Jeff Schmerker
Dodging storms in Upper Eightmile
It was not clear where the National Forest land began, so I pulled the truck over at the first wide spot in the road and we went from there. The first section was uphill and steep, so I had Cooper in the Chariot and his bike attached to the back. He was soon asleep, so I pounded out 2000 vertical feet in the absence of toddler musings and endless questionings. I was hoping to make the proper saddle, even though I doubted there would be a view, but several miles short of that Cooper woke up and got antsy. It was still too steep for him to bike uphill, so we turned around and went down -- a six-mile free-wheeler that was fun for me and funner for him -- as long as he was not too close to the edge.
It was a long way down.
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