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Success- we found internet in Leadville!  A (hopefully) quick recap on Day 2:

Last night after Stage 1, the TransRockies Crew prepped us for what Stage 2 would bring- a TON of elevation gain, a long, steep climb and some steep, rocky trails on the way down.  I love hills, so I figured I was all set.

The wind was strong and loud last night, so we stumbled down to breakfast to join the other sleep-deprived campers.  Not too much later, I boarded the shuttle to the start line in Vicksburg.

Knowing what was ahead, I paced nice and easy for the first 2 miles. Just as promised, the gradual incline turned into steep, single-track, rocky trail.  Single-file, we marched up the slope at a slow and steady pace.  After not too long, a lot of us “sea level dwellers” were feeling the altitude and stopped to catch our breath.  It took what felt like hours to get to the peak, but 2.5 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain later, we were rewarded with…this:

I took a handful of pictures, but they really don’t do the scenery justice.  It was so beautiful, clear, and serene.  But, the wind and altitude made it easy to chill quickly, so on we went down the back side.

Next up was the 2nd aid station, with supplies carried up by LLAMAS!  Given the tricky placement of the aid and the difficulty of the trail, the only way to get water and GU up was with these adorable little guys.  SO cute.

The rest of the stage was either steep, rocky downhill which made for a good amount of hopping around rocks and tree stumps (and maybe a stumble or two), and flatter single track.  The trails were beautiful at every turn.

We wrapped around a little ghost town with empty wood cabins and Twin Lakes and made it to the finish.  I was thrilled to see Taylor, but less excited that she insisted on taking photos of me while I was soaking my legs in the lake.  I guess that’s what friends are for, right?

Rumor has it the internet looks less promising at tomorrow’s campsite, but I’ll get photos and stage recaps up as soon as I get to civilization.