Up this morning at 5 AM, feeling good my right hand is still a little bit numb but other than that feeling recovered. Everything packed and ready to go. Went over to have the continental breakfast that starts at 5:30 AM here. Had breakfast and out the door and on the road at 6 AM. A cool 45° here this morning.
8 AM 19.3 miles and stopped at the Clark general store in Clark Colorado. Feeling good and strong this morning. It’s amazing how a test day can heal the body.
9:02 AM I’m at 22.2 miles in and 7,455 feet. I just left the Clark store where I had the biggest and best breakfast burrito I think I’ve ever had. I topped up all my water because it’s gonna be a long way before the next service.
Just turned off on gravel again after doing about 20 miles of pavement out of steamboat with no shoulder—it was not fun.
Just passed a horse ranch with people out riding horses and just a quarter mile or so up the road had a big mule deer run out on the road in front of me and I was able to catch it on my gopro.
The fields here are full of these big yellow flowers looks a lot like daisies but I think they’re called columbine. I think it’s the state flower of Colorado, could be wrong on that. Nice morning perfect riding condition so far. But that can always change in five minutes.
9:53 AM 24.5 miles and just finished a big climb up at 8,176 feet, sweat is not dripping off of me it’s pouring off in n a solid stream. It’s a beautiful day though and I’m feeling strong been doing some 10 to 13% grades and peddling up all of them—a lot better than I was doing two days ago on grades like that.
11:21 am and made it to Columbine. stopped at the general store which I think is the only thing in town. Bought two Bubbies mochi ice cream, They were so good I went back and got three more. I Lacroi lemon water and and Izzy sparkling mango. Sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch taking a short break. Still a beautiful day for riding.
12:45 PM stopped at the top of the climb 43.5 miles in still a perfect day for riding taking a little break eating some cashews while mosquitoes and Nats eat me. So it’s gonna be a short break
2 PM 53.8 miles in I’m down to 6,883 feet. Still a beautiful day for riding. Just rode through miles and miles of the three fork ranch property—it’s massive. Now I’m in another adjoining ranch I can’t remember the name of it but seems like those two ranches own all the property on both sides of the road for 40 miles or so through here.
2:30 met Justin heading south. He Started in Banff Canada the day after I started in antelope Wells. He recognize my bike from the Great Divide Facebook group. He’s in a hurry to get finished—wants to get back home to family.
Stopped At 3:10 Pm in the middle of a big climb and had a couple plums left over from yesterday and some Gatorade
4:30 pm came to an intersection where my route goes north to Rawlins, but I’m not going there today. It’s another 70 miles and over 5,000 feet of climbing. Can’t muster that today. I can turn south and go 3 miles to a campground, or continue north for 17 miles to a campground. I decided to do the 3 miles, that will add 6 miles off route, but that’s OK I’m feeling good today.
4:45 pm arrived at the Riverbend campground on the Colorado/Wyoming border. Rick who runs the campground told me I could have a cabin for 15 bucks, So I took that deal and gave him 30 Bucks.
I’m inside, have a fan, have a bed, have power to recharge my devices, and have use of a shower at another facility. Better than some of the .25 star motels I’ve stayed in. And I don’t even have to unload my camping gear. It can stay on the bike ready to roll in the morning. Going the 3 miles off-route was the right decision.
5:38 PM I’ve taken a shower, had dinner which consisted of a can of armor potted meat, a can of bean dip, a bag of Fritos, some cashews, one plum I had left over from yesterday, and a bottle of watered down Gatorade.
Now, planning my day for tomorrow and the next day. Tomorrow is pretty simple, I’ll be riding from here to Rawlins Wyoming about 70 or so miles. I’ll spend the night in Rawlings, and then the next day is going to be tough. I’ll be crossing the great basin which is one of the most remote and desolate areas in the United States. It’s about 130 miles from Rawlins across the Great Basin To Atlantic City. So, tomorrow night I have to check the weather to see the predicted direction of the wind and decide whether I’m gonna try to do it all in one day or split it into two days and camp out in the middle of the basin. This is one of those stretches people either love or hate. If the wind is to my back and it’s not raining to make the road muddy, I think I’m gonna love it. If the wind is in my face and or raining I’m probably going to hate it. We will see!
Pics:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/w94d4t39y3njlkr/AACpTSgkFVsvA2ugmTEbg6TXa?dl=0
