Birds woke me up at 4:50 this morning. It got cold last night. I layered all night.
Packed up and out of camp at 6am.
Climbed a big hill out of the campground saw a big herd of elk at the top. Very cold this morning my hands are freezing it’ll probably still be a couple of hours before the sun is up above the trees.
6:56 AM I drop down about 600 feet it’s been nice riding this morning after a small climb out of the campground. It has been downhill almost all the way I am 8 miles in.
I just camp up on a huge bull elk standing in the road in front of me. unfortunately didn’t have my go pro on and he took off before I could get a pic. Turned on the GoPro after that and captured about four more coming down the mountain—there out everywhere around here this morning. Hearing nothing but graven under my tires, my own heavy breathing, birds singing and elk calling….very nice.
Stopped at 7:30 11 miles in to takeoff my jacket and my long sleeve shirt it is freezing at night and in the mornings until the sun comes up—after that the heat sets in fast. I can already feel the heat starting to build. About 20 miles to pie town I hope the pie shop is open.
This road I’m on is like beach sand barely getting 4 miles an hour and have to be careful not to wipe out—my tires just burying in it
8:30 back up to 8,044 feet making my way through a mountain gap. After I finish this hopefully it will be downhill or flat to town. I’m at 15.7 miles for today.
9:13am and arrived at the bar and feather animal assistance and adoption site. they had a cooler sitting out by the road with a thermos full of water. So I topped off my water bottle and am sitting in the shade taking a little break.
22.5 miles down this morning so I’ve got about another 7 1/2 To pie town.
Got to town and the Pie shop everyone recommend you go to is closed. The Lady outside said it’s closed Wednesday and Thursday now, but she said there’s another place open about a quarter mile down the street. So I headed that direction and stopped at the doe and buck coffee and café. I had a large breakfast burrito, double order of biscuits, sausage and gravy, coffee and three large glasses of Arnold Palmer Ice Tea with extra ice. The people who worked there owns the TLC ranch where I planned to camp tonight. They told me they probably wouldn’t be there — they stay in town during the week to work the cafe — but it was fine to camp there and there would be coolers of fresh well water there. I thanked them and left a nice tip.
Before leaving town I stopped by to visit the famous toaster House. This is a house that serves as a free hostel for bike riders and Continental divide hikers. I found the house and Jefferson was the caretaker there. He invited me and told me to help myself to whatever I wanted and stay as long as I wanted. I was the only person there so I went up just to take a short nap and when I came back down couple hours later Charles had ridden in.
Charles is just traveling around on his bike. Has no place to be. Used to live in a van but lives on his bike now. He Stealth camps in ball fields, fairgrounds, anywhere people won’t see him. Headed toward AZ for now, but just wandering. He Lived in Cambodia for years traveling on a bike. Bike traveled all over Europe. Seems to me that he is searching for something but doesn’t know what it is and hasn’t found it yet. Said he is wondering around and running from the noise….likes nature and peace and quite, Does not like loud music especially the thumping bases from cars or sirens that seem to always be going off in towns and cities. Charles stayed for a couple of hours and then headed out in the heat of the day…He had no desire to stay in the comfort of the hospital for the night, he went out looking for his next stealth camp site.
6 PM leaving the toaster house in pie town headed about 15 miles to the TLC ranch to camp tonight.
Arrived at the TLC ranch at 7:45. There is an old homestead site where they’ve placed 4 big thermos jugs full of water for bikers and hikers. I camped here tonight and it was a lot warmer than the previous night.
Pics: erratic connections so may take a bit for all to upload.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pdfptvmyb2k5eph/AAAb5IzKUO4_1Jj_jJh_UByya?dl=0
