separate rides, 35 miles of climbs and decents and rough canyon trails through incredible scenes. Legs don't build themselves, lungs don't acclimate automatically, every mile is earned the way all things worth developing are earned. Brown took off, he had specific preparation objectives, he was testing out a pesky rib injury.
Palo Duro is a marvel of nature, of course, but also of New Deal intention and labor. Paved roads, campsites, huts, and a visitor center. Panhandle Texans with their cars and post WW2 boom we're all over it from then on out. I'm embarrassed to be a first time visitor at my advanced age and lifelong Texan status. Better late than never, the 2nd largest canyon in America is worth the visit, enough said.
Tuesday's the day we'll know more about the Silver Rush MTB50, on or off or in between, its irrelevant to our movement. We must continue towards Leadville. Independence Day started with a French pressed Palo Duro morning, a fine and delicious hamburger at the Palo Duro Trading Post, and a drive to Capulin RV Park. From there, an evening ride to sit atop the Capulin Volcano is planned. Should be a hazy New Mexican sunset, the smoke is close.
