Day Six of Riding (Friday):
Our last of riding before we have to leave. After all of attempts to find Poughkeepsie Gulch we were determined to find it today. Steve stayed back at camp while the rest of us tried the trail. Getting to Poughkeepsie proved pretty easy after all. A quick jump onto the Alpine Loop towards Engineer Pass , and there was the sign, it did exist! I don't know how the hell we missed it. Poughkeepsie Gulch is known for its 3000 yard patch of loose rocks that would be better described as small boulders. Ralph and Mike were in the front, and I brought up the rear. My first attempt stalled after about 100 yards. My bike was geared too high, and it really showed here. To ascend up Poughkeepsie you need to be able to ride slow and have a great deal of available torque at all times. While Mike and Ralph kept chugging up the hill I tried it another time but to no avail. Then I saw an alternate path and thought I could bypass the rocks. This little trial was also difficult but not as difficult as the main trail. I got up even with Mike about 2000 yards up but the trail I was on dead ended. I yelled for them to go on, and went back down to try one last time. This time I didn't make it as far as I had the second time so I turned and went back. Back in camp I gathered up Steve for a ride to either Four Corners or at least Durango . We started out but a nasty looking storm was brewing to the south so we grabbed a bar stool in Ouray. Mike and Ralph told us of their experience on Poughkeepsie and made me quite jealous that I could not make it. When they got to the end of the rocks they were confronted with the "Wall". After several tries they both were able to make it to the top. Triumphant, they rode back to camp. That night we packed our things for an early morning departure.
