Val and I had driven this pass a few days earlier after our ride from Breckenridge (see Training for France blog) because we had been told it is spectacular . . . and it didn't disappoint. Here's a selfie Val and I took from the summit looking south:

And here's a picture looking north towards Georgetown:

To prove we were there with bikes, here's a picture of Matt and me today at the summit . . . for the second time! Note that I was too tired to zip up my jersey or take off my sunglasses. That's because we had just climbed nearly 6,500 vertical feet in only 34 miles and I was exhausted! Fortunately all we had left was a 12 mile descent back to the car where we started.

Perhaps best of all, there happened to be a great BBQ stand less than a mile from where we parked, so we all chowed down on the "Hungry Man Plate" of delicious brisket, pulled port and a rib. It was exactly what we all needed after a very difficult day on the bike.
Happy 4th!
PS. We leave for France two weeks from today . . . can't wait!