Breck to Frisco

Starting our outing today on the Blue River Recreation Path as we skijored from Breckenridge, CO to Frisco, CO. Wheeee!

Catching air to start the day. Powerful and fast kids!!!!

If you look closely at the prior photo, you can see the following: 1) a bridge ahead of us where we will cross over the Blue River running between Breckenridge and Frisco; and 2) just above the bridge is a semi truck on Highway 9 that also runs between Breckenridge and Frisco.

Once we crossed that upcoming bridge in the prior photo, the rec path then mirrors both Highway 9 and the Blue River going from Breck to Frisco. Along the way we get many opportunities to skijor close enough to Highway 9 that cars notice us and honk and holler/cheer at the crazy sled dogs propelling the dude on skis quickly along the rec path :)

Close enough to Highway 9 to attract attentions and cheers from
cars on the highway.

We had some chores to do in Frisco this morning, so Nancy dropped us off on the rec path and drove to Frisco to do the chores. Jack, Rudy and I, on the other hand, skijored from Breckenridge to Frisco. The question was, would Nancy finish the chores before or after Jack & Rudy towed me quickly from one town to the next. Well, the rec path gets groomed a few times a week. When it is freshly groomed, we go so fast that I am sure we would have beat Nancy. But, take a look at the prior and next photo and you'll see the path was not recently groomed and a little beat up in areas. Not a problem but it did slow us a little bit.

This is about as close as we get to the highway from the rec path.
Today was our first every "approving honk" from a bus! What fun!

Along the way several roads and driveways turn from Highway 9 and cross over the rec path. At each such road crossing, I must take off my skis, cross the road and then put the skis back on. Well, I'm super fast at getting the skis off but never fast enough for Jack & Rudy to put them back on. So, we get this after each road crossing while I put my skis on:

The silly kids rolling snow angels while they wait for me to put my
skis back on after crossing the driveway from Highway 9 into the
Breckenridge Building Center.

The grooming of the rec path is done as follows: 1) the Gold Run Nordic Center (in Breckenridge) grooms about 2/3rds of the rec path from Breckenridge to Frisco; and 2) the Frisco Nordic Center grooms the last 1/3 from the handoff point from Gold Run to Frisco. While we did not get a fresh groom on the "gold run stretch" we DID get a very recent groom on the "frisco stretch" - so fun to floor it this last 1/3 of the outing. 

As we approach the finish in Frisco, we pass by a stable with lots of horses & mules nearby. This always distracts Jack & Rudy; but they simply "glance & fly by" (most of the time :)

Stables to the right while Jack & Rudy continue fast to catch air while
glancing towards the stables.

Today's video highlight goes along with the prior photo. Come along and watch as we are skijoring the recently groomed "frisco leg" of the morning. After whipping around a few fun corners, the stable will come into view to our right. If your volume is up, you'll hear me giving Jack & Rudy a little verbal encouragement to keep running on by the stable. Well, as you'll see in the video: success - speeding by the stable with only the slightest of glances at all the horses! Good boys!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Jack & Rudy really enjoy this sprint from Breckenridge to Frisco - see for yourselves:

"We had a BLAST!" says the happy, happy kids awaiting end of run treats
from atop a little snow wall.

If you're curious: Nancy beat us to the meeting point today - primarily due to the somewhat choppy and beat up trail conditions the first 2/3rds of the outing. We'll race again and I know we can beat her if the conditions permit :)  8.4 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2023/2024 Season to Date: 82 days on the trails covering 686.4 miles with 65,800 feet of elevation climbed.