Here are Nancy's thoughts riding up to 12,000 ft Cottonwood Pass:

I ride up Cottonwood Pass
To the snowfields
From Buena Vista to Gunnison
I crank, I pedal, I rest
I ride to the snowfield.
I pedal, I spin, I eat and rest.
I ride to the snowfield
I join Randy; I join Mark
We ride on to the snowfield
Clawing, focus, bit by bit.
I ride in the snowfield.
Dandelions grow
Bonsai trees scratch a living, surviving in the snowfield,
as I ride

I ride in the snowfields
in the June sunny day
Sun encouraging me up the pass
Afternoon showers teasing
but never do they open up upon us, as I
ride in the snowfield.
The pass appears at the end of the snowfield,
I ride the line, the grade
Up past the trees, the flowers,
up into the snowfields.
I am strong, I can ride
I breathe the air from the snowfields.
I ride above the snowfields
I plant my feet
I am here.