Search Results for "Pueblo State Park" : 2

Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

-John Muir, Our National Parks, 1901

Evening in the desert

Each time I go out into the world, I feel peace as the sun warms my skin. I feel the freshness of the winds and the energy of the storms. Even in the harsh climates of the desert, where the wind will scour you with sand, and the storms will rock you to the core.

Last weekend, we went looking for some sun and peace in the desert of southern Colorado. We packed up our bikes and trailer, and snagged a campsite in Lake Pueblo State Park. The desert sun and desert winds were there for us to enjoy.

Our Campsite at Lake Pueblo State Park

This was my first time in this state park, and I was surprised at how much there is to do here. The park has miles of exciting single track for mountain bikers. Some trails run along the ridge lines of eroding sandstone bluffs, others wind through narrow rocky canyons, thick cholla forests and dry desert arroyos.

Wanna ride?

G even got in on the mountain biking on this trip. He took his strider out on the Conduit Trail and took off! We were a little worried about his control when surrounded by hazards like cactus and steep hills, but he stayed right on the trail and had a ball.

The lake is the other major draw for this park. The marina and ample fishing make this a big local recreation site. The lake winds between sandstone bluffs, a little like Lake Powell, making a fun place to explore by kayak or canoe as well.

Playing in Lake Pueblo

As the sun set on our day of adventure Saturday, I watched Kelvin-Helmholtz waves appear in the sky above our campground. It made for a beautiful sunset, but as an atmospheric scientist, I should have known what those clouds meant.

Kelvin-Helmholtz Wave Instability

Around midnight, the wind kicked up hard. We had sustained winds of 50-60 mph for two or more hours. Our trailer is all hard-sided, so, thankfully, we didn’t have flapping tents or swaying popup supports to deal with. But it was scary enough in our trailer for us to all huddle together in bed. G slept through the whole thing. Mark and I stayed wide awake, ready to grab the kiddo and take off if needed.

Dusk and Breezy

On Sunday, the winds had calmed and the sun was out. Mark and I each took another loop of riding, and we each found a new beautiful spot hidden back in the canyons. I found a windless and sunny gully to bask in for a few minutes. Mark found a canyon filled with cairns along a trail named “Stonehenge.”

Cholla Canyon

We headed home, noting the swirling dust and sand in the desert north of Pueblo. And then we hit a road-block, as I-25 north of Pueblo was closed due to a sandstorm. We drove off the shoulder of the Interstate onto the outer road, dragging our little trailer through the weed and trash filled ditch and over a small embankment. Then we hit a dirt road next to the interstate and plowed through the sandstorm like we knew what we were doing.

G slept the whole time.

The winds howled down a mountain valley, filling the air with yellow dust and reducing visibility to nothing. The trailer rocked the entire truck when it was slammed by the gust. Mark kept a calm head and drove through maintaining his speed. I squinted into the dimness and prayed that nobody was stopped in front of us.

G snored.

The kid loves camping!

And we made it home. Later than we expected, but otherwise fine. We were sun burnt, wind burnt, scoured, dirty, sweaty, tired, and happy.

Riding with Daddy

This is a blog post I never thought I would be writing, for a couple of reasons. The first is that I continually describe myself as a “rock climber” and mountain biking was low on our list of things to do with a toddler. The second is that I never thought I would have a two year old capable of mountain biking!

Cruising down the little dips and bumps around Fruita

After a spring of snow in along the front range, we have been desperate to get out to the desert. We had such a good time in Pueblo that we decided to make the five hour drive out to Fruita and do it all over again. It turns out, even a rock climbing family can have a lot of fun mountain biking. And it might be time to add another chapter to the story we tell about ourselves.

We chose to spend our weekend riding around the trails at 18 Road, in the desert north of Fruita, because they include smaller loops that allow Mark and I to take turns while the kiddo plays at the trailhead. Also, because the Kessel Run is the most fun I’ve ever had on two wheels.

Hanging with new friends at the trailhead parking lot

The Kessel Run – Miles and miles of just plain awesome

And on Saturday, we got to do just that. Mark and I took turns riding the Kessel Run while the other parent played with the G-kid around the trailhead. Early in the afternoon, though, G made friends with a 4 year old girl who was camping with her mountain biking parents and riding her own pedal bike all around the trails that day. G hopped on his strider and they took off on some of the smaller hills and flat trails around the unrestricted camping area. I had to run hard to try and keep up with him. He is really getting fast!

Taking the Strider out the Vegitarian trail

The little girl’s family had a sweet camp set up in the campground, and they offered Mark and I a place to relax out of the sun and away from the dust and noise in the parking lot. G and his new friend painted rocks (and each other) with water colors, played with shovels and toy construction equipment, and generally had a great time.

While they were relaxing and playing, I took a trip up the Vegitarian loop and around Down-Upity. These trails weren’t on my map or in our guidebook, suggesting some new trail building in the area recently. I had a great time. The technical curves and steep hillsides around Down-Upity were full of delicate, precise riding that helped me feel like I am building more control in my biking. These trails are less popular, and I saw more desert wildlife. Several large lizards and interesting birds ran from the sage along the edges of the trail.

Intersection of Vegetarian and Down Upitity

The Down Upitity Trail

On Sunday we came back with our trailer and nabbed a free campsite as the campground emptied (I’ll write more on camping in future post). G napped in the shady trailer while Mark and I took turns cranking out miles. Mark rode down PBR (Pumps Bumps and Rollers) which was full of whoop-di-whoops and giant bike jumps. I rode up Prime Cut for the first time and remembered how to shift appropriately on short, steep, up-hills. I rode down Kessel run for a second… ok, maybe third… time. Mark took a loop through the Vegetarian to Down-Upitity landscape and enjoyed it immensely.

Up the Prime Cut

And as soon as the Go-Kid woke from his nap, he was demanding bike rides. He probably spent 2 hours flying around the Fruita landscape, scooting, riding, rolling, running, and squealing with joy the whole time.

Go-Kid on a Desert Landscape

Riding around 18 Road

When I was pregnant, I read stories of family adventures and imagined what our story might be like. I imagined sport crags and climbing gear, a kiddo who loved rocks and dirt and sun and … climbing. But what we have is even better! A kid who loves rocks and dirt and sun, and bikes as well, and I never knew it was possible.