Wild Rose Pass

Wild Rose Pass

Fort Davis, Texas

September 9, 2017  

Christine readies for a ride from a roadside park just below Wild Rose Pass with the destination of Balmorhea about 25 miles down the road. (I was coming down with a cold and sat this one out).

The ride from Fort Davis to Balmorhea is a popular one among riders as it is "mostly" downhill.  Annually, the Permian Basin Bike Club will ride from Prude Ranch to Balmorhea and then have a trailer to SAG the bikes back to the Prude. Lots of fun as the ride back is of course mostly uphill.  

 Not that the ride to Balmorhea is without the inclines, but Christine is undaunted as she shows off her Trek XM 700. I think we reported that she got it in March and immediately loved the bike. Love that pedal assist!

 The ride is filled with scenic views rugged granite outcrops. The shown incline is normally a bit steep on a "normal" bike, but jumping ahead of the story, Christine finished the ride with a 22 mph average. 

  

 Hill? What hill?

 

 Christine yelled at me for taking so many pictures of her that I thought I had better back off a while.

 Just concentrate on the views. 

 

 We will be back in this area next weekend for the Fort Davis Cyclefest.

 We had an ulterior motive for this trip. 

 We were thinking of riding the Mt. Locke race on Sunday. 

 As we were not sure of making it up the mountain even with our super-bikes, if we were to fail we wanted no "witnesses."

 We did not fail. Christine is thinking of doing the 1.5 mile race and I the 7 mile race.

 Previously, I had called a race official and stated that I had an ebike, so could I ride? 

 He said sure I could ride, I just couldn't win. Not a problem!! I have stated that the ebike takes 50 years off my age, but that still makes me an old man in a race. So, I will be out there to have fun.

 Gradually, Christine gets to the foothills.

 Closer to Balmorhea we get back into desert-like terrain where one can see forever. 

Finishing her ride, Christine is a happy biker. And if anyone has read any of our stories in the last nine years, it is acknowledged that 22 mph average...ain't us, it's the bikes.