The MAC - Purple Loop Trail

The MAC from the Purple Trail.  The Challenge Trail climbs to the top of the ridge

Today's hike was along the Purple Loop Trail at the MAC in Castle Rock.
This natural surface trail climbs quickly and provides views of Castle Rock and the new MAC site. This is the shortest of the 5 hiking/bicycling trails and it is interconnected to the Gold Loop Trail, the Red Loop Trail and the Green Loop Trail, all of which add up to over 8 miles of hilly hiking or bicycling.  This trail starts to the north of the site and is across the street from the Challenge Hill, a 200-step staircase similar in design to the Manitou Springs Incline. Challenge Hill also has the Blue Loop Trail which climbs to the top, in case you need a break from the steps.
The community park site includes a zip-line course and an adventure playground area.  The MAC is a world-class fitness facility with indoor and outdoor lighted synthetic surface fields, activity classes, a pool, classes of workout routines, a golf simulator and a trampoline.

Awesome new trail construction

Trail construction is recent and is done well with water bars and a downhill slanted trail bed for drainage.  Some sections are steep, so you need to watch your step and not slip-slide away.  A couple in front of us slipped into a trail side cactus on the loose gravel, so do be careful.

Mostly scrub cover, there is a little shade along the north side near the top of the ridge

The weather "is what it is" this week with the temperatures in the lower 60's for our hike.  The sky is perfectly clear and from one vantage point, we could clearly see a sliver of mountains over 70 miles away.  Usually December is colder here, but we will take the clear, warm weather.  Our sea-level lungs are still adapting to the altitude, and we stopped to catch our breath a couple times.

The trail markers are colored per trail, this one showing the Purple Trail loop junction

The trail is shared with mountain bikers, and it has that straight-up/straight-down feeling of most off-road bicycle trails in Colorado.  Other than seeing that other couple, we had the trail and the views to ourselves for our peaceful walk.
Future plans call for connecting these trails to the Ridgeline Open Space and the Stuart Trail network to the west.

View of the ball fields (to the right of the first photo) and the towers for the upcoming zip lines

These trails are located at the new Phillip Miller Recreation center (or MAC for Miller Activity Complex) at 1375 West Plum Creek Parkway.  Parking and hiking are free.  You can access the center off Interstate 25 at Plum Creek Parkway.  Go uphill (west) and the MAC is that massive field house on the left.

Trail Head shows you the way back to the MAC.  I love these signs!

First few weeks in Colorado

Daytime view of Castle Rock from the Rec Center parking lot, through the windshield, zoomed in due to the cold.

In our first few weeks out west we have both been exposed to Colorado's unique weather extremes.
One of the greatest things about living out here (for us outdoors folks) is the close proximity to the mountains, prairie, forests, grasslands and deserts.  My goal is to try to get out each week, if only for a short drive, a hike or a snowshoe into the wild.  Bicycling will come with warmer weather.
Weather can be a problem, and I'm not going to get in trouble being stranded in the snow and ice.  If it is too bad to get out, then I'll stay inside and keep my toes toasty by the fire.  And I will plan future trips.
Today's quick walk was along the Bowl walkway in the Meadows development of Castle Rock, across from the Rec Center.  We chose this paved urban area trail due to wanting to avoid Colorado's mud.  Castle Rocks trail descriptions and maps can be located HERE with more information about the community HERE.

The paved walkway winds up the hill and into some trees.  Note the snow clouds above.

It was 37 degrees and overcast when we started, and we were both under-dressed for the wind.  Snow was falling in Perry Park to the west, and you couldn't see the mountains for the snow falling in the north also.
The trail follows a drainage up the hill toward Founders Parkway.  It climbs to the top of the ridge going through and around a few housing developments.  There was some scrub oak and tall grass around, all in various browns.  Portions of grass poked through the snow on the ground, some of it was still green.  The pine trees were the tallest trees around and a few were specially placed by nature around stones and rocks.  The trail builders had provided tot-lot toys for children and a nice covered picnic area with built-in grills, a staircase and a volley ball area.  A squirrel dashed across the grass to a new hiding place.  Birds darted among the trees.  Houses didn't intrude on the trail and it was peaceful.  And cold.

A Bluebird house along the trail.

Both of us got too cold too quickly, and we beat a hasty retreat back to the warmth of the car.
While my upper body was warm enough, my hands and legs were freezing.  (Note to self - Silly man, jeans provide little to no warmth in windy, snowy weather).
Wearing the proper clothing is so important here, and we will have to invest in the proper outwear and water-proof boots.

Picnic Shelter.

My phone was cold and it's camera wouldn't focus or use the correct exposure settings.  I grabbed a couple shots along the walk, but had to give up on that also.
Not a relaxing walk today due to the lack of being prepared on our part, but I do remember smelling a pine tree as we passed it, the smell was so strong and pronounced.  I remember that smell from hiking in the mountain forests out here.  Special smells like that stay with you, for years after that first encounter.

Going home

Castle Rock, Colorado from Plum Creek.

I moved back home to Colorado.  If I didn't get to tell you before I left, my sincere apologies.  Living in Florida had run its course, my contract job had ended and I just wanted to go back home and start over, so I did.
Actually, we did.  My wife moved with me, driving her loaded car behind mine.  Our goal is to both find jobs and work, rebuilding our lives, doing things we enjoy.
We came across some cool things along the route to here.  A new suspension bridge across the Mississippi river in St. Louis was a great surprise.  The windmills, towering 200 feet above the Kansas hills were an awesome sight.  Those along with the miles of tall windmills in eastern Colorado are the future, creating electricity from the constant winds.
Castle Rock was our home for 13 years where we raised our children and were involved in the community.  I loved the outdoors and the life along the front range of the rocky mountains and the prairie.  I had wanted to return here since I left over 10 years ago, and we finally did.
We arrived in Castle Rock a few nights ago and are acclimating to the shift change, dry weather, DST change, time zone change, and elevation increase (sea level to 6000 feet).  I actually breathe deeper here.
Today we walked along the Plum Creek Trail in town.

The late afternoon sun colored everything gold.

The late fall foliage was beautiful.

I don't know the name of this grass, but in the late fall it looks like back-lit snow.

The mile-long south bound coal train rolled by.

Plum Creek is dammed in a few places by beavers.

The returning engines from an earlier coal train, heading back north for more loaded rail cars.

The Russian Olive tree in an invasive species here.

Old rock work under the rail road line.

Big Sky Country.  A change in the weather is coming tonight.

The trail returning to the parking lot with the setting sun. 

Here's an update on my injured knee.
After a week of walking a little then hobbling a lot, I am now hobbling very little and walking much better.  While waiting on car work today I walked around a wholesale store for over an hour, looking at everything.  I even went down rows where there was nothing to interest me.  It felt good to just walk.  Not that my knee is perfectly healed, but at least I can maneuver around shoppers and carts and not have to grab for something every time I turn.  This healing is real improvement, and though it is slow I am very pleased with it.
I had been planning a backpacking trip for November, but will have to put that off until I am comfortable with walking again.  My goal is to backpack at least 10-15 miles at a time, before stopping to camp, and doing the same miles again the next day. I am concerned about uneven surfaces, balance and big steps, like going over logs and fallen trees.
Any bicycling will just have to wait a bit too.
Getting out won't be easy for me next week either, all my time is already scheduled.  Maybe I can go for a morning walk outdoors enjoying the cool temps.  At least the Florida weather will cool down over the weekend with lows in the 50's and highs in the low 70's.  The weather here will be nice.  If you can get outside, this is the time to do it here.  Enjoy!

Missing Bicycling in Colorado

The ride dates are June 13 - 20, 2015

The 13 years we lived in Colorado, I bicycled the region.  I rode the bicycle trails from Castle Rock to downtown Denver (plus road gaps).  I rode the parks (valleys).  I rode the plains.  I pedaled up and down the mountains, even Climbing Mount Evans once.
In 2001, I bicycled Ride The Rockies.  Getting ready for that ride, I had to build up to bicycling over 200 miles each week.  That had me starting rides the fall before, bicycling indoors (yuck) during the winter, and building a planned mileage base over the spring.
The ride began on Father's Day.  We rode between 75 and 100 miles plus crossed the Continental Divide almost each day.   Needless to say, this was the best-handled group ride of 2000 riders ever!
Planning was great, accommodations were excellent, food and music were great!
The rides took us through local bicycling routes in the backcountry, along a 14 mile gravel road, and along quiet highways.  The mountainous views were spectacular, the small towns quaint (and overwhelmed with 2000 visitors suddenly stripping the store shelves) and I learned how the Denver Post and sponsors supported the local communities where we camped.  There were group talks daily and I met the Laura of Laura Bars, quite nice!
That last day we climbed the Rockies from Grand Lake and bicycled Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park to the mountain top tundra at 12,200 feet elevation.  The drop down into Estes Park was both scary and very cool with a surprise steep climb at the end, just like it happened every other day we rode.
I remember that last night before dinner, I ate a foot long Subway sandwich with a cookie and a drink.  Then I walked over to the park and had 2 servings of lasagna with veggies and garlic bread. For dessert, I finished a large Blizzard.  By the time I got back to my hotel room, I was famished and had to walk down to the mini-mart to load up on enough carbohydrates to allow me to sleep.  My jaws hurt from eating so much all week and the 1 pack of bagels I ate daily were barely enough. Lesson learned.
Anyway I still miss the 100 mile bike rides right out my door and how the 200-plus mile weeks of bicycling felt, how alive I was and the joy I had when bicycling.  That's why I ride.
Congratulations to all applying for the 2015 Ride The Rockies.

Knee Issues

I hurt my knee again 2 years ago when I broke my hip and it has only gotten worse with popping and unsteadiness when walking.  The pain is minimal, but it can still really hurt if I somehow twist it the wrong way.  I originally hurt it 20 years ago, twisting it during a bicycle ride.

Walking along the Sanford River Walk by Lake Monroe

As a bicyclist/backpacker/bicyclist/walker/hiker my knees are incredibly important to my personal forms of travel.   Being unable to walk or bicycle much without my knee popping and being unsteady during the super-hot summer was just bearable.
I have been to a doctor and to a knee specialist while trying to fix it.  Fortunately the X-Ray and MRI show damage there is minimal, not requiring surgery.  But still the popping and unsteadiness continue. 
I was given a shot of Cortizone in the knee last week, and I am exercising it again and am really trying to improve my bicycling situation.  I was able to walk 3 miles along the waterfront in Sanford last weekend without any pain and with only a little weakness.
For bicycling, I will focus on riding the indoor bicycle in the gym, moving to my mountain bike for short rides outdoors.  20 miles is the distance I had been riding recently, so I will work on increasing that distance closer to the summertime.  While not my 200 mile per week rides of old, I am just happy to be out there again.
My plan is to just continue exercising and walking, increasing distance daily and weekly until I'm back up to my 15+ miles of off pavement travel in a day.  I figure that if I can make it to that goal of 15 miles a day, I can eventually make 20-25 miles of continuous hiking/backpacking/walking that I'll need to do in order to hike a long trail like the AT.  Of course that is a long way off.  If I'm able to backpack again on over night trips with my ultralight backpack (9 pounds base weight) by late winter/early spring I will be a happy hiker!

Please bear with me while I take baby steps to get better, I believe it will all pay off in the end.
The good news is the temperatures in Florida are much cooler now and if the rain holds off, I will be able to bicycle and walk enough to slowly improve my condition. 

Rain and Bicycling

Thanks to Weather Underground for this forecast

It has rained in central Florida almost every day the past 2 weeks, and is forecast to pour off and on for another week or two.  Some of this rain comes down in a deluge, flooding streets, homes and businesses.  The winds are strong, the lightning is fierce and you get soaked just stepping out from under the carport to get into your car.  The weather is reminiscent of a hurricane, although it is not tropical in nature.
It looks like we may get a (short) reprieve this Friday, Sunday and Monday.  If so, I'll be out there somewhere.
So bicycling during these mini-monsoons is not going to be very dry, much less very safe.  If you venture out, please be careful around cars.  Rainy weather makes it hard for them to see you.
However the main difference is with the temperatures.  The daily highs have dropped by 10 - 15 degrees, even 20 degrees before and after a heavy rainfall.  It is now warm, instead of hot, with some lows in the (gasp) mid-50's!  I can do warm, all day.  Be sure to drink plenty of water.
For those who like to bicycle in a gentle rain, please be safe and avoid the daily thunderstorms.
As soon as this rainy spell ends, I'll be bicycling again on the local bike trails.  And I will be writing about it and the wonderful Florida fall weather.  I hope to see you out there!