Old friend

This is an update to our July, 2010 trip to Wyoming: While I was biking in and around Dubois, WY, I met an old guy (he was 71 at the time) walking across America..just because he could. His name was Jim Bragg, from Wisconsin, and he had sold his farm to some Amish & had plenty of free time. This was his second "season" to be walking & we had a good visit and exchanged e-mails & have stayed in touch. Well, he shows up at our back door on September 21, 2012 & what a surprise! We visit for an hour or so and he is driving this time & headed to Stillwater. Oklahoma for the 50th reunion of his Peace Corps group in Brazil. He did complete his quest in 2011, making it to Astoria, Oregon in three years. What a treat to see him again & help with the book he is writing about the adventure. Thanks, Jim, for looking me up!

Pronghorns!

We're up early today in Ouray, CO, and the sun is starting to creep over the mountain tops & it's cold..38 degrees! Of course since we're leaving it's going to be sunny & 60, but we start tearing down, after some coffee & we're out by 9:25, including short visit with the Haws, who are staying here 6 days! We stop for breakie in Ridgeway & it's ok. On to Montrose and then east on 50 toward Gunnison, Canon City, Pueblo & south on I-25 toward Raton, NM. Looks like it'll be about dark when we get to our KOA in Clayton, NM. East we go on US 87 & it's a nice four-lane & 70 mph, and very deserted. We see hundreds of Pronghorns feeding in the fields, and not on the side of the road. There are also lots of old cinder cones & volcanoes in this area & one you can even drive up to the Caldera..if you had time. Still more sheep, but we finally pull into our KOA about 7:20 & setup pretty quick and then cook some tacos. A long day but should make it an easier drive to Harrah tomorrow.

Million Dollar Highway

Good day from Ouray! I finally got out and looked at some of the roads around here and it's not too biker friendly here at 7719', but the Million Dollar Highway starts right at the end of town & goes up, up, up-to 11,200' in 13 miles. Anyway, I rode up about two miles and traffic is very heavy, with all kinds of vehicles. I stopped and chatted with a guy on a motorcycle headed for Durango & we traded snap shots-then he went up & I went down. I ended up with 12 miles and 1150' of climb, and with threatening skies , I headed back to town & some flatter roads. Just as I got back to camp it started raining harder, so in I went. Now it's 66 & a pretty steady rain. KK walked up to Duckett's Market for some supper items. Tacos here for supper! Shall we go to the hot springs anyway? We'll see.

Blue Mesa Bike

Here it is September 10th already! two football games gone & now we're breaking camp in Gunnison & headed toward Ouray, CO, another old mining town in the Rockies. Another nice day, so when we get all folded up , I suit up & head west on my bike and KK will catch me or something. There's a small head wind, but not much climbing (600) in the 22 miles I ride to Blue Mesa Lake, which is really down! Could be the drought or maybe a winter thing where they let a lot of water out. I jump in the car and off we go to Montrose for a DQ  some KFC, and shopping at Wally...we need a new heater for the camper. On to Ouray at 7700' and it's a neat little town & lots of bars and restaurants & some hot springs too! The million dollar highway is just above us & leads to Silverton..I may try to ride some of it tomorrow. To our campground..the 4J RV Park, right on the Uncompahgre River. Our spot is not on the river, but we'll survive. Setup by 5:00 and then go into town to check out the shops & hot springs..$10 for an all day pass. The town was established in 1886 and was almost a ghost town in the 1970's, but has rebounded with jeep trips galore & motorcycles..oh, and hunters too. Our new heater is working wonders & we're nice & cozy. We have neighbors but they're in bed by 10:00, as I go up to shower. Rain tomorrow?

Monarch Pass

Break camp in Buena Vista & head toward Gunnison and over Monarch Pass at 10,500'-no snow yet, but lots of traffic. We don't stop at the top as we have been there a few times, so over the summit and onto our KOA just west of downtown. It's lovely and lots of green grass and gravel..no dirt or sand! We get all set up by 1:45 and even have the awning out too! A big jet-we're right by the local airport- is making touch & go's as we prepare to go for a bike ride. A road by the camp grounds is excellent & we ride about 7 miles together & I go on for a longer ride. I get back to camp with 22 miles and 600'. It's pretty flat around here and only gains 400' if you go all the way to Almont-about 12 miles. I do see some signs in town for an arts walk, so we do that after supper-grilled ham sandwiches and leftover pasta. Then some shopping in town along with the art & then to the local grocery store to meet up with the Haws. They then come out to our spot for some popcorn & wifi. We are hoping to be able to get the OSU game tomorrow night vs Az, somehow. Maybe on the internet, as it's on the Pac 12 network and I checked in town at a couple of restaurants & no deal. A good day & a lovely campground, so we may stay here for 3 nights instead of two & then go to Ouray on Monday.

Leadville

Well, a good day in Colorado! We're all up early, thanks to some Cuban barking dogs next door & off to town for breakfast at Jan's & it was great! Fab pancakes & omlets. On up the road to Leadville, an old mining town where many people got rich, lost it all and made more mining for gold, lead & silver. The "Matchless Mine", "Little Johnnie's Mine", and many more scattered about the area & some still working. Also some great views from 11,600' down into the valley & some massive "fourteeners" in sight too! There was some shopping too & once again, lots of Bars & restaurants. I found a new biking jersey with Leadville the central theme. I should have put my bike in the car as it would have been a nice downhill, 34 mile ride back to Buena Vista! (Leadville is around 10,200' & Buena Vista is 7,950') Oh well, I got in 26 miles after we got back, with about 5 miles up the Cottonwood Road. Now to cook supper...pasta, peas & cheese bread. Off to Gunnison tomorrow.

Colorado-2012

OK, a two week trip to the Rocky mountains, with biking, hiking & eating our way around central Colorado with our friends, Terry & LaFonda Haws. We're two days into the trip & not much biking,as the altitude & long drive wore us out. The first night was in Cotopaxi, and a lovely spot right on the Arkansas River. Now we're onto Buena Vista, CO & a real nice KOA spot overlooking the valley on the eastern slope of the Rockies, with a great view of the collegiate range. A good 20 mile ride today, but not much climbing..maybe more tomorrow. We did drive up to Cottonwood Pass at 12,126' & blue skies & 56 degrees at the Continental Divide. The Haws went up to a ghost town, St Elmo's & feed a herd of chipmunks. Some good sleeping here at 8,000' and those 50 degree overnights.

Pinehurst and beyond

Well, here we go to the east to visit the Blasingames, who are attempting to relocate to North Carolina. Don's brothers, Dave & Lee live there and there's golf, so maybe it'll work. On our way there, we biked a few miles in Tennessee, on the Natchez Trace, and then in North Carolina & then to Pinehurst. It was a good visit & I broke in my new Cannondale, Supersix, with miles in TN, NC, WV, PA, IN & IL. The rest of the trip was up to Pittsburgh, PA & some more biking, visiting old friends & eating! It was a great trip & KK enjoyed being with her old tennis buddies as they went over to Cinicnnati & a pro tourney. Then there was the episode wher we had to retrieve the Turks car keys and meet them half way from Cincy to Pitt with the keys-Jerry lost them on a rollercoaster ride at King's Island. I mean, what are friends for anyway? They were eventually found but way too late for their return trip to Pitt. I ended up with over 400 miles of riding when we got back home on August 23rd-one day after our 48th wedding anniversary! See you in Colorado!