The Rio Grande Trail, we rode the Carbondale to Emma Access portion of this trail.

We spent a couple of days to R&R in Glenwood Springs, CO. and although we WISH we were "strong/fast" riders and could ride the whole 42 miles from Glenwood Springs to Aspen CO on the Rio Grande Trail, LOL, we are NOT! So we rode a section of the Rio Grande Trail We rode a 20 mile RT from Carbondale, CO. to the Amma Trail Access Point, it was HOT, 95F but a little cooler as we rode next to the Roaring River the RGT follows. We loaded the trikes in the van from our "camping cabin" in Glenwood Springs and started at the Carbondale, CO. Trail head, it's a great path, paved and mostly smooth, although there was a bit of trail damage here and there. If you'd like to see more photos, pls. see our Trikers Blog, the link is in my signature!



https://www.rfta.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/trailmap.pdf

 

Lucky for us we have a much lower humidity level say normally, 10-25% level, than you folks BUT, remember it's at 9000ft.+ of altitude so the SUN seems hotter in the thinner air!!! LOL, we still SWEAT a LOT no matter where we RIDE!

 

Sea level oxygen is about 20.9%. For me here at 1,200 ft. elevation it's about 20%. At 5,000 ft. (Boulder, CO) it's 17.3%. BJ's 9,000 ft. is 14.8%, only 3/4 of here in east TN. We planned to do a bit of hiking on Pikes Peak at 14,000 ft., but the 12.3% oxygen (approaching half of at home) turned it into a few hundred meter walk. Then there's less than 7% on Mt. Everest but there are too many bikes there.

 

We live at 6000 ft. but even we struggle trying to hike up Pikes Peak, you really feel the difference above 11,000ft! The hike up the peak, has a mean little ending, the last 2000 ft. are set of 16 Z-shaped little switchbacks called the "16 Golden Stairs" to the summit! At 63, I don't know if I could do the hike to the summit again, now I enjoy the hike up Mt. Manitou (base of Barr Trail) to the Cabin at mid-point but that's max for this old man! Now the Pikes Peak Highway is paved but LOL, I could see me burning through a set of "disc brake pads" on the way down the Mnt. It was really SLICK when it was a "gravel road" coming down!!

 

I too lived at 6,000 feet for 2 years (Lesotho Africa) and coming home I stopped and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.



(I was a lot younger then and in much better condition.) I can attest to what altitude does to you. I climbed up (with a Guide and 1 porter but I still carried my own backpack) to 15,000 feet and stayed an extra day to acclimate. Still the final 4,391 feet was a zip zag straight up (like you described). I felt like a fish out of water. Breathing hard and not seeming to get any oxygen in my lungs.

We started at 3 am (yes in the morning) and got to the top just at sunrise. Spectacular. Stayed about 30 minutes then headed back down. Going down was fun. Each of us had a walking stick. The guide locked his arm in mine, and we took a step straight out and slid / jumped down the skee side. We were down in no time flat. But what a rush. Glad the guide knew what he was doing. Between 4 legs and 2 hiking poles we managed to stay upright and somewhat under control. WHEW!!! Too old for that now!!!!

 

Wow what a view, never thought of Africa with that altitude, sounds like quite an adventure!!

 

Kilimanjaro is on the equator, yet there is and glacier on the top all year round. I had to wear a down jacket, gloves and balaclava to climb up there.

Hey Dave, What is the % oxygen at 19,391 feet?

 

!0% O2 at 19,000 feet, more or less. Half of here at home (non-mountains in East TN). Charts categorize from Low to Ultra. This falls into the 2nd lowest category, Extreme.

Jon, riding at the beach you'll pick up an extra 1% compared to home. You should be able to go all day.

 

Thanks Dave. I knew you would know.