Free Ranger, not Front Ranger

Simplicity is freedom. Leave behind your daily life, the stress, the commitments, the routine. Swap it out for two wheels and a couple bike bags - hit the dirt, hit the woods, hit the ganja. It's Friday, the arduous 5-day work week has come to an end, with that new adventures loom on the horizon. Our wheels hit that loamy dirt at 5:30pm on the dot. Up the Magnolia hump to the P2P highway - take me away to that thin air I crave. Take me away to those big rock candy mountains, to that lake of whiskey and the cigarette trees. Salt stains begin to show and we are thirsty. It's Friday after all, so we decide to creep to the Stage Stop for a few IPA's and some dinner before flying west to Jenny Lake for the night. Scarf, scarf, sip sip, chug, chug and we are off.

Lights lit with dem belly's full, we roll out to Rollins Pass and camp for the night - at 10:50pm we establish beach front sleeping quarters. Damnit, my sleeping pad deflates. Fucking Big Agnes gear.... I've now had one sleeping bag and two sleeping pads fail from them. Not sure why I continue to buy their gear, oh yea because it's fucking cheap! Lesson learned.

The wind howled like the wild wolves in all of us. 'The way I'm sleeping my back and shoulders tired, but tomorrow I'll be satisfied.' The stars faded and the sun illuminated. Finally, it was time to rise up and roll out. Rollins pass to Vail lay ahead as we snapped on our salty chamois'. Breakfast on the mind.

Starry eyed and pax'ed to the max, we found some grub and continued out CR 5 to Ute Pass. Some damn fine dirt over yonder stoked the fire in our tired minds. Tunnels of aspen trees, smooth earth, and no traffic.

Pushing the limits of our grateful gravel bikes we march on to Silverthorne and 7 Eleven. Mmm, 7 Eleven, coke, chips and donuts. Bike path it to East Vail for the night. More IPAs, more JAH and a solid night of sleep. The following day it's back to the Front Range. Despising the return to the armpit of the Rockies, but I must.... for now. I go. Change is coming. Wheels are turning. I'm planning my escape to the West side of the great divide.

Less people, more space. Room to roam. Soon I hope to be a free ranger, not a front ranger.