Mill Creek Canyon, the 2007 Edition

Hi all,
Fall is here, and with the advent of fall, comes early snow, fall colors, and canyon hill climbing.
Yesterday, I took the time to enjoy my first canyon hill climb of the season.

Mill Creek Canyon was windy, cool, devoid of many people, and full of fall colors. Now, if we stick to the main subject of this blog and talk about the technical aspects of the ride, this will turn into a very boring post about chain rings, spin rate and the like. But for now, I would rather help you visualize the peace and quiet, the stiff winds, the lovely color, and the joy of being able to be outside on the bike on a nice fall day.

This was one of those days where I really didn’t care about my average speed, didn’t care about my cadence, heart rate, or anything else. I was just out enjoying the day.

Snow. Yes, I even found some snow at the top end of the canyon. Not a lot, but off to the side of the road on the south side that never gets any sun. This weekend’s weather forecast is calling for more, and perhaps the gate at Mill Creek will close for the season. So, I am even happier that I was able to enjoy this ride before the proverbial door closes.

Wind. Yes, there was a lot of wind. Strong from the south, it swirled in the canyon, making for a very interesting descent in the afternoon.

Fall Colors. Beautiful hues of red, gold, green, and layers and layers of color.
Peace and Quiet; Mill Creek is especially peaceful on weekdays, I think I saw no more than 8-10 cars during my 8.5-mile climb.

Time. I spent more time stopping to take pictures, listening to the rushing water in the creek, and breathing the fresh air than I did concentrating on riding the bike.
As it should be.

Happy Fall Riding.
Jim