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June 9, 2023
Mt Evans - Friday 6/9/2023
Today is Friday, June 9th, 2023.
Guanella Pass opened for Memorial Day weekend this year on Friday May 26th, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
I summited Guanella Pass on the Africa Twin the next day on Saturday May 27th at 6:35 p.m. from South to North.
When I got home, the neighbors were having a little get-together, so I went down there and had a few drinks with them, smoked a cigar, then came home and crashed.
When I woke up the next morning (Sunday May 28th), I couldn't really see out of my right eye. And I didn't really know why my right eye wasn't working. I did notice that, if I took off my glasses, I could see basically the same out of each eye (very blurry, unfocused). But if I put my glasses back on, I could see fine out of my left eye. But my right eye couldn't really focus onto anything. I was essentially blind in my right eye. Just blurry vision and occasional tears in my right eye.
I wasn't sure what to do. I stopped riding my motorcycle. Even driving the Jeep or Tahoe was dangerous because I didn't really have any depth of field with only one eye functioning properly. I didn't go to any more parties. Mostly, I just stayed in bed, wondering what went wrong with my vision.
Eventually, Jennifer made an appointment for me to go see an eye doctor at LensCrafters down in Belmar shopping center in Lakewood. Now, mind you, Jennifer is in Hawaii. But somehow, she made me an appointment from halfway around the world today, and I was able to drive down the hill in the Jeep Wrangler TJ for my appointment.
I did all of the vision tests where they check to measure/grade your vision. As expected, I did fine with my left eye, but my right eye, not so much. After the lady scratched her head for some time studying the results, she called me back into the room and said that she thought that I had two contact lenses in one eye. So, I reached into my right eye and, lo and behold, I pulled out 2 contact lenses. Immediately, my vision was back to 100% in my right eye. Problem solved.
So, I drove the Jeep home and, now that I could see again, decided to go for a little motorcycle ride. I verified that Mt Evans was open for the season
"As of 8 a.m. on Friday, May 26, Mount Evans Highway (CO 5) is open to the public for the 2023 season."
So, Mt Evans has been open for the season for two weeks. Today (Friday June 9th), I climbed back on my motorcycle and headed up Squaw Pass from Evergreen. I left the house at 5:00 p.m. 64° F, then rode up Squaw Pass to Echo Lake. I got to the little Ranger Station at 6:10 p.m., just as they were closing for the day. But of course, the road to the summit was still open, so I continued up to the summit.
When I reached the summit at 6:45 p.m., the temperature had dropped to 38° F. Turned around and headed back down to Echo Lake. Then North to Idaho Springs, and back to Evergreen via I-70. Made it home by 8:19 p.m.
So, I didn't ride from Sunday May 28th through Thursday June 8th. (I rode on Saturday May 27th and Friday June 9th).
Saturday May 27th - Rode
Sunday May 28th - Could not ride.
[...]
Thursday June 8th - Could not ride.
Friday June 9th - Rode
So, I couldn't ride for 12 days - Sunday May 28th (Could not ride) through Thursday June 8th (Could not ride) .
I will point out that I didn't pay to ride up to the summit of Mount Evans. No one has to pay, ever. Just tell them that you're going to ride to the top, then turn around and come down. It's a state highway. They can't charge you to drive on I-70. And they can't charge you to drive up to the summit of Mount Evans on Colorado State Highway 5, because your taxes have already paid for the road.
So, I was glad to be back on the bike today. I stopped by Evergreen Lake to watch the baby elk. Then I got home (8:19 p.m.) before dark so I wouldn't run into any wildlife on the way home. Glad to be back on the bike again. :)
Posted by Rob Kiser on June 9, 2023 at 9:19 PM
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