Saturday, June 19, 2010
Greetings from Wyoming! We got into Rawlins, WY this afternoon and are still on schedule. It was quite the week, we crossed three mtn. passes–two of 9600 ft. and one, Hoosier Pass, of 11, 542 ft. They were long climbs but not as steep as the Appalachians so we were able to pedal the entire way and not get off the bike and push. Don’t get me wrong, though, they were still tough climbs.
After 2400 miles or so I had my tires changed in Pueblo as I found numerous small cuts in them where you could lift a little piece of the tire away and see the tread and, in one spot, a bulge in the tire where the innertube was starting to force itself through the tire (actually, I rode three days with that after discovering it as there was no place to get a tire until Pueblo).
The week started off on a down note–as we were leaving Pueblo (actually, this was last Sat.) we came to a steep, short hill and as I started up it I was fooled by the sharpness of the grade and had to downshift quickly. As I did so the chain came off and the bike stopped immediately giving me no time to unclip my shoe from the pedal (for those of you who don’t cycle many of us wear shoes that clip into the pedals and have to be turned to one side to disconnect them, if you don’t get them unclipped in time you fall over–amusing to watch but not to have happen to you) and I ended up tipping over to the right. It usually isn’t that bad, except for the embarrassment and a skinned knee, but this time as I went down I hit my head on the guardrail on the side of the road cracking the plastic cover of my helmet. If not for the helmet I’m sure I would have been injured. As it was I rode the rest of the day with a headache! We ended the day with a tough 1300 ft. climb but then with an 11 mile slightly downhill ride with the wind at our backs and a smooth road. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden 11 miles that fast before!
Things got better after that, though. I spent a very nice day off at the Royal Gorge with my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons (mentioned in the last update) on Sunday, then were back on the trail bright and early Monday. We started off out of Canon City climbing the appropriately named “Eight-Mile Hill” on a busy highway (there was a good shoulder but the traffic noise is really annoying). We finished the hill and turned off the busy highway and headed for our first western mtn. pass, Currant Creek Pass (9404 ft.), which was more gradual than the eastern mtn. passes but longer and still tough. When we reached the top we thought we had it made, with just 15 miles to the overnight town, but as we crested the pass we got hit with a 20-25 mph headwind. That made for a long 15 miles! Then, when we got to the overnight town, Hartsel, (pop. 125 counting us) the only place to stay was in the town picnic pavillion (with two walls to protect from the wind) in which we could pitch our tents. As the temp. was going to get down to the low thirties we asked at the local restaurant if anyone had a room to rent. Noone had a room to rent but a nice, shall we say, interesting, couple let us use the guest room of their mobile home in which to throw our sleeping bags (on the floor). Two more friends made! We had a nice evening talking with them and the next morning there was frost on windshields so it was good we were able to stay warm.
Tuesday we made the big climb over Hoosier Pass, 11, 542 ft., then coasted down to Breckenridge and on to Frisco for te evening. We felt a funny thing in our legs after making the big climb. We coasted down the other side for two to three miles before we had to pedal again and when we did have to pedal our legs,after the long workout and cool descent, did not want work again, we had to coax them back by pedaling lightly for several minutes. That was strange.
That evening my son, Ben, who lives in Loveland, and his girlfriend, Katie, drove over to have dinner with me. We had a very nice evening and it was, of course, great to see another of my kids.
Wed. we had some tough riding with crosswinds and some heavy, unpleasant traffic but ended the day with a great through a 3-mile long canyon into Hot Sulpher Springs. We didn’t try the sulpher springs as you had to stay at te resort for $175 a nt. and we are both too, shall we say, frugal for that.
Thur. we had to climb another pass, Willow Creek Pass (9621 ft.), and after the descent had an 11-mile ride into a NW headwind but the road turned, the headwind became a tailwind, and we coasted the last 10 miles into Walden, CO.
Fri. we crossed into Wyoming and had pretty flat riding, with the exception of several notable hills (one of which was 3 miles long) and spent the night in Saratoga, WY. They also have an expensive hot springs resort but also have what they call “Hobo Springs” next to the community swimming pool, which are free (right up our aforementioned “frugal” alley) but the local river, the North Platte, was running high and the hobo springs were closed. Oh well! It’s just hot water–we just did the hot tub at the motel.
That brings us to Rawlins today (Sat.). We’re taking Sun. off and will start our trip toward Yellowstone Nat. Pk. (where we’ve been told, the bison don’t like cyclists) so our big adventure continues!
We’ve been told by cyclists coming from the west that the weather has been terrible (rain and snow) for them so we’re hoping things will change as we get closer.
Thanks again, all, for your thoughts, prayers, and support!
Bruce
