It's always a treat to ride the James Canyon Jaunt 200k Permanent. Especially when it's a recovery ride after Cathy Cramer's Bishop Castle 207k Perm the day before.
But what an enhanced treat to encounter friends from the ultra and rando worlds at seemingly every turn!
Here's John Hughes - ultra coach, ultra-race winner, randonneur, and former head of the Ultra-Marathon Cycling Association - at the Greenbriar, after a climb up Lefthand Canyon.
Terri Gooch and husband George Thomas - RAAM veterans and organizers of the Race Across Oregon - were just starting their climb up Lefthand.
Closer to Loveland, John Mangin was testing out his new vintage De Rosa and comparing notes with my green De Rosa (from the same era!). He shared ruminations about the Colorado High Country 1200 he just finished, and his second Paris-Brest-Paris next year that he's already strategizing about. Look at that elegant bike!
While John and I were chatting, Ray Rupel saunters by in his rare long-sleeved RUSA jersey, on the final stretch of the Platteville Poke-Along 200k Permanent. He's also thinking about PBP ... and the R-12.
Sometimes you don't need a big event to meet riding pals. Sometimes the rando/ultra vortex is enough!
-jle
