Vail Mountain: Suffering Nicely

Mark Twain once said, “A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”  I’m sure Mark Twain didn’t have to attempt this to know how it would turn out but sometimes challenges present themselves and the outcome isn’t clear unless we try.

This was my motivation for my ride up Vail Mountain this past June.  Sure, for a seasoned pro or any well conditioned cyclist, riding up Vail Mountain is just another ride.  For me it would be somewhat of a larger challenge. You see just a week earlier my doctor had diagnosed me with exercise induced asthma along with prescribing Albuterol Sulfate aerosol, otherwise known as an inhaler.

At an elevation of over 8000 feet your lungs must work overtime and at the highest point of my ride I will be 1/3 the cruising altitude of a passenger jet.  For someone with strong lungs consequences might just mean a little more time in the hot tub.  For those with asthma the experience could be life threatening.  I knew what I was in for but for some strange reason it just didn’t matter “because all the really good looking girls would still go out with a guy from Camp Mohawk because they got all the money, uooh…”

My plan was simple, take the service road as high as I can until my lungs or my legs call it a day.  At that point I’ll catch one of the sweet downhill bike trails back to the Village.  The goal was to make it to Mid-Vail without stopping.  I also knew I would have to be as stubborn as that beach ball we try and hold under water. 

I chose to leave all my extra riding gear in the car and just take a water bottle, my camera and my Garmin Edge.  After taking one dose of my inhaler I began my trek from Vail Village at the Vista Bahn lift (8180 feet elevation).  The first few meters were quite steep but nothing I couldn’t handle.  From there it was a pretty steady climb with a few challenging switchbacks.  This time of year the road was very dusty.  The Dirt was so fine it felt like sand in some places and when a service vehicle would pass you would be overcome with dust, even Pig Pen would find this objectionable.

I must have been keeping an ok pace because I think only a couple of people passed me.  It got so steep in a couple of spots I had to traverse just to keep up my momentum.  This was my most ambitious ride ever, given my circumstances, and with each pedal stroke I could feel my heart pounding as I gasped for air. 
 

Nothing was making this easy for me-the sun was blazing, the dust and the thin air were taking their toll on my lungs; was it time to turn back?  I did get a burst of confidence as the words “my hero” came and went with a young woman on her way down the mountain.  Certainly doesn’t take a hero to climb the mountain on a bicycle but it sure was nice to hear.

There was only one hiccup along the way.  The road was closed about a mile from Mid-Vail and for a brief moment I thought I could turn back with no regrets.  Something inside me just couldn’t let go so I decided to wait and see if anyone would ride past the barrier.   Five minutes later I got my answer and my ride would continue.  I made it to Mid-Vail (10,150 feet elevation) when I placed a call to my significant other and although I could barely speak I felt I wasn’t done.  I assured her that I was ok and that I was going to continue.

I’ve climbed some treacherous terrain before but this was by far the longest and highest climb I’d ever attempted on a mountain bike.  After a 10 minute rest I had began to catch my breath and strangely I felt more energized.  When I finally reached Adventure Ridge (10,479 feet elevation) I stopped to decide if this was my limit. I looked around for a few moments at Vail down below, in my mind I was asking how many more times am I really going to be able to do this?  Avanti Express was within view and the road continued even further past that.  I’m no spring “chicken” and even though these rides get harder and harder with every passing year, in a faint voice I asked “if you feel you can go longer then don’t let your lungs stop you.”   My choice was clear so I headed for Avanti Express.  

This section turned out to be the steepest yet.  I was the only rider among many hikers and with every word of encouragement I pressed forward.  Like parting the Red Sea, the hikers happily cleared a path for me to follow.  I made it to the Avanti Express lift (10,807 feet elevation) where I finally stopped to enjoy the sights and smells.  The wind was blowing wildly but I managed to prop my bike up just long enough to snap a picture.  Not bad for a flat-lander from South Texas and after a little pat on the back, it was literally all downhill from here.  

Back at Adventure Ridge I had many trails to choose from and I made my choice: Big Mamba.  Before heading out I had thought about switching to platform pedals for better balance but ultimately decided to stick with clipless.  I haven’t been riding on clipless pedals for very long and what a big mistake it was on the Big Mamba.  Tip; unless you crave a soil sample, get used to your pedals first before attempting a difficult trail.  I had a few close calls with the loose dirt but with a little luck and a lot of might I made it down without a scratch.

This downhill can really test your skills.  There are a fair amount of rocks looking to slow you down, the Dirt is very loose and the switchbacks come fast and furious.  There were a few novice riders on this trail and many lay victim to the Mamba’s bite.  A smooth steady speed and feathering the brakes is key, stay off your seat and distribute your weight evenly over the bike and you’ll be fine.  If you’re riding outside your abilities get ready for the Malacci Crunch because there are plenty of boulders and trees to set you straight.  There’s no shame in taking it slow and never try this trail without a helmet, a BMX helmet I believe is the best option.  A good portion of this trail is through the trees and some of these switchbacks can be very dangerous at high speeds.  Ride in control at all times and enjoy some of the best downhill Colorado has to offer.

I set out to prove to myself that asthma wouldn’t hold me back.  It was a daunting task for sure and one I hope to do again.  Next time maybe I’ll try two loops. 

Catch this ride at Vail Mountain and don’t forget to click the green arrow on the map to watch these rides play out.  Thanks for checking in and happy trails.

Alan Romero