Bridges of the Butte

Two nights ago I met a girl named Sunny (who works at J.C. Leacock's photography shop) during the Art Walk.  She's from Fort Worth but moved to CB several years ago, and knows many people around CB.  Walking the streets with her is like a tour of who's-who in Crested Butte.  Handy for the new girl!  We went to eat and get drinks at the Secret Stash (delicious strawberry mojito, don't mind if I do!).  She and I have a lot in common even though we've had very different lives.  She's a nice friend to talk with. :)

This morning I took it very easy.  I made myself a scrambled egg and steel cut oats breakfast, I wrote a few letters, and I rolled out my legs to keep them loose while standing for four hours.  I made myself a pbj for lunch, and then left for the Bridges of the Butte race.  I signed in at the starting line and then went to Totem Pole Park.  It's near the Dogwood bar, and next to the Slate River.  Many bridges span the Slate throughout the town, and the Bridges race crosses most of them.  It's a really fun event; young people, old people, little kids with teeny bikes, and crazy people with jerry-rigged bikes (including a guy who did laps with only his back tire on his bike; he was essentially a doing a "wheelie" all around the two-mile course!) all come to ride  for as long as they like.  Some people get sponsored to ride all 24 hours, each lap earning them more money for the ASC.  Some just ride for the fun of being together in the small town.  It's awesome, and everyone is so appreciative of each other. <3

It was a bit cloudy today for the most part.  For twenty minutes the sun came out in earnest and burned one of my legs.  Yep.  One.  Singular.  Leg.  Ah well, small sacrifice for a fun cause.  :)  I had a two hour shift, and while I was there Sunny showed up to write in her journal by the river.  I have to admit, it seems an inspirational place to write.  She rode a circuit around the race, and by the time she was finished it was time for my shift to be through.  She loaned me her townie so I could make a few laps while she wrote by the river.  After my first shift ended we ate sushi at the Lobar (my first trip!).  It was pretty good dinner, and again a great conversation.  It rained a bit while we sat under the awning outside; sweet nectar of life!  ;D Soon enough though it was time to go do my second shift of the night.

It was beginning to get dark as I started my shift.  I saw a lot of new people starting their ride.  This included a dude who towed both a generator and a TV (that was showing Top Gun) behind his bike as he rode.  I LOVE this town! :D  Soon the birds were tucking in for the night, the wind was picking up, and the temperature started dropping.  By the end of my shift it was in the low 50's, but I couldn't help but be tempted by the residents walking around with ice cream cones.  I know, I know...loopy Texan.  But still, I hadn't had a chance to try the new ice cream parlor in town yet!  I bought an ice cream sandwich with strawberry fudge ice cream on homemade chocolate cookies.  I walked back to my car with frozen fingers, nose, and lips, but very pleased overall. :)  That is until it began to drip down my wrist on the car ride home, which I must say is very dark and curvy. Not an ideal place to get distracted by cold, sticky ice cream!  I made it home safe and sound in the end.  Tomorrow is another day of volunteering; wish me luck!

Bike week

This week is Bike Week in CB.  This means that a series of bike related events are happening.  For example, a group of cyclists from Arizona flooded into the town, taking over the soccer (and Ultimate Frisbee) field with their tents and port-o potties.  They're on a crazy long ride from Arizona to Canada, and they stopped in CB for a rest day.  There's also a bunch of mountain biking seminars and trials of fancy new equipment each day.  Quite the hustle-bustle scene. :)

Today we had an exciting event: the Chainless Bike Race.  That's right, no chains!  The race starts up on top of Kebler Pass (near where Steve and I got engaged), and the participants coast, or "Flinstone-foot" their way to the bottom.  The finish line is in town right at the end of Elk Ave (the main street in CB), and the residents gather to cheer on the riders.  Everybody dresses up in silly costumes and haul butt down the pass with no brakes.  It's crazy fun to watch them come around the bend at full speed in their ridiculous outfits. :)  And of course I got lots of pictures!

Tomorrow is the 24-hour Bridges of the Butte event, and I'm excited to help guide traffic AND ride a few laps on my new bike!!! (pictures coming soon)

 

 

 

 

 

And of course, there were cute pups all around! <3