Today, I was able to give my body a day off due to my trip leader responsibility of driving the van. It was a short 44 mile ride for the riders as they took the Interstate for the majority of the day. Once I got into Boise, I quickly unloaded the van and took Elvis (the van) to the shop for some tender love and care. While in the area, I found a great dive bar that offered a great deal on burgers and were willing to give our group a $50 gift card.
We walked around town a lot during the afternoon to gain some idea of the city. I saw the bike path which I knew was something that I wanted to take advantage of. I checked out some restaurants, found more donations for the breakfasts and just people watched around town.
So later on in the day, we brought a group of 20 who were into the idea of a good fun night at the bar. Luckily, they had great happy hour prices along with some horseshoes in the back. We had a fun round robin with everyone having a partner, as we socialized for a long time. On the way back, I was able to hitch a ride from a nice lady who was just going down State Street. She dropped us off along the way to our church, thanks again for the ride.
As I woke up the next morning, I got out to Hyde Park by just randomly welcoming through town. It was a real nice historical district part of town where I was able to talk with some locals while enjoying a great place to read. I caught up on the some phone calls and went back to the church for some breakfast. Breakfast consisted of my typical day off meal with eggs, tomatoes & avocado. The meal of a champion!
In the afternoon, I went for a bike ride along the path called the Belt Parkway. It was a real nice trail along the river that offered some great views of the scenery and bumps along the way. I caught up with a local biker who gave me some info on the area and even inspired me to tackle a nice pass up ahead. From the end of the bike trail, we biked up to two separate reservoirs that were full of boaters. It was beautiful and a fun tough hill in the dry heat of the day. I was treated by a Powerade on the top of the Summit, I said, "thanks again for the treat after kicking me up the hill!"
Tomorrow should be a great ride, thanks again Boise for a great time!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Gooding to Mountain Home
The best way to describe today was windy yet beautiful as we went along the Oregon Trail Highway. When we headed out this morning, we had only 63 miles ahead of us between the towns. Those miles though were hard earned as the conditions mentally challenged our group all throughout the day.
We once again biked along the beautiful Magic Valley during the first 20 miles of the trip. There was green all around us from what the farmers have been able to create through irrigating the Snake River. After these miles, we entered a canyon that’s walls surround the Snake River Valley. This brought us into Glens Ferry where we enjoyed lunch while lamenting on the heroics of the Oregon Trail. The town has a State Park commemorating where folk would cross the Snake River along their voyage. It now has become a fairly simple small western town along the highway.
After lunch the wind picked up a lot more as we battled our way throughout and out of the canyon. We temporarily said good bye to the Snake River as we made our way up the hills to get out of the canyon. With the wind blowing in our face, we biked in pace lines to protect each other. I tried to take the lead as much as possible knowing that I would be driving the van the following day. We got passed by a big trucker going maybe 10-15 miles per hour trying to go uphill. These twenty miles were exactly what I expected out of Iowa: brown, desolate and windy. It was a beautiful desolate though where we saw Wind Farms!
The town of Mountain Home is sized around 5,000 people with it having a nice cute downtown area followed with a long strip of the corporate big guns. I obviously preferred the cute stores, but I did not make much time for fun and play in Mountain Home. I was busy preparing for our big meal that the Trip Leaders were cooking up for the night.
Jake, Claire, Kelsey and I with the help of a large donation from my parents were able to spoil the group. On the menu were two unique salads, noodles with peanut sauce, seasoned vegetable/chicken, spinach and artichoke dip. We took a little time to prepare the meal but it was worth the wait for the riders. We even were able to fit some Ice Cream Sundae action in the mix that people enjoyed while watching the Variety Show: skits, singing, talents and interesting presentations. Oh wait a night, we still got some miles to bike until Boise Though!
We once again biked along the beautiful Magic Valley during the first 20 miles of the trip. There was green all around us from what the farmers have been able to create through irrigating the Snake River. After these miles, we entered a canyon that’s walls surround the Snake River Valley. This brought us into Glens Ferry where we enjoyed lunch while lamenting on the heroics of the Oregon Trail. The town has a State Park commemorating where folk would cross the Snake River along their voyage. It now has become a fairly simple small western town along the highway.
After lunch the wind picked up a lot more as we battled our way throughout and out of the canyon. We temporarily said good bye to the Snake River as we made our way up the hills to get out of the canyon. With the wind blowing in our face, we biked in pace lines to protect each other. I tried to take the lead as much as possible knowing that I would be driving the van the following day. We got passed by a big trucker going maybe 10-15 miles per hour trying to go uphill. These twenty miles were exactly what I expected out of Iowa: brown, desolate and windy. It was a beautiful desolate though where we saw Wind Farms!
The town of Mountain Home is sized around 5,000 people with it having a nice cute downtown area followed with a long strip of the corporate big guns. I obviously preferred the cute stores, but I did not make much time for fun and play in Mountain Home. I was busy preparing for our big meal that the Trip Leaders were cooking up for the night.
Jake, Claire, Kelsey and I with the help of a large donation from my parents were able to spoil the group. On the menu were two unique salads, noodles with peanut sauce, seasoned vegetable/chicken, spinach and artichoke dip. We took a little time to prepare the meal but it was worth the wait for the riders. We even were able to fit some Ice Cream Sundae action in the mix that people enjoyed while watching the Variety Show: skits, singing, talents and interesting presentations. Oh wait a night, we still got some miles to bike until Boise Though!
Burley to Gooding
After a great day in Burley, we marched onto our next stop of Gooding. Locals in Burley told us that of a great lunch stop that was 37 miles along our route in the area of Twin Falls. So we booked it out of town with the winds to our back helping people average high speeds until lunch.
Our lunch stop was at the impressive Shoshone Falls “The Niagara of the West.” The settlers have only known of these falls since the mid 1800s, and thankfully it has stayed tourist free unlike the Niagara. I don’t mean that there were no tourists; there are no stores, hotels or gift shops really along the water. It is simply a State Park that offers information on the area. It is part of the Snake River and due to irrigation of the Magic Valley Farms the falls can vary in volume.
On the way out of town, we crossed over the Perrine Bridge which is 680 feet high. It goes over the Snake River Canyon and is the only way to get out of Twin Falls toward the Interstate. It is famous for being the only bridge in the US where it is legal to BASE jump off. BASE jumping is when a person (attached with a parachute) jumps off a cliff/bridge and then lands on the ground below. I was not able to cross the bridge while anyone jumped off the bridge but some other Bike & Builders got some great footage.
I am not going to lie about my jealousy because it was clear that I left lunch a bit too early. The group also found a lake out of the Shoshone Falls where there was some awesome cliff jumping. I guess if I was a bit more relaxed than I could have seen all these attractions. The last 40 miles of the route was nothing too exciting as we biked through farms lands that smelled of manure.
I eventually stopped at an ice cream joint to eat a snack while waiting for others to join me. I figured it was not worth getting into Gooding that early so I enjoyed my milk shake with comrades. Gooding is a pretty small town that is just in the middle of nowhere really. The church was great to us and donated $100 for dinner, thank you! Nothing much more to say though!
Our lunch stop was at the impressive Shoshone Falls “The Niagara of the West.” The settlers have only known of these falls since the mid 1800s, and thankfully it has stayed tourist free unlike the Niagara. I don’t mean that there were no tourists; there are no stores, hotels or gift shops really along the water. It is simply a State Park that offers information on the area. It is part of the Snake River and due to irrigation of the Magic Valley Farms the falls can vary in volume.
On the way out of town, we crossed over the Perrine Bridge which is 680 feet high. It goes over the Snake River Canyon and is the only way to get out of Twin Falls toward the Interstate. It is famous for being the only bridge in the US where it is legal to BASE jump off. BASE jumping is when a person (attached with a parachute) jumps off a cliff/bridge and then lands on the ground below. I was not able to cross the bridge while anyone jumped off the bridge but some other Bike & Builders got some great footage.
I am not going to lie about my jealousy because it was clear that I left lunch a bit too early. The group also found a lake out of the Shoshone Falls where there was some awesome cliff jumping. I guess if I was a bit more relaxed than I could have seen all these attractions. The last 40 miles of the route was nothing too exciting as we biked through farms lands that smelled of manure.
I eventually stopped at an ice cream joint to eat a snack while waiting for others to join me. I figured it was not worth getting into Gooding that early so I enjoyed my milk shake with comrades. Gooding is a pretty small town that is just in the middle of nowhere really. The church was great to us and donated $100 for dinner, thank you! Nothing much more to say though!
Snowville to Burley
It was a long day on the highway as we crossed over state borders into Idaho. It was nice to say goodbye to Utah even though it treated us so well, Thanks again! There was a special theme to the day though as we celebrated Christmas in July. We all picked out of a hat who we would need to give a present to for the special event. The main stipulation though was that you could not pay any money for the gift. So the challenge was on as we hit up the Interstate.
The ride was an absolute blast we enjoyed beautiful sites and views along the highway. We encountered a mother moose and her baby moose as they were walking through the fields. We also ended up biking up a mountain pass that felt like a hill after hitting up those Rocky Mountains in Colorado. After lunch that is when the real fun started.
My group started to find some great stuff along the highway as my comrade found a tiny play wagon. She had a rope with her to attach the wagon to her Camelback as towed along with us to Burley. She went twenty five miles tugging that wagon, and she even let me use it to carry the cushion that I found on the side of the road. Around ten miles before town, we saw random people crossing the Interstate right near a bridge. I watched as I learned that they were crossing it so that they could jump off the bridge into the Canal below. We realized that this would be our one chance to jump off a bridge along the highway into an unknown water body. As we lined up to jump off the bridge, doubt surrounded us of what exactly we were jumping in.
It was absolutely exhilarating as we made our way through the air into the water. I never had jumped from that high into a water, and definitely not off a bridge. A Bike & Build Dream had been accomplished and I thank the locals who showed us the way there!
So once getting into Burley, I stopped by the visitor center to talk to some locals. We found that we just missed the annual Spud Man Triathlon for Burley and heard about the history of the area. There really was not much to hear unfortunately but we did learn about some attractions up ahead in Idaho. It was really nice to talk with people, I loved the cheap ice cream in Burley and all went well with our visit.
The ride was an absolute blast we enjoyed beautiful sites and views along the highway. We encountered a mother moose and her baby moose as they were walking through the fields. We also ended up biking up a mountain pass that felt like a hill after hitting up those Rocky Mountains in Colorado. After lunch that is when the real fun started.
My group started to find some great stuff along the highway as my comrade found a tiny play wagon. She had a rope with her to attach the wagon to her Camelback as towed along with us to Burley. She went twenty five miles tugging that wagon, and she even let me use it to carry the cushion that I found on the side of the road. Around ten miles before town, we saw random people crossing the Interstate right near a bridge. I watched as I learned that they were crossing it so that they could jump off the bridge into the Canal below. We realized that this would be our one chance to jump off a bridge along the highway into an unknown water body. As we lined up to jump off the bridge, doubt surrounded us of what exactly we were jumping in.
It was absolutely exhilarating as we made our way through the air into the water. I never had jumped from that high into a water, and definitely not off a bridge. A Bike & Build Dream had been accomplished and I thank the locals who showed us the way there!
So once getting into Burley, I stopped by the visitor center to talk to some locals. We found that we just missed the annual Spud Man Triathlon for Burley and heard about the history of the area. There really was not much to hear unfortunately but we did learn about some attractions up ahead in Idaho. It was really nice to talk with people, I loved the cheap ice cream in Burley and all went well with our visit.
Brigham City to Snowville
For me it was a beautiful day as I spent the day fulfilling my duties as a Trip Leader driving the van. The main highlights arrived once we got into Snowville; a small town of a few people. They had two cafes, a Flying J Trucker Stop and a Mormon Church. The first place I hit up after filling the van up with gas was the Mollies Café for some fine pie.
Boysenberry, a fruit that I had yet to experience, was one of the available pie slices on the menu. It was some of the best pie that I had ever experienced and the café was a fun place to be. We talked to some locals from the area of what Snowville had to offer (which was not much) and talked to people passing by the area along the Interstate. Some great stories were shared and thanks again to Mollie’s Café for donating pie to the group.
We were sleeping under a pavilion with a snack shack that reminded me of the concession stands from high school football. It was in a park that offered a great field for pick up football and Slip-N-Slide. So we had a little party in the park for the afternoon with the heat blaring on us. It was an awesome time!
The evening activity was the local amateur rodeo that was an annual event for the area. On the way up there, we stopped at the reservoir to go swimming for a little while. It was amazing how many intoxicated people were at the beach and how many boats could fit in this small reservoir not even ½ mile long. The crowd at the rodeo was even more interesting, as we felt like true outsiders.
The highlight of the night came with being called Hippies by a group of four in the back of a pickup truck. I was certainly not in Boulder Colorado anymore as we were looked at funny. The people though were nice in the majority as they told us more about the event and its rich tradition. After a great rodeo, I enjoyed a beautiful sleep under the stars!
Boysenberry, a fruit that I had yet to experience, was one of the available pie slices on the menu. It was some of the best pie that I had ever experienced and the café was a fun place to be. We talked to some locals from the area of what Snowville had to offer (which was not much) and talked to people passing by the area along the Interstate. Some great stories were shared and thanks again to Mollie’s Café for donating pie to the group.
We were sleeping under a pavilion with a snack shack that reminded me of the concession stands from high school football. It was in a park that offered a great field for pick up football and Slip-N-Slide. So we had a little party in the park for the afternoon with the heat blaring on us. It was an awesome time!
The evening activity was the local amateur rodeo that was an annual event for the area. On the way up there, we stopped at the reservoir to go swimming for a little while. It was amazing how many intoxicated people were at the beach and how many boats could fit in this small reservoir not even ½ mile long. The crowd at the rodeo was even more interesting, as we felt like true outsiders.
The highlight of the night came with being called Hippies by a group of four in the back of a pickup truck. I was certainly not in Boulder Colorado anymore as we were looked at funny. The people though were nice in the majority as they told us more about the event and its rich tradition. After a great rodeo, I enjoyed a beautiful sleep under the stars!
Salt Lake City to Brigham City
Salt Lake City to Brigham City
As we slowly made our way out of the city it was great to check out all of the many tourist attractions. It took me only three hours to get out of the church due to some quick pit stops.
The first one I hit was the city library which had a beautiful design that was in the middle of the city. I never went in but it was a nice layout to bike around near the City Hall Building. The next place we hit was Temple Square where we got a personal tour by a missionary for the Church of Latter Day Saints. They were very well spoken and polite as they showed us around the area, and they even found people to watch our bikes for my small group. As expected, I learned more about their religion but don’t plan on becoming a member anytime soon.
Making our way out of the city and into the suburbs was very quaint as we hit up all of the main streets. They were all preparing for Pioneer Day Festivities as chairs were lined up saving peoples seats. My favorite part was buying lemonade from some very nice little kids right before I made my way back to the highway.
Props to Claire for finding us a great lunch spot in Ogden where a restaurant donated food and drinks. The drinks included a Root Beer float that was phenomenal and the food included sandwiches/fresh fruit. Our best lunch stop yet! The rest of the bike ride was pretty simply as I only stopped to see an old bookstore that had photography.
We had a great community dinner where we were able to present and spread more awareness of the cause. It was some great grilling but I was fast asleep immediately after the meal!
As we slowly made our way out of the city it was great to check out all of the many tourist attractions. It took me only three hours to get out of the church due to some quick pit stops.
The first one I hit was the city library which had a beautiful design that was in the middle of the city. I never went in but it was a nice layout to bike around near the City Hall Building. The next place we hit was Temple Square where we got a personal tour by a missionary for the Church of Latter Day Saints. They were very well spoken and polite as they showed us around the area, and they even found people to watch our bikes for my small group. As expected, I learned more about their religion but don’t plan on becoming a member anytime soon.
Making our way out of the city and into the suburbs was very quaint as we hit up all of the main streets. They were all preparing for Pioneer Day Festivities as chairs were lined up saving peoples seats. My favorite part was buying lemonade from some very nice little kids right before I made my way back to the highway.
Props to Claire for finding us a great lunch spot in Ogden where a restaurant donated food and drinks. The drinks included a Root Beer float that was phenomenal and the food included sandwiches/fresh fruit. Our best lunch stop yet! The rest of the bike ride was pretty simply as I only stopped to see an old bookstore that had photography.
We had a great community dinner where we were able to present and spread more awareness of the cause. It was some great grilling but I was fast asleep immediately after the meal!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
July 22: Provo to Salt Lake
It did take us a little extra time to get ready and get out of Provo this morning as we packed up after staying for two nights. After 3 days of either being the Sweep or Driving the Van, I got to let loose and ride on my own pace for a change.
Coming out of Provo, I tried to go a little too fast and realized that my muscles needed a bit more time to warm up. So I cooled it down and made my up a hill to get out of the city. Once my body felt a bit better, I was able to really push it for the next twenty miles on up and down hill. After relaxing a bit, I realized that there was a five mile hill that had our group's name on it. It was short with a steep grade that really made us groan and pant. The downhill was worth it as we caught up to speeds of 50 mph!
So after this amazing downhill, we rode 12 miles of up and down through the outskirts of Salt Lake. The uphill was worth missing the downtown craziness of a main city and we saw some great views. It was a short ride so therefore we skipped the lunch stop, and our group of 12 kept going.
It was a great push in the last 15 miles as we made it through the beautiful sections along the mountain. One of the main reasons that we hurried up was because one of our riders has family in Salt Lake. So today we have stayed at his house and had great a lunch/dinner with his family friends. Great food, great drinks, volleyball & football, what a good time chilling out. I also saw Slumdog Millionaire for the first time in the downstairs with the whole group, it was worth the HYPE!
It is time to get some sleep, we get to wake up a little late at 6 AM! Woohoo!
Coming out of Provo, I tried to go a little too fast and realized that my muscles needed a bit more time to warm up. So I cooled it down and made my up a hill to get out of the city. Once my body felt a bit better, I was able to really push it for the next twenty miles on up and down hill. After relaxing a bit, I realized that there was a five mile hill that had our group's name on it. It was short with a steep grade that really made us groan and pant. The downhill was worth it as we caught up to speeds of 50 mph!
So after this amazing downhill, we rode 12 miles of up and down through the outskirts of Salt Lake. The uphill was worth missing the downtown craziness of a main city and we saw some great views. It was a short ride so therefore we skipped the lunch stop, and our group of 12 kept going.
It was a great push in the last 15 miles as we made it through the beautiful sections along the mountain. One of the main reasons that we hurried up was because one of our riders has family in Salt Lake. So today we have stayed at his house and had great a lunch/dinner with his family friends. Great food, great drinks, volleyball & football, what a good time chilling out. I also saw Slumdog Millionaire for the first time in the downstairs with the whole group, it was worth the HYPE!
It is time to get some sleep, we get to wake up a little late at 6 AM! Woohoo!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Duchesne to Provo
My van ride from Vernal to Duchesne as Trip Leader was short and simple. The most exciting part was a hospital that landed in front of our lunch stop in Myton. It is not worth writing about really.
So after a day off the bike, I was ready for another big challenge! This time we only had 95 miles but that included a mountain pass through the Swatche Mountains. I took up sweep again today through a trade with a rider, but that means that I no longer will be Sweep again for the whole route.
The first 55 miles were all uphill as we made our way out of Duchesne. We passed Starvation Reservoir and the bridge we went over tempted me to jump in the water. I decided against it and rode on to find a distressed rider waiting for the van to pick her up. The stomach bug claimed yet another victim for the day!
After the stop, the real uphill started as we went through the mountains. It was amazing how it could go from arid desert like conditions to beautiful mountains so quickly. It was absolutely beautiful on a fun road up a mountain and I was thankful it was not the winter time. Apparantely they get snow by the foot with horrible wind drifts that can close the main road for days.
After our beautiful lunch on Strawberry Reservoir we climbed to the top of the Summit in a group of 4. From there on, it was straight down hill for 25 miles as we took our way down watching out for big trucks and cars hogging the road. The headwind also made it so there was no way to fly down the mountain.
We made it 2nd lunch in no time and it was at beautiful Deer Creek Lake, a manmade reservoir on top of Provo Canyon. We hit up a local restaurante for ice cream as we enjoyed watching all the big boats on the lakes. We finally decided it was time to finish the ride as we went down Provo Canyon.
On the ride down, Avalanche Warning Signs blanketed the road as we went through beautiful mountains. There was a gigantic shoulder for us to bike safely down on, and we eventually found a bike path along the river. We saw Bridal Veil Waterfall and it was absolutely stunning. We also biked past the huge football stadium for BYU as we are in its home for these 2 nights.
As we made it down to the church at 7:15, we realized it had taken us more than 12 hours to get from Point A to Point B for the day. We laughed out of insanity but knew great stories were made. We had a great dinner brought by the parents of Amelia(rider). The hose shower was painful yet rewarding after a long day.
Tomorrow we have our day off, as we enjoy a Build Day with the local Habitat. They are real nice people here and the build should be great!
So after a day off the bike, I was ready for another big challenge! This time we only had 95 miles but that included a mountain pass through the Swatche Mountains. I took up sweep again today through a trade with a rider, but that means that I no longer will be Sweep again for the whole route.
The first 55 miles were all uphill as we made our way out of Duchesne. We passed Starvation Reservoir and the bridge we went over tempted me to jump in the water. I decided against it and rode on to find a distressed rider waiting for the van to pick her up. The stomach bug claimed yet another victim for the day!
After the stop, the real uphill started as we went through the mountains. It was amazing how it could go from arid desert like conditions to beautiful mountains so quickly. It was absolutely beautiful on a fun road up a mountain and I was thankful it was not the winter time. Apparantely they get snow by the foot with horrible wind drifts that can close the main road for days.
After our beautiful lunch on Strawberry Reservoir we climbed to the top of the Summit in a group of 4. From there on, it was straight down hill for 25 miles as we took our way down watching out for big trucks and cars hogging the road. The headwind also made it so there was no way to fly down the mountain.
We made it 2nd lunch in no time and it was at beautiful Deer Creek Lake, a manmade reservoir on top of Provo Canyon. We hit up a local restaurante for ice cream as we enjoyed watching all the big boats on the lakes. We finally decided it was time to finish the ride as we went down Provo Canyon.
On the ride down, Avalanche Warning Signs blanketed the road as we went through beautiful mountains. There was a gigantic shoulder for us to bike safely down on, and we eventually found a bike path along the river. We saw Bridal Veil Waterfall and it was absolutely stunning. We also biked past the huge football stadium for BYU as we are in its home for these 2 nights.
As we made it down to the church at 7:15, we realized it had taken us more than 12 hours to get from Point A to Point B for the day. We laughed out of insanity but knew great stories were made. We had a great dinner brought by the parents of Amelia(rider). The hose shower was painful yet rewarding after a long day.
Tomorrow we have our day off, as we enjoy a Build Day with the local Habitat. They are real nice people here and the build should be great!
Meeker to Vernal Utah
As we woke up early this morning at 4:30, we realized that there was a long stretch of land for us to tackle. We had 103.9 miles of road to cycle, a state border to cross and dinosaur skeletons to see at the Dinosaur National Monument. The fortunate part was that at the last moment we found a church willing to host us in Vernal; we no longer were camping. We love camping but after a Century Ride, I think that is when it reaches our limits.
The first half of the ride was beautiful and some of the easiest riding we have had all year. It was almost all downhill out of Meeker and this started us on a high note for the day. I was sweep with Laura (the designated last 2 riders), and when we got to the first lunch basically everyone was already gone. Generally, Sweep catches up to some riders within the first lunch stop but due to the downhill this was not the case. Basically, everyone went really fast to first lunch!
The next 30 miles to our 2nd lunch stop was not as nice to our group. It was a little more uphill, the wind picked up and the road conditions were not as nice to us. During this leg of the trip, our group just how ‘middle of the nowhere’ we were. We had not seen any type of businesses the whole trip until the 70 mile mark in Dinosaur. We had a great lunch stop right near a store that sold Homemade Ice Cream. Since it was a tourist spot, the prices were much higher than our budget as not many people bought anything from the store. I got the chance to talk to a real nice lady from Aspen who was awed by our group. She let me try her Milk Shake and it was amazing, afterwards she took a picture of our group. It was a nice trade, she got a picture and I got some of her Ice Cream.
I cannot forget to mention that right after our 2nd lunch, we entered into the great state of Utah. We were in Colorado for almost 3 weeks, it is hard to believe that we finally have left the state. Thank you Colorado for a grand time, and the next 5 days in Utah should be fun.
The last 35 miles of the ride were a mixture of up and downhill but what really hurt the group was the heat. The temperature got above 100 and the sun was blaring on us through that dry Utah heat. Most riders stopped at any shady spot they could find between Dinosaur and Vernal. These two spots consisted of an Educational Scenic Outlook and the Visitors Center (there was nothing else!).
As we made our way into Vernal after our 104 miles, we were welcomed by a gigantic dinosaur! Of course people got some great pictures with this fine symbol of welcoming our group. Instead of the picture, I decided to bike into the fountains of water, to cool down from the long ride. I was absolutely soaked but was worth it!
The first half of the ride was beautiful and some of the easiest riding we have had all year. It was almost all downhill out of Meeker and this started us on a high note for the day. I was sweep with Laura (the designated last 2 riders), and when we got to the first lunch basically everyone was already gone. Generally, Sweep catches up to some riders within the first lunch stop but due to the downhill this was not the case. Basically, everyone went really fast to first lunch!
The next 30 miles to our 2nd lunch stop was not as nice to our group. It was a little more uphill, the wind picked up and the road conditions were not as nice to us. During this leg of the trip, our group just how ‘middle of the nowhere’ we were. We had not seen any type of businesses the whole trip until the 70 mile mark in Dinosaur. We had a great lunch stop right near a store that sold Homemade Ice Cream. Since it was a tourist spot, the prices were much higher than our budget as not many people bought anything from the store. I got the chance to talk to a real nice lady from Aspen who was awed by our group. She let me try her Milk Shake and it was amazing, afterwards she took a picture of our group. It was a nice trade, she got a picture and I got some of her Ice Cream.
I cannot forget to mention that right after our 2nd lunch, we entered into the great state of Utah. We were in Colorado for almost 3 weeks, it is hard to believe that we finally have left the state. Thank you Colorado for a grand time, and the next 5 days in Utah should be fun.
The last 35 miles of the ride were a mixture of up and downhill but what really hurt the group was the heat. The temperature got above 100 and the sun was blaring on us through that dry Utah heat. Most riders stopped at any shady spot they could find between Dinosaur and Vernal. These two spots consisted of an Educational Scenic Outlook and the Visitors Center (there was nothing else!).
As we made our way into Vernal after our 104 miles, we were welcomed by a gigantic dinosaur! Of course people got some great pictures with this fine symbol of welcoming our group. Instead of the picture, I decided to bike into the fountains of water, to cool down from the long ride. I was absolutely soaked but was worth it!
Silt to Meeker
It took a little time to get back in the grind on my way out of Silt, but a nice little warm up helped me out. Our first part of the ride simply followed I-70 on a frontage road as we heard the Colorado River. I only stopped to hang out on a hold bridge over the river that I probably should have stayed off.
When taking the turn North to head up to Meeker, I found a pretty reservoir that was an 8 mile scenic route off the beaten path. It was a pretty sight to see but it was nothing to write home to mom about. Once the scenic route was over, we began going up and up until we finally found the trailer with lunch. It was a pleasant site to finish a big hill and know that a meal is waiting for you.
Suprisingly after lunch, we found that we were all done for hills for the day. We went down for 25 miles until we finally came to the town of Meeker. It was a nice finish to end with an average speed of 20 miles per hour. I guess the morning challenge of constant uphill was worth it!
When entering town, we found the local burger and shake joint that was a big hit. I shared a one pound burger with Taylor and there is nothing like that much beef after a 60 mile bike ride. Along with the burger, a small vanilla ice cream cone dipped in chocolate was priceless. The pastor was a great guy as he talked about all the local mountains, hunting and the natural gas boom that has hiked up property value. The night concluded at the local park with some bluegrass music.
Long ride tomorrow, so time to get some sleep!
When taking the turn North to head up to Meeker, I found a pretty reservoir that was an 8 mile scenic route off the beaten path. It was a pretty sight to see but it was nothing to write home to mom about. Once the scenic route was over, we began going up and up until we finally found the trailer with lunch. It was a pleasant site to finish a big hill and know that a meal is waiting for you.
Suprisingly after lunch, we found that we were all done for hills for the day. We went down for 25 miles until we finally came to the town of Meeker. It was a nice finish to end with an average speed of 20 miles per hour. I guess the morning challenge of constant uphill was worth it!
When entering town, we found the local burger and shake joint that was a big hit. I shared a one pound burger with Taylor and there is nothing like that much beef after a 60 mile bike ride. Along with the burger, a small vanilla ice cream cone dipped in chocolate was priceless. The pastor was a great guy as he talked about all the local mountains, hunting and the natural gas boom that has hiked up property value. The night concluded at the local park with some bluegrass music.
Long ride tomorrow, so time to get some sleep!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Aspen to Silt
What a great thing it is to wake up at 6 AM! For us, it is like sleeping in til noon for a bike day. It is a sad thing of how we get excited from little things! Instead of gaining elevation today, we went down for good as we headed out of the mountains.
Coming out of Aspen, we found the Rio Grande Trail which goes 40 miles from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. The first half of the trail followed the Roaring Fork River as we enjoyed hearing and seeing it. The second half went through small towns like Carbondale and Basalt where we were able to stop to talk with locals. My highlight of the trail was finding two old railroad passenger cars that were renovated into living quarters. I got a great pic as I enjoyed the creative use of a home.
We spent lunch in Glenwood Springs and enjoyed a good meal in the park. Everyone felt pretty good as we just went downhill 2500 feet in elevation for 40 miles. It was nice to be on the other side of the spectrum. The last 23 miles were flat on a frontage road along I-70 as we made our way into Silt.
Silt is a fairly small town that runs along the Colorado River. I have no idea what it is known for but I love the library right near our host location. We jumped in the Colorado River in a deeper part with less of a current. We will see what the night has to offer, but I don't expect any thing good enough to write for. Good Night all!
Coming out of Aspen, we found the Rio Grande Trail which goes 40 miles from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. The first half of the trail followed the Roaring Fork River as we enjoyed hearing and seeing it. The second half went through small towns like Carbondale and Basalt where we were able to stop to talk with locals. My highlight of the trail was finding two old railroad passenger cars that were renovated into living quarters. I got a great pic as I enjoyed the creative use of a home.
We spent lunch in Glenwood Springs and enjoyed a good meal in the park. Everyone felt pretty good as we just went downhill 2500 feet in elevation for 40 miles. It was nice to be on the other side of the spectrum. The last 23 miles were flat on a frontage road along I-70 as we made our way into Silt.
Silt is a fairly small town that runs along the Colorado River. I have no idea what it is known for but I love the library right near our host location. We jumped in the Colorado River in a deeper part with less of a current. We will see what the night has to offer, but I don't expect any thing good enough to write for. Good Night all!
Twin Lakes to Aspen
So I was driving on the actual day that our group tackled up the epic Independence Pass from Twin Lakes. What worked out well though was that another rider was sick and unable to do the ride, so on our day off in Aspen we woke up nice and early to tackle up more than 4000 feet in 19 miles from Aspen to the top of Independence Pass.
I could not think of a better way to start the day than a group morning bike ride. Along the way were great views of mountains and rivers but I could not let them take away my concentration from the road. The road was along cliffs, became a single lane at times and full of potential tourists. It was a long journey but not as difficult as I had imagined to get up it. At the top, we celebrated and realized that even though the group was sleeping in Aspen they were still spiritually with us.
The scariest part was the way down as we handled the steep grades and heavy curves in an effort to maintain our speed. My biking compadre showed off her wits by passing me along the way down. As we made our way back into Aspen, we bought a feast of food from the grocery store to take back for a great meal.
We thought we were done for the day with biking but we were wrong of course. Our soon to be friend Mark from the Aspen Ski & Snowboard Club asked if anyone was interested in joining him for his lunch ride. It was a beautiful ride that is a classic for Aspen which includes a steady 9 mile climb up to Bell Mountains that surround a beautiful lake.
The climb was fun as we got to talk with Mark and enjoy the stories of the area. He gave us some insight on how long the climbs would last and before we knew it, the climb was done. It was beautiful up there as we relaxed by the lake looking at the view above our heads. We took a little walk to find waterfalls from a stream that fed into the lake. The downhill bike ride was much easier than Independence Pass with no curves to worry about as we flew down.
It was a great day when it came to seeing Aspen and its many insights. We celebrated the accomplishments by enjoying Happy Hour and getting smoothies in the park. Unfortunately we must say good bye to these mountains as we charge on!
I could not think of a better way to start the day than a group morning bike ride. Along the way were great views of mountains and rivers but I could not let them take away my concentration from the road. The road was along cliffs, became a single lane at times and full of potential tourists. It was a long journey but not as difficult as I had imagined to get up it. At the top, we celebrated and realized that even though the group was sleeping in Aspen they were still spiritually with us.
The scariest part was the way down as we handled the steep grades and heavy curves in an effort to maintain our speed. My biking compadre showed off her wits by passing me along the way down. As we made our way back into Aspen, we bought a feast of food from the grocery store to take back for a great meal.
We thought we were done for the day with biking but we were wrong of course. Our soon to be friend Mark from the Aspen Ski & Snowboard Club asked if anyone was interested in joining him for his lunch ride. It was a beautiful ride that is a classic for Aspen which includes a steady 9 mile climb up to Bell Mountains that surround a beautiful lake.
The climb was fun as we got to talk with Mark and enjoy the stories of the area. He gave us some insight on how long the climbs would last and before we knew it, the climb was done. It was beautiful up there as we relaxed by the lake looking at the view above our heads. We took a little walk to find waterfalls from a stream that fed into the lake. The downhill bike ride was much easier than Independence Pass with no curves to worry about as we flew down.
It was a great day when it came to seeing Aspen and its many insights. We celebrated the accomplishments by enjoying Happy Hour and getting smoothies in the park. Unfortunately we must say good bye to these mountains as we charge on!
July 13: Hartsel to Twin Lakes
We woke up and man was it cold in Hartsel! I had all my gear on with arm & leg warmers realizing that there were no big uphill battles in the first 35 miles that would heat up my body. We got to go down this fun downhill into Buena Vista with great curves. This truck got me a little scared on the way down as he tried to pass us but almost ran into upcoming traffic!
Let me give you down the low down of Buena Vista, its name means Great View and this is definitely true. They are underneath the Collegiate Peaks that go up to 14,000 feet high in the valley that they are located on. In the valley is the Arkansas River, one of the best places to white water raft in Colorado (maybe the country this year). There was rafting outfitters everywhere, great restaurantes, coffee shops and of course Dairy D Delite Ice Cream & burgers. Our lunch was right next to the shop as we enjoyed the park/playground along the river.
After Buena Vista, we started our gradual uphill route up to Twin Lakes Reservoir. Along the ride was information about the Arkansas River as we continually saw rafters and kayaks tackling the rapids. We also got to read up about the history of the gold/silver/metal mining movement that brought all the people to Rockies. It was interesting to read about small ghost towns that once had up to 50,000 people during its boom.
Eventually we got up to Twin Lakes Reservoir for our camping experience. This was one of the most beautiful places that I had ever camped in with a beautiful view of Mt. Ebert and the lake from above. Our group had a polar plunge into the cold lake, made a campfire and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
Highlight of the day was the visit from Sara as we got to hang out with the group!
Let me give you down the low down of Buena Vista, its name means Great View and this is definitely true. They are underneath the Collegiate Peaks that go up to 14,000 feet high in the valley that they are located on. In the valley is the Arkansas River, one of the best places to white water raft in Colorado (maybe the country this year). There was rafting outfitters everywhere, great restaurantes, coffee shops and of course Dairy D Delite Ice Cream & burgers. Our lunch was right next to the shop as we enjoyed the park/playground along the river.
After Buena Vista, we started our gradual uphill route up to Twin Lakes Reservoir. Along the ride was information about the Arkansas River as we continually saw rafters and kayaks tackling the rapids. We also got to read up about the history of the gold/silver/metal mining movement that brought all the people to Rockies. It was interesting to read about small ghost towns that once had up to 50,000 people during its boom.
Eventually we got up to Twin Lakes Reservoir for our camping experience. This was one of the most beautiful places that I had ever camped in with a beautiful view of Mt. Ebert and the lake from above. Our group had a polar plunge into the cold lake, made a campfire and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
Highlight of the day was the visit from Sara as we got to hang out with the group!
July 12: Springs to Hartsel
So we finally made it out of the Springs today, it was evident that the group had some cabin fever. We all enjoyed the hospitality of the Sunrise United Methodist Church and the Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, but we felt that it was time to get the show back on the road. After more than one week off the road, it took everyone a little time to get everything packed and get used to being up at 4:30 in the morning.
The route of the Springs to Hartsel was a 75 mile journey from 6800 feet in elevation to 9000 feet. We started off the day with a fun ride through bike paths in the Springs that Jake was able to find. It was much nicer than those busy roads with no shoulders for bikes! It brought us out toward the Garden of the Gods City Park where we biked through the 5 mile loop of the park. If you google Garden of the Gods than you can see how beautiful all of the many rock structures are. It was nice to be there before the tourists hit the place up with all those cars as we had limited traffic to deal with.
The park brought us out to Manitou Springs, a tourist town just west of the Springs. It had a cute downtown aspect to it, apparently it is buzzing during the summer but quiet between Labor Day and Memorial Day. After the nice pretty quiet roads, we had to face the reality of tackling our first pass (Ute Pass elevation 9800 ft) on US Highway 24.
There were cars flying past us but everyone was safe with a shoulder. During this first ascent, we could definitely feel that week we took off the bike. Lets just be nice by saying that it took us a little more time than usual to get up the pass as people were adjusting to life on the bike. Some highlights of the ascent was the random carnival rides that we saw to our left near the Pikes Peak entrace.
We eventually made it though with a nice lunch stop in Woodland Park (another tourist town), and people took a long break there. It was so long that our sweep Jon and driver for the day Jake were able to get a haircut!
After we came down from Ute Pass, our next big challenge was the Wilkerson Pass. This was where things got interesting. Jake gave us a county road to get off the main highway but unfortunately half way through it became gravel. Tough luck sometimes but it was nice to actually speak to riders and not have to worry about vehicles going 55 mph.
We need to highlight this town of Hartsel; first off you could bike through it in 30 seconds if you really had no need to stop. The closest towns are 25 miles away in both directions and it is in the South Park flat land of the Rockies. We were just lucky to find some random church to take us in for the night!
The Hartsel Bible Chapel hosted us by having us sleep in their sanctuary that is shaped like an igloo. Check this link out, http://www.hartselbiblechapel.org/, and on the bottom you can see the picture of it. We somehow managed to fit almost all of our bags in there by strategically placing our bags on top of chairs/tables along the perimeter of the walls inside. We really got cozy basically!
The route of the Springs to Hartsel was a 75 mile journey from 6800 feet in elevation to 9000 feet. We started off the day with a fun ride through bike paths in the Springs that Jake was able to find. It was much nicer than those busy roads with no shoulders for bikes! It brought us out toward the Garden of the Gods City Park where we biked through the 5 mile loop of the park. If you google Garden of the Gods than you can see how beautiful all of the many rock structures are. It was nice to be there before the tourists hit the place up with all those cars as we had limited traffic to deal with.
The park brought us out to Manitou Springs, a tourist town just west of the Springs. It had a cute downtown aspect to it, apparently it is buzzing during the summer but quiet between Labor Day and Memorial Day. After the nice pretty quiet roads, we had to face the reality of tackling our first pass (Ute Pass elevation 9800 ft) on US Highway 24.
There were cars flying past us but everyone was safe with a shoulder. During this first ascent, we could definitely feel that week we took off the bike. Lets just be nice by saying that it took us a little more time than usual to get up the pass as people were adjusting to life on the bike. Some highlights of the ascent was the random carnival rides that we saw to our left near the Pikes Peak entrace.
We eventually made it though with a nice lunch stop in Woodland Park (another tourist town), and people took a long break there. It was so long that our sweep Jon and driver for the day Jake were able to get a haircut!
After we came down from Ute Pass, our next big challenge was the Wilkerson Pass. This was where things got interesting. Jake gave us a county road to get off the main highway but unfortunately half way through it became gravel. Tough luck sometimes but it was nice to actually speak to riders and not have to worry about vehicles going 55 mph.
We need to highlight this town of Hartsel; first off you could bike through it in 30 seconds if you really had no need to stop. The closest towns are 25 miles away in both directions and it is in the South Park flat land of the Rockies. We were just lucky to find some random church to take us in for the night!
The Hartsel Bible Chapel hosted us by having us sleep in their sanctuary that is shaped like an igloo. Check this link out, http://www.hartselbiblechapel.org/, and on the bottom you can see the picture of it. We somehow managed to fit almost all of our bags in there by strategically placing our bags on top of chairs/tables along the perimeter of the walls inside. We really got cozy basically!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
First 4 Days in the Springs
So it is July 7th and we have been stationed in the Springs for just about five days so far. I will try to give you a heads up of our build and the day off.
So we are building with the Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, and have had four days on the build site. Unfortunately two of those days have ended early due to rainy weather in the afternoons. It is amazing to see what types of storms can come from either the South or from the mountains over Pikes Peak (14,000 ft. high).
We started building this house from its foundation so we have completed preparing the crawl space/basement for the house. We then set up the flooring and done all of the interior/exterior framing. Along with that, the roof joists are up and the house is starting to look good. So our next steps involve roofing and siding which should be a fun time tomorrow.
We have enjoyed our nights out in Colorado Springs with a bowling extravaganza due to the great rates from the local bowling of Harmony Lanes. We all got to show off our bowling skills while listening to many contestants in the Karaoke contest. Personally I think we had better singers in our bike group.
July 4th was a grand time as I headed up to Manitou Springs with my girlfriend Sara Rose to check out the local tourism. Manitou Springs is just west of the Colorado Springs and is a bit more in the mountains. It reminds of Adirondack tourist towns like Lake George Village or Lake Placed. We did this awesome walk through the area where we walked up a little mountain and had a great view of the town and Colorado Springs. We checked out this old Inn that had burnt down a number of town due to humans being stupid. It was really cool with all these rooms being named after Western Heroes.
Sara and I headed up to Boulder on July 5th after hanging out with our buddies Greg & Rachel in the Garden of Gods and the Springs. Greg and Rachel brought their two dogs Pig Pen & Lilla (sorry for the spelling) so we walked them around town and checked out the dog park. Our highlights of the day in the Springs were going out for a Buffer Lunch due to Greg's request and the gigantic Thunderstorm while we were in Garden of the Gods.
So my time in Boulder was great as Sara set up a big dinner on my first night. I sawe everyone that had stuck around for the summer, and it was a real fun relaxing time. The pie was absolutely amazing! Sara and I relaxed the majority of the time by going to downtown Pearl Street and checking out her work location of The Cup. Thanks to her bosses, Bike & Build has had a bunch of water bottles & coffee donated. Props to them! I also got to check out the Ethan & Noah Csapo's baseball game for Summer Ball (This is the family that I worked for during my time in Boulder). After the game, Sara and I also went to main park and had a picnic dinner with some friends.
Overall it was awesome to be in Boulder and see everyone but I am excited to back with the group tonight! I can't wait to build tomorrow!
So we are building with the Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, and have had four days on the build site. Unfortunately two of those days have ended early due to rainy weather in the afternoons. It is amazing to see what types of storms can come from either the South or from the mountains over Pikes Peak (14,000 ft. high).
We started building this house from its foundation so we have completed preparing the crawl space/basement for the house. We then set up the flooring and done all of the interior/exterior framing. Along with that, the roof joists are up and the house is starting to look good. So our next steps involve roofing and siding which should be a fun time tomorrow.
We have enjoyed our nights out in Colorado Springs with a bowling extravaganza due to the great rates from the local bowling of Harmony Lanes. We all got to show off our bowling skills while listening to many contestants in the Karaoke contest. Personally I think we had better singers in our bike group.
July 4th was a grand time as I headed up to Manitou Springs with my girlfriend Sara Rose to check out the local tourism. Manitou Springs is just west of the Colorado Springs and is a bit more in the mountains. It reminds of Adirondack tourist towns like Lake George Village or Lake Placed. We did this awesome walk through the area where we walked up a little mountain and had a great view of the town and Colorado Springs. We checked out this old Inn that had burnt down a number of town due to humans being stupid. It was really cool with all these rooms being named after Western Heroes.
Sara and I headed up to Boulder on July 5th after hanging out with our buddies Greg & Rachel in the Garden of Gods and the Springs. Greg and Rachel brought their two dogs Pig Pen & Lilla (sorry for the spelling) so we walked them around town and checked out the dog park. Our highlights of the day in the Springs were going out for a Buffer Lunch due to Greg's request and the gigantic Thunderstorm while we were in Garden of the Gods.
So my time in Boulder was great as Sara set up a big dinner on my first night. I sawe everyone that had stuck around for the summer, and it was a real fun relaxing time. The pie was absolutely amazing! Sara and I relaxed the majority of the time by going to downtown Pearl Street and checking out her work location of The Cup. Thanks to her bosses, Bike & Build has had a bunch of water bottles & coffee donated. Props to them! I also got to check out the Ethan & Noah Csapo's baseball game for Summer Ball (This is the family that I worked for during my time in Boulder). After the game, Sara and I also went to main park and had a picnic dinner with some friends.
Overall it was awesome to be in Boulder and see everyone but I am excited to back with the group tonight! I can't wait to build tomorrow!
Walsenburg to Pueblo to Colorado Springs
So the day after my epic Mountain Passage was a pretty light one as I drove the van to fulfill my duties as a Trip Leader. Funny enough even though we followed the highway the majority of the time, I still managed to find a way to confuse the route for the riders. Overall though the bike ride was very simple for our group and we enjoyed a full afternoon in Pueblo.
I walked a couple miles to check out the Riverwalk which is part of the main downtown area of the city. What you may not know is that Pueblo is the mecca of the real Southern Colorado and was once bigger than Colorado Springs due to mining and the railroads. It is now smaller than the Springs but has an awesome library big enough for Denver. I checked it out by reading some magazines while napping in the reading area. A security guard woke me up to inform me that this was against the rules.
After the library, I just checked out the Arkansas River with its small damned section that makes a great course for kayakers. I watched them as they tackled rapids and then enjoyed the slow part of the River walk. It was a nice simple afternoon with great hosts who offered a great meal and conversation.
We were right in downtown Pueblo so it was easy to access all the parts of town. The church gave us a great area to nap in and a pretty sweet playground in the front. They cooked us a big dinner and breakfast that definitely filled up our stomach.
We went on our way with a later wake up call to head to Colorado Springs. We managed to find a fun dirt road that was fine for our bikes. It gave us time to get off the highway and enjoy some backroads that offered prettier and quieter views. I appreciated it until my tire got rocked, and I can officially say that my Gatorskin Tire couldn't survive the whole trip!
We were 10 miles to town and I needed a completely new tire, and of course that was not available. It wasn't worth trying to make another old tire work for the rest of the trip, so I vanned it for the rest of the day. It ended being fine because I missed the busy roads of Colorado Springs.
Some other highlights of the ride was our stop in Fountain where I road in water fountains with little kids. I also met a nice lady along the road who bikes recreation ally. She was a real nice person who was intrigued by our program.
I walked a couple miles to check out the Riverwalk which is part of the main downtown area of the city. What you may not know is that Pueblo is the mecca of the real Southern Colorado and was once bigger than Colorado Springs due to mining and the railroads. It is now smaller than the Springs but has an awesome library big enough for Denver. I checked it out by reading some magazines while napping in the reading area. A security guard woke me up to inform me that this was against the rules.
After the library, I just checked out the Arkansas River with its small damned section that makes a great course for kayakers. I watched them as they tackled rapids and then enjoyed the slow part of the River walk. It was a nice simple afternoon with great hosts who offered a great meal and conversation.
We were right in downtown Pueblo so it was easy to access all the parts of town. The church gave us a great area to nap in and a pretty sweet playground in the front. They cooked us a big dinner and breakfast that definitely filled up our stomach.
We went on our way with a later wake up call to head to Colorado Springs. We managed to find a fun dirt road that was fine for our bikes. It gave us time to get off the highway and enjoy some backroads that offered prettier and quieter views. I appreciated it until my tire got rocked, and I can officially say that my Gatorskin Tire couldn't survive the whole trip!
We were 10 miles to town and I needed a completely new tire, and of course that was not available. It wasn't worth trying to make another old tire work for the rest of the trip, so I vanned it for the rest of the day. It ended being fine because I missed the busy roads of Colorado Springs.
Some other highlights of the ride was our stop in Fountain where I road in water fountains with little kids. I also met a nice lady along the road who bikes recreation ally. She was a real nice person who was intrigued by our program.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Trinidad to Walsenburg
So the day off started off with a simple decision: take the easy route that would give me more time in Walsenburg or the longer route that would offer some of the nicest views on the trip thus far. I knew that the mountain route of going along the Scenic Highway 12 over Cuchara Pass was the best way of getting it done!
The groups split in half over this decision so we had a group of 15 tackle this legendary uphill battle. When coming out of Trinidad, our group knew that we had an extraordinary day ahead of us but were not sure what to expect. The first 35 miles were a gradual uphill climb with random downhill through the valley. There were great views from even 8000 feet high in elevation as we were dazzled by what the Rockies had to offer. We would stop at General Stores along the way in order to find great postcards and talk to the locals. No amazing interactions, but we learned a lot about the area.
After lunch, we really started to hit the uphill climb that we were informed about by locals. With this uphill climb came spectacular lakes to stop at like Monument Lake and the elevation was definitely hitting us. Everyone stopped to catch a breath at least once going up the Cuchara Pass, and there was no shame in that. One other reason we stopped was because we were getting hit by heavy rain and hail. We had groups of people huddling underneath any tree that they could find along the road. Fortunately, my rain protection proved its worth once again by keeping me dry (somewhat)!
As we reached the highest point on the route of just under 10,000 feet in elevation we were excited that the downhill portion was about to begin. We went through winding curves for 20 miles as we concentrated on maintaining a safe speed. This was one of our first times with this type of downhill so it was a great learning experience. We were able to get down the mountain and back into the plains within an hour from the pass by averaging between 25-30 MPH. This included stops in general stores along the way where we talked to vacationers and locals.
On the plains, we were hit once again by even more hail and that just added to the fun stories of the day. As we arrived into Walsenburg, we realized that the longer route was a risk worth taking. We still arrived by 3 PM into town, got to check out the local scene and get random chores done.
Dinner was a fun potluck with the people from local churches and newspapers! We were just happy to not have to cook any more dinner!
The groups split in half over this decision so we had a group of 15 tackle this legendary uphill battle. When coming out of Trinidad, our group knew that we had an extraordinary day ahead of us but were not sure what to expect. The first 35 miles were a gradual uphill climb with random downhill through the valley. There were great views from even 8000 feet high in elevation as we were dazzled by what the Rockies had to offer. We would stop at General Stores along the way in order to find great postcards and talk to the locals. No amazing interactions, but we learned a lot about the area.
After lunch, we really started to hit the uphill climb that we were informed about by locals. With this uphill climb came spectacular lakes to stop at like Monument Lake and the elevation was definitely hitting us. Everyone stopped to catch a breath at least once going up the Cuchara Pass, and there was no shame in that. One other reason we stopped was because we were getting hit by heavy rain and hail. We had groups of people huddling underneath any tree that they could find along the road. Fortunately, my rain protection proved its worth once again by keeping me dry (somewhat)!
As we reached the highest point on the route of just under 10,000 feet in elevation we were excited that the downhill portion was about to begin. We went through winding curves for 20 miles as we concentrated on maintaining a safe speed. This was one of our first times with this type of downhill so it was a great learning experience. We were able to get down the mountain and back into the plains within an hour from the pass by averaging between 25-30 MPH. This included stops in general stores along the way where we talked to vacationers and locals.
On the plains, we were hit once again by even more hail and that just added to the fun stories of the day. As we arrived into Walsenburg, we realized that the longer route was a risk worth taking. We still arrived by 3 PM into town, got to check out the local scene and get random chores done.
Dinner was a fun potluck with the people from local churches and newspapers! We were just happy to not have to cook any more dinner!
New Mexico & trip to Trinidad
Once we hit the border and entered into the Land of Enchantment AKA New Mexico, the tide had turned. We were finally out of Texas and onto the 24 hours we had ahead of us in this new state. Surprisingly somehow all of the wind just went away as we went into Clayton New Mexico.
We stopped to talk to some locals and buy post cards from a convenience store, and my attitude was refreshed. I realized how much fun the next 60 miles would be to Des Moines while we sang our way through Clayton. Singing has become one of my favorite pastimes while going through any town, it is the best way for people to know what we are doing.
The bike ride up until Des Moines was beautiful with mountains randomly appearing throughout the ride. We finally had something to look at other than just flat land and it amazed us. When stopping at a Rest Area, I met a great couple driving through the country and other random people with odd stories. I guess that is what a place like the west.
The town of Des Moines had three stores open and I made sure to talk with all of them. I hit up the first one for Sopapillas to remind me of the days with visiting my sister Kerry in Albuquerque. I stopped at a coffee shop to watch my teammates playing a solid game of Checkers. I was asked to leave by my teammates because I told them what move to make too often.
My favorite shop was the local art studio where photos and paintings were showed off. I foound out that I made it for the Open Mic Night where locals showed off their poetry skills etc. I showed off my skills in writing Hi-Kus and then told them all a little more about our Bike & Build group. It was really fun to talk with all these locals and we actually found a rancher that wants to host our group next year.
So the night was fun but just like everywhere else, we leave before the town awakes the next morning. We found a more manageable back road that took us through an easier mountain pass than what we originally had planned. It was beautiful with the RR train following us along the way into Colorado.
We had the mountains to our left as we biked from the border into Trinidad. Unfortunately, we had a 20-25 mph headwind coming at us for the last 20 miles. It was another test for our mental wit as we barely made it to our host without wanting to go crazy.
The day off was the deciding motivating factor as we got near Trinidad. Everyone was pumped too know that we could let loose, relax and sleep in as much as our body lets us! Good day!
We stopped to talk to some locals and buy post cards from a convenience store, and my attitude was refreshed. I realized how much fun the next 60 miles would be to Des Moines while we sang our way through Clayton. Singing has become one of my favorite pastimes while going through any town, it is the best way for people to know what we are doing.
The bike ride up until Des Moines was beautiful with mountains randomly appearing throughout the ride. We finally had something to look at other than just flat land and it amazed us. When stopping at a Rest Area, I met a great couple driving through the country and other random people with odd stories. I guess that is what a place like the west.
The town of Des Moines had three stores open and I made sure to talk with all of them. I hit up the first one for Sopapillas to remind me of the days with visiting my sister Kerry in Albuquerque. I stopped at a coffee shop to watch my teammates playing a solid game of Checkers. I was asked to leave by my teammates because I told them what move to make too often.
My favorite shop was the local art studio where photos and paintings were showed off. I foound out that I made it for the Open Mic Night where locals showed off their poetry skills etc. I showed off my skills in writing Hi-Kus and then told them all a little more about our Bike & Build group. It was really fun to talk with all these locals and we actually found a rancher that wants to host our group next year.
So the night was fun but just like everywhere else, we leave before the town awakes the next morning. We found a more manageable back road that took us through an easier mountain pass than what we originally had planned. It was beautiful with the RR train following us along the way into Colorado.
We had the mountains to our left as we biked from the border into Trinidad. Unfortunately, we had a 20-25 mph headwind coming at us for the last 20 miles. It was another test for our mental wit as we barely made it to our host without wanting to go crazy.
The day off was the deciding motivating factor as we got near Trinidad. Everyone was pumped too know that we could let loose, relax and sleep in as much as our body lets us! Good day!
Texas: Spearman & Dalhart
The bottom line is that Texas is one of the windiest areas that we will ever have to bike through. Once we arrived into Texas from Oklahoma, we realized that this would be one of the most difficult mental challenges on the trip. Imagine this reality of having to bike 80 miles to just find another convenience stores. We threw a convenience store party by filling up the water bottles with as much ice as possible from the soda fountains!
On the way to Spearman, we stopped at a small local diner in Higgins right along the border. You could tell it was a cowboy/Texas place with all of the many pictures of local legends. The men there told us great stories about the area and the good old days! It was one of the best Texas experiences that I got, and bought a biscuit with sausage, egg and gravy for just a dollar. Cheapest place within 100 miles!
When I mentioned the difficulties of the wind, imagine a wind of 20 mph blowing into your face for 10 miles. During this time, you are just fighting to maintain any momentum down a hill or on the plains. I understand why investors are trying to put up as many wind turbines as possible in this part of the country.
One of my favorite stops was our lunch stop in Cactus on the way to Dalhart on our 2nd day in the Panhandle. We found this great restaurant called Judy’s Café where we got ourselves a good breakfast to fill up our stomach. It was my day to drive the van, so I figured I might as well find a good place to eat when ever it is possible! We ended up receiving a free meal after casually talking to the waitress just about life in Cactus and what we were biking for. They even let all of our riders in to fill up their water bottles with ice and use the bathrooms! What a nice group!
On our way to Dalhart, we biked along side to one of the biggest cattle herding plots that I had ever seen. From far way, it looked like a gigantic junkyard due to all of the many colors and its size. Once you got within a mile you could start smelling the cows and just hear all of the MOOs from them. People were stunned by how much beef was at the point with some people thinking it was disgusting and others just realizing it were part of industrializing food in America. Overall it was a powerful learning experience just to bike next to.
Those were some of the memories with our stop in Texas. Overall, we had great hosts who hooked us up with great dinner meals and pools to swim in. It was really hot so the best time to go swimming was after dinner when it was manageable to be outside. Thank god we have occasionally escaped that heat!
On the way to Spearman, we stopped at a small local diner in Higgins right along the border. You could tell it was a cowboy/Texas place with all of the many pictures of local legends. The men there told us great stories about the area and the good old days! It was one of the best Texas experiences that I got, and bought a biscuit with sausage, egg and gravy for just a dollar. Cheapest place within 100 miles!
When I mentioned the difficulties of the wind, imagine a wind of 20 mph blowing into your face for 10 miles. During this time, you are just fighting to maintain any momentum down a hill or on the plains. I understand why investors are trying to put up as many wind turbines as possible in this part of the country.
One of my favorite stops was our lunch stop in Cactus on the way to Dalhart on our 2nd day in the Panhandle. We found this great restaurant called Judy’s Café where we got ourselves a good breakfast to fill up our stomach. It was my day to drive the van, so I figured I might as well find a good place to eat when ever it is possible! We ended up receiving a free meal after casually talking to the waitress just about life in Cactus and what we were biking for. They even let all of our riders in to fill up their water bottles with ice and use the bathrooms! What a nice group!
On our way to Dalhart, we biked along side to one of the biggest cattle herding plots that I had ever seen. From far way, it looked like a gigantic junkyard due to all of the many colors and its size. Once you got within a mile you could start smelling the cows and just hear all of the MOOs from them. People were stunned by how much beef was at the point with some people thinking it was disgusting and others just realizing it were part of industrializing food in America. Overall it was a powerful learning experience just to bike next to.
Those were some of the memories with our stop in Texas. Overall, we had great hosts who hooked us up with great dinner meals and pools to swim in. It was really hot so the best time to go swimming was after dinner when it was manageable to be outside. Thank god we have occasionally escaped that heat!
Rest of Oklahoma: Watonga & Arnett
Luckily, we had a nice short day out of Oklahoma City that only consisted of 65 miles. The wind was minimal for the majority of the day as we were able to escape the midday heat. The route did not have many great sites or views to stop for, and the group simply biked with little to wait around for. The whole group was in town by 2 PM as we finally got an afternoon to enjoy in a town.
Even though Watonga is small, it still had a lot to offer as we enjoyed the locals restaurants. We went to the SONIC for slurpees, talked to locals at the Hideout Bar and just took naps at the church. Overall nothing very exciting about Watonga but it was just nice to have a day to relax!
The next day we biked to a small town of Arnett that was only 15 miles from the Texas border. I really enjoyed the bike ride as we stopped in convenience stores along the way to talk to locals. Really nice people in the small towns that we went through, and they gave us free ice and water.
My goal of the day was to beat the heat in the afternoon so I did not spend too much time at our two lunch stops. I just had a great biking day talking to other riders and being the first one to arrive into Arnett. The church people were great to us in Arnett as they showed me around and had Ice Cream waiting for us in the kitchen. Every rider except the lactose intolerant ones were pumped for this one!
After dinner in Arnett, we went into the local park and offered a Bike Clinic. It was short and simple but was a great way to interact with the community as we hung out with families. The playground there was great because it had all these old play sets that have been banned because they are too dangerous(meaning more fun).
This town was literally in the middle of nowhere and looked like a small forest from far away. It may be one square mile in size for the downtown, and after that it is just flat plains with no trees at all. The sunset was incredible to watch as we quickly went to sleep right after it. The next morning on the way out, we woke up early enough to see the stars as we packed the trailer. On our way out of town, we saw the best sunrise yet on the trip as we were on top of the hill.
Oklahoma treated us well with great people, meals and not too bad of wind. It just sure is hot around here!
Even though Watonga is small, it still had a lot to offer as we enjoyed the locals restaurants. We went to the SONIC for slurpees, talked to locals at the Hideout Bar and just took naps at the church. Overall nothing very exciting about Watonga but it was just nice to have a day to relax!
The next day we biked to a small town of Arnett that was only 15 miles from the Texas border. I really enjoyed the bike ride as we stopped in convenience stores along the way to talk to locals. Really nice people in the small towns that we went through, and they gave us free ice and water.
My goal of the day was to beat the heat in the afternoon so I did not spend too much time at our two lunch stops. I just had a great biking day talking to other riders and being the first one to arrive into Arnett. The church people were great to us in Arnett as they showed me around and had Ice Cream waiting for us in the kitchen. Every rider except the lactose intolerant ones were pumped for this one!
After dinner in Arnett, we went into the local park and offered a Bike Clinic. It was short and simple but was a great way to interact with the community as we hung out with families. The playground there was great because it had all these old play sets that have been banned because they are too dangerous(meaning more fun).
This town was literally in the middle of nowhere and looked like a small forest from far away. It may be one square mile in size for the downtown, and after that it is just flat plains with no trees at all. The sunset was incredible to watch as we quickly went to sleep right after it. The next morning on the way out, we woke up early enough to see the stars as we packed the trailer. On our way out of town, we saw the best sunrise yet on the trip as we were on top of the hill.
Oklahoma treated us well with great people, meals and not too bad of wind. It just sure is hot around here!
Oklahoma City
Our build in Oklahoma City was the most productive build that we have had for the whole trip. We showed up to a house with just its concrete foundation laid, and it was our job to put up all the framing for the walls. We came, we saw and we conquered through the 100 degree heat of the day. Everyone was working together, the Habitat staff always had a task for us to complete and we had a great time!
The Habitat for Humanity has a powerful leader who has been able to use her connections in order to grow the organization. Their endowment is very high, they receive free donations of GREEN products that make them the most Environmental Friendly Home Builders in the state and they have a whole development devoted to Habitat Houses. They took care of us very well as all meals were provided and we stayed at a great church somewhat close to the downtown area.
My highlight of the stop was being able to spend some quality time with Uncle Pete & his girlfriend Patty. They picked me up from the church, cooked great meals and gave me a bed to sleep on for both nights. He even woke up at 4 AM to drop me off at the church for our 6 AM bike departure! I got to explore the city with Patty as we checked out the downtown, the river, the memorial and the nicest neighborhoods in the city! Big Thank You for making my stop in Oklahoma City such a great one!
The Habitat for Humanity has a powerful leader who has been able to use her connections in order to grow the organization. Their endowment is very high, they receive free donations of GREEN products that make them the most Environmental Friendly Home Builders in the state and they have a whole development devoted to Habitat Houses. They took care of us very well as all meals were provided and we stayed at a great church somewhat close to the downtown area.
My highlight of the stop was being able to spend some quality time with Uncle Pete & his girlfriend Patty. They picked me up from the church, cooked great meals and gave me a bed to sleep on for both nights. He even woke up at 4 AM to drop me off at the church for our 6 AM bike departure! I got to explore the city with Patty as we checked out the downtown, the river, the memorial and the nicest neighborhoods in the city! Big Thank You for making my stop in Oklahoma City such a great one!
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