Silverthorne to Fairplay

Riding along the bike path from Silverthorne to Breckenridge, CO.

 

Getting lost and confused outside Silverthorne!

Day 6 - Silverthorne, Frisco, Breckenridge, Blue River, Alma and Fairplay.
 

Today we are following a fairly steady 88 km ride through various tourist towns, with side roads and bike paths available all the way to Breckenridge.  Once out of Breckenridge, we have a climb up Hoosier Pass (11,542' elevation), followed by a descent into Fairplay.

We left Silverthorne early to look for the bike path to Frisco, but we were unable to find it so we accidently found ourselves starting our day on interstate 70.  Luckily we were promptly pulled over by a local police officer and were politely advised that we shouldn’t be on the interstate, mam! 

We made a quick u-turn (chaperoned by our police officer) and eventually located the 16 mile bike path that took us all the way into Breckenridge.  It is a great scenic ride and a welcome change from cycling on the highway. 

We stopped for lunch and a walk in Breckenridge (great town to spend a few hours), before once again crossing the Continental Divide to our next mountain pass, 'Hoosier Pass' (elevation 11,539 ft).

‘Hoosier Pass’ is a 4 mile climb and by this point I am starting to get a bit cocky...the climbs are getting easier and even enjoyable!

 

From Hoosier Pass, we enjoyed a nice descent and bike road into Alma. Once in Alma, our next stop was ‘Airways’ which we discovered is the inspiration for South Park!

Our highlight was the ice-cream shop and the Mexican takeaway that was opposite, making for a great dinner at the campground!

We had an easy descent into Fairplay, covering over 15 miles in less than an hour!  We arrived at the campsite just after six o'clock and as it was Labour Day weekend there were plenty of people to talk to around the camp fire.

 

Starting point: Silverthorne, CO
End point: Buffalo Springs, CO
Total distance: 88 kms
Campground: Buffalo Springs Campground