60 day update

First a few stats
2580 miles ridden,
49 days riding,10 off days (five with Kathy off route)
Camped 35 nights,  hostel/ church 11nights, hotels 13 nights(five with Kathy off route)

This last stretch of eleven days riding with out a break is the longest I have had since the trip began. My legs feel it. Tomorrow is a rest day in Sterling KS. 678 miles covered in those 11 days. I have traveled from the open rangeland of northern Colorado through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado,  across the eastern plains of Colorado and onto Kansas and its wheat fields, oil ridges, cows and wind.

I started this stretch in Walden CO.heading pretty much due south through Kremmling , Silverthorne Frisco and Breckenridge. The scenery continues to impress, and surprise wildlife adds to it.

The next day it was off to tackle the highest climb on the TransAmerican Trail, Hoosier Pass at 11,542'. I have feared, no fear is to strong, worried about this climb the entire trip. The day started early in Frisco on the bike path to Breckenridge. The path wandered it's way through the foothills past many impressive mountain homes and ski chalets and into Breckenridge. Quickly out of town the climb begins up torwards the pass. The lower climbs just prepare you for the switchbacks ahead. The  inside corner of the switchbacks are steep, and I must admit I had to walk one short stretch. The top came much faster then I expected and I was happy and excited to make it to the top. What I did not expect was the applause,  admiration and compliments received at the top by the people that drove up. What a great ego boost.

After the pass, the next day I rode on to the Abbey in Canon City. I was fortunate to meet up again with Doug Morse. We had meet briefly in Missoula one day and saw each other again outside of Yellowstone. The last week riding together has been nice. Doug has helped me through several difficult days.

                                     The Abbey at Canon City.

             

                                 My riding partner, Doug Morse

My bike's shifting had been giving me problems and I thought it would be best to go to a shop and have it looked at. I made the right choice in shops. Vance's Bicycle World in Pueblo CO. I walked in the door, explained my problem and Vance stopped what he was doing and jumped right on my bike.  A little fussing around and a few quick repairs and things are running like new. Vance is a great guy, he is an ex-bmx  bunny hop world champion and a great mechanic with a cool rat rod. His wife has a very nice old mostly original early 70's F100  pickup. His service and friendship offered to us was over the top.

After Pueblo we continued to head south and found Doug and I passing through Olney Springs CO. the home of the All Vets/All Wars Memorial and Vets Art Mueseum. Established by two marine veterans. Dan Morin, a Viet Nam vet and Richie Pasquarello, a desert storm vet, this is a place not to miss. The memorial contains an actual piece of stone that was used in The Viet Nam Memorial in Washington DC. As nice as the memorial is the art mueseum is a must see. Besides being a unique individual, he is one hell of an artist. Award winning at that. His uses dots to create his art. It is something to see. When decorating the outside of the mueseum he used 19 bowling balls as dots on the roofline. 

Heading east through Colorado we rapidly approached  Kansas. It is evident we are approaching America's bread basket. Amber waves of grain and gigantic combines reach up to great you. Crossing the state line in Kansas now makes it 6 states. With such short sight lines home in New England, it is odd to see these tall grain silos looming in the distance. How far away  is that?

          

                     My riding partner Doug and I at the Kansas state line.

The temperature and the wind speed continues to climb as we ride into Kansas. All of the west bound riders continue to tell us about all of the parks with pools and free camping. Tonight was my first. After a very long, hot windy day a pool is a very pleasant surprise. The host towns great us travelers warmly. This is very satisfying after a long day in the saddle. Two nights in a row we have camped in the parks.

         Tribune KS.

                       Deighton KS,

Along the way we stopped st a bakery that has a memorial to a fellow cyclist who, while helping others, was struck by a car and died. You never know when your ticket will get pulled.

The forecast  for the next several days is for extreme heat and winds. With that in mind Doug and I made a decision to try and cover as much ground as possible in one day. The next 2 days are calling for winds in excess of 30-35 mph. With an early start, calm winds and a very nice sunrise we departed before dawn on what would end up being a 94.5 mile day. My longest of the trip. What a ride it was, almost an eleven hour day on the bike. And I said I was never going to suffer again on this big adventure. Our choice to push that one day allowed us to follow it up with an unusually short day (46 miles)  in a day that rose to 99° with sustained 30 mph winds. The reward... a couple of colorful sunrises and lots of Kansas scenery.

Today's short day and tomorrow's rest day here in  Sterling KS. will benefit my legs and butt greatly. My rest day will come with an expense... Doug Morse my riding partner for a little over a week is pushing on. All good things seem to always come to an end. It has been a pleasure and a treat to have company and moral support on the road. Thanks Doug. 

Here is to an off day, and perhaps a break in the weather.

I will close with a few pictures from Sterling.

   

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