Joy's friends were driving all the way from southern California to compete in the slalom kayak even at FibArk in Salida, so we decided to come join them. We watched the race (I think he got second overall, which is pretty dang good considering how many competitors there were), the rodeo kayakers, perused town, Darren shuttled Joy and I so we could do a little kayaking ourselves, then we gawked and laughed at the Hooligan Race. It was amazing. People had spent much time and money putting together crazy rafts of varying themes and tried to race them down the river meanwhile most assuredly getting torn apart. The best was the "natural disaster" raft that had a real life forest fire on it.
Joy and I getting ready to attack a very difficult section of the Arkansas
The Hooligan Race!
Prisoners escaping on beds
The exercise ball and noodle catepillar
The Natural Disaster Float. It won people's choice award.
A stop at Barr Camp
Darren hiked his bike all the way up the 13 plus miles up the peak. I think he was only able to bike an eighth or so of it.
At the Cirque. I was selfishly glad Darren hiked his bike, because I was able to hike at a slower rate.
At the top!
Preparing for our descent. Unfortunately Grant was the only one that made it all the way down. The rest of us got stopped by a ranger half way down who made us take vehicles down the rest of the way (We didn't know we couldn't do it. In fact there is a company called Pikes Peak by Bike that takes people to the top so they can ride down. There must be some sort of agreement there.). Some friendly retired southern Californians took Darren and I down in their truck and Joy got a ride with the people that had brought the rest of our bikes to the top. Past the last gate we met up with Grant and all rode the rest of the way home. Overall, we still had a lot of fun and got to experience the tight corners and steepness of the road.
