Colorado

Joan
Rabbit Ears Pass...Continental Divide!
Plenty of time to take pictures at 6.7 mph.
Lesson learned: Don't forget to take our biking gloves before you put your laundry in the dryer.
Kremmling
Thank you Cory, keeper of the portable outhouse.

Words of yesterday:

96 miles into Kremmling, Colorado today. For me, today was by far the best day yet in all respects. It all started with a giant bowl of cereal, as usual, but today I mixed 4 kinds instead of my standard 3. And someone had moved my bike out of range of the sprinkler last night—very thoughtful. And I smuggled my ipod to listen to as I crawled up 4000 feet of Rabbit Ears Pass. Our terrain was green, opposed to the usual sagebrush. We passed aspens, rivers, and lots of mountains. We passed “chimney rock,” which did not look like a chimney at all. I drank two cups of “Muddy Lake Pass” coffee in Steamboat Springs. My legs felt as strong today as they felt dead yesterday—much like a motor. I had a great mix of solo riding and group riding. I had great company on the ride. The pine trees were very aromatic. Julie added tortilla chips to her water stop refreshments at the false summit (they really hit the spot on hot days). Aaron Carpenter’s parents had popsicles waiting at the top of the pass. We had lots of smooth road to ride. Wildflowers abounded at every bathroom stop (“Girls don’t go in the wild..” is an untrue statement I heard today). “Key Largo, Montigo, baby why don’t we go down to Kokimo?” was in our singing repertoire as well as U2’s “Beautiful Day.” Real, snowcapped mountains are in view as I write. The high school we are staying at has a mustang painted on the center floor of the gym with purple and gray swirls in the background—very mystical. It rained. Our tents are on “shag carpet grass.” My choice of raspberry sherbet on cookies and cream ice cream was the best I made all day.

“I love right now.”

Today we had an easy 35 miles to Snow Mountain Ranch. None other than Nancy Meyer, my Calvin XC coach met me on the roadside today. That was a nice surprise. I caught my first glimpse of the Tour de France in a coffee shop. I have a new appreciation for the sport these days.

Audrey, a young woman from Quebec has been riding with us the last 2 days. She is touring the country, carrying much more gear than we are.

This is a quickie because I must make the most of my little time left with these wonderful people.