2020 Virtual RAGBRAI Day 4

When planning and riding on Day 3, I noticed several other trails meandering generally east-west through Denver's northern suburbs. For Day 4, I found that if I linked enough of them together and combined it with a trip around Barr Lake, I'd have the right distance for Day 4. My luck with these trail systems had been pretty good thus far, so Barr Lake and back sounded like a good plan for today.

I saw a lot of scenes like this - a lone path along some drainage greenway through some suburban neighborhood. Sometimes the path is straight and fast, other times it curves around and around not only slowing my pace, but messing with my sense of direction, too.

Another crossing this week of the Platte River. It looks and smells nicer here than where I typically cross it in Denver.

Nice bridge! I'm so appreciative of all the infrastructure investments it's taken to make these trails possible.

The 8.5-mile loop around Barr Lake was quiet and maybe with calling "rustic." This is one of the most developed parts. The section of trail on the far end of the loop away from the parking lot was much more overgrown.

You can't really make it out in this photo, but that white dot in the lake is a pelican who was fishing and eating as I watched. Bird watching seems to be a specialty at Barr Lake.

I stitched together too many trails today to keep track of them all, so sometimes I stop and grab a picture with a trail sign in it. This trail took me away from Brighton and toward the Platte River.

Trail infrastructure isn't just concrete paths and bridges. A spot for a nature break here and there is also a very nice consideration.

I'm more geared up than usual these days. One, the buff/maska for sun and virus protection, and two, the CamelBak to keep me hydrated on these long, hot rides.

Trails through some of these suburban areas feature tight passageways through properties and a lot of street crossings. It's not always great for going fast, but the shade is a welcome relief from the midday sun.

I turned around and rode back several hundred meters just so I could get this picture for this caption: "More people otter be riding a virtual RAGBRAI."

The last few miles of my day were largely on gravel across these open spaces of Broomfield. It was tough going since the trail winded up, down, and around and some of the gravel was pretty loose for road tires.