On the road again

My five day vacation from riding, touring Colorado with my wife Kathy was fantastic. Torwards the end I was ready to continue my trip. I have come to enjoy life as a traveling explorer. Sunday morning could not come soon enough.

Saturday afternoon I found myself with nothing to do. There was a park a short distance from the hotel. In the park I saw a friend Jethro. Kathy and I stopped to see if he was alright one day by the side of the road. Jethro is traveling by bike with his dog. He is not sure of his destination. He mentioned the dakotas, or maybe just heading into the national forest for awhile.  A real free spirited traveler. We talked for a long time about everything and nothing. Good luck Jethro.

My first day back touring I did not ride the ACA route. Earlier in my travels a group of fellow tourist heading west offered up a short cut for my trip today. I avoided a 9600ft pass and saved about 16 miles. Don't  tell anyone I cheated. It's not like I had an easy day. 61 miles and 2200 ft of elevation gain is a good day. It felt good to be back on the bike. It took a while for my lungs to catch up with my legs. 9600 ft above sea level takes some getting used to.

I knew coming up in a few days there was going to be one of the biggest challenges of the tour. Hoosier Pass, elevation 11542 ft. I tried to set myself up for the climb by staying the night before in a campground in Frisco CO. a short 10 mile ride into Breckinridge where the climb begins. Right put of town the road heads up. I knew it was only 14 miles to the top, a steep 14 miles. 

I surprised myself on this climb. Sections of the hill were consistantly in the 5% to 6% grade . Steep but not too bad. I will admit to walking one short section of a switchback. It was an inside corner and the steepest section of the climbs are always inside corners. I can remember approaching a corner, looking up and seeing the Hoosier Pass signs. I can't  be there already? That was to quick! NOT.

I was at the top. I could not believe it, there were people gathered around the sign and when they saw me approaching several of them started to applause. What a feeling. Jubilation, joy, amazement and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment plus more all rolled together. One older gentleman( it turns out he is only 63) kept telling me what an inspiration I am. Me?

The trip from the top was fast and cold. I camped in Fairplay that night. The area is also called South Park. Where's  Kenny and Eric? 

Today I was humiliated by a 3 young coeds.  In my mirror I could see a cyclist a ways back but catching me. The road turned up, and my advantage was lost. Zip, with a quick hello she caught, passed and pulled away. Come back! I can do better! Soon another cyclist was approaching, zip, same thing. I caught them at the next intersection and then their friend coasted in. We talked over lunch, they were pressing on to Pueblo CO that night, well over a 100 mile day. Not for me. For the nightI am staying in a dormitory on the campus of The Abbey a chapel in Canon City. I pressed on early from lunch and after a short steep climb settled into a nice descent torwards Canon City.  What's  that on my mirror. Oh well here we go again. Those young legs just don't know any better, don't show up that 62 year old man.

Today I saw a wild fire burning on the ridge up high. Helicopters were fighting it.

Tomorrow ( July 11) takes me into Pueblo, and from there across the eastern plains of Colorado and into Kansas. Let's hope I catch a tail wind.. 

The road can be long and lonely. Sometimes you wonder what you are doing and why the hell am I here. Then a moment happens like that on top of Hoosier Pass occurs and your motivation to continue soars, 

So I'm on the road again, going places I've never been,  seeing people that I'll never see again.  Isn't  great to be on the road again. ( thanks Willi)