Cheyenne Canyon Riding

Sunday I went for a long mountain bike ride. Jane couldn't come, so I struck out alone. Just a couple miles from my new place is the beginning of the Chutes, a fun trail that I like to climb to get to many of the other trails in the area. As I topped out the Chutes and started heading towards Buckhorn Trail, I ran into one of the guys from my favorite local shop and his wife.
I tagged along with them as the dropped into Upper Columbine, and I worked on making every single switchback in the trail. Switchbacks became the theme of my ride as I thanked the shop couple for letting me join. They headed back while I made for Buckhorn, spinning up it in the granny gear, husbanding my energy for the switchbacks. Then I started going downhill. Captain Jack's is a much talked about trail, and deservedly so. It's washed out, loose, and decidedly dicey in spots. I love it. I dropped down like a white girl on the dance floor, flying out from the bottom of the trail, and continued straight onto Middle Columbine, which is even more loose and dicey. In short order, I was back where I began with a grin on my face, having made every switchback I found, both up and down.