Shakedown #2 - Durango to La Boca Ranch & Back

Shakedown #2 started on Friday night with a little ride up to a secret camp up Junction Creek Rd. Trying to find the balance between comfort while riding and encountering all types of weather and comfort while in camp has been a challenge from the start. The bike I am taking is not what you would call "Light" but unless I switch to the Jamis in the next two weeks I will be running the Specialized.

Saturday I headed down to the Farmers Market and picked up a few things to fuel me through the day. I was taking the route over Edgemont, down the Florida drainage and then take some of the less traveled county roads on my way to La Boca Ranch. I was hoping that the Smoking Moe's BBQ place in Ignacio would be open but no luck, then I must have chosen the worst place in town because no one was there except for the creepy owner who was over focused on his single customer. I pick up supplies at the local grocery and then my beverage for the evening and head south on the road east of the river to make my way to the ranch.


























Gabe Eggers - Executive Director of the La Boca Center shows me around the property and explains all the different aspects of the center as well as how important we understand where our food comes from, later in the evening Dan Verniero, La Boca's own Blacksmith, makes some fresh "Mozzarella Cheese" from the center's own cow - what a treat. As the evening wears on Gabe goes through his daily chores and we finish up the evening with some "leftovers" for diner, which includes "Romanesca" a plant that is related to the Cauliflower plant along with some other vegetable, chicken and pasta - whenever possible eat local.














I stay in the tent until the sun comes above the horizon and then start to get going for the day by cooking breakfast and saying goodbye as I set off for Igancio 7 miles north of La Boca. I stop at the Patio for a second breakfast and breathe in the diversity that makes up our great county as I finish off a plate of French Toast and a cup of ditch water.


























Traveling the county roads gives me a new sense as to where the line is drawn between hanging on by your finger nails and creating a new utopia based on a preconceived expectancy of some photo shoot in a magazine selling property. If the wind blows hard enough most of the building in the county would fall over.

Most of my route also takes me along the historic Denver & Rio Grande route which came through La Boca, Ignacio, Oxford and then into Durango after passing through Falfa (By Elmore's Corner) and Grandview on its way to town.

It was close to 60 kilometers each way to La Boca and back so this should give me an indicator as to how far I think I can pedal with the supplies I think that I need for such a trip in Europe.