The years first posted, and attended, Weekday Wheelers trail run was Monday, May 17th, 2010. We met at Marions in Idaho Springs for a very tasty and satisfying breakfast. The group consisted of Richard and Sheery Dillon (and Bonnie), Jim and Karen Chambers (and Daisy), Rich Stockton, and Keith and Sharon Gundy. We were giddy with excitement and ready to hit the trail because we knew the rest of the world was working and would not be in our way. With full bellys and freshly fueled, and very capable vehicles, we embarked on a day like no other. With the sun shining brightly we followed the Dillons up the hill to a new adventure. At least for this writer. The others have been up there ad nauseum. After Richard unloaded the Samuri, we willingly followed our selected leader for the day up into the mountains for some real jeepin'. First up, Elephant Hill. This would be tackled from Empire as we were not sure about snow amounts on the trail. We would be sure very soon. Dirt turned to mud. Mud turned to a stream. The stream, we found out, was from deep snow melting on the trail. As we watched the Dillons fling snow and go sideways and then stop, we knew we were in for a fight. One we weren't willing to get into. The slip and slide train was too much and the day was way too young and nice to spend it winching and digging out. So with much enthusiasm we tried another way. Again with the Dillons flinging snow and leading the way, or at least they thought they were, we watched them disappear over another snowy trail. Soon we saw the slippery Samuri heading our way with the news that we weren't going to make it this way either. Yet not to be totally defeated we went to plan B, which we just made up on the spot. And off we went to the Central City area in search of the Holy Trail.
After unloading the Samuri again and refueling our bellys we set off to Yankee Hill. Crossing muddy roads and several water holes, that would have swallowed lesser rigs by the way, we happily followed the Dillons, once again, into the mountains. After coming across several wild dirt bikes and a couple suspicious ATV's we were met by a rather stock pickup with a rather desperate looking young man. He stated he was stuck in the snow (an understatement) and wondered if we could help. This meant only one thing. We weren't gettin' up this one either. "Keith" and his dog Shelby were adopted by our patrol and we set off on a new quest. About two miles more up the trail, we found "Keith's" stock Grand Cherokee not only stuck, but completely off the trail and up against a rather slim pine. Once the brain trust assessed the situation, we pulled out every piece of equipment we had. Even if we didn't need it. Even if it made no sense. It just looked cool. ( I thought the yoga mat was over the top, but I was just one voice). So we rigged, and we wrapped, and we tied off, and we hitched, we calculated the hypotenuse of a triangle, and we huffed and we puffed and we pulled that boy from the bowels of the mountains back to life. IT'S ALIVE. After much rejoicing and picking up all our stuff (I still think the yoga mat was a bit much) we convinced the young man and his dog that they should join our merry band of wheelers and conquer a mountain. He agreed and we were back on track or trail as it was. With the Dillons once again at the helm we plowed, literally, up the trail and past our turn. Some times it pays to be a little slow and this time it payed off for the Chambers and the Gundys. We were told all would turning around to look for the turn off. We, as it turns out had stopped at said turn and watched the others return. Up this trail we went with renewed enthusiasm when we heard Sheery say "I don't think anyone has been up this trail this year yet". We knew it was time to turn around, make like a baby and head out.
As we staged at the trail head parking, airing and loading, we looked back over the day and decided that one save was pretty darn good. Had we not gone on this run, on this day, who knows what would have become of the young redheaded Keith and his faithful dog, Shelby. Who knows who may have eaten who (my money was on the dog) had we not snatched them from the jaws of an Alfred Packer situation. We may not have conquered a trail but we saved a young man with a wife and baby girl so he can go back out and get stuck again. Yes, the Weekday Wheelers agreed the day was a success and vowed to ride once again.
Keith
The embelishments used in this story were fabricated entirely by the author and any similarities to person living or not on the run are pure consequential.