7.09.2010
Everette
Lets talk about Everette:
We met him in some mountain range in Colorado. He was REALLY excited to see other bikers and really slowed his pace to bike with us. He was oldish-maybe 52ish and had been all around the world. He had never settled down, said he was too much of an adventurer. He knew how to speak 5 languages and his favorite gift to give was rose jelly!
Despite all this, he was creepy and we decided to part ways.
We met him in some mountain range in Colorado. He was REALLY excited to see other bikers and really slowed his pace to bike with us. He was oldish-maybe 52ish and had been all around the world. He had never settled down, said he was too much of an adventurer. He knew how to speak 5 languages and his favorite gift to give was rose jelly!
Despite all this, he was creepy and we decided to part ways.
FORTH OF JULY
AH Colorado was AMAZING!! We made it over the Rockies! Another accomplishment: we didn't get altitude sickness! woo hoo!!! However, the first day that we rode out of the flat lands of Colorado, we both had trouble breathing and had really dry noses, mouths, etc. . But we got over it.
We rode into Silverton, CO after riding over the Red Mountain Pass- a beautiful road called the "million dollar highway" (it cost that much to make it) (which was a lot back then). It was all switchbacks, no shoulder and no guardrails! To our right, the whole way up was a tremendous drop off, the biggest cliff you can imagine. And in that valley was a rushing river. It was beautiful and I was going back and forth between wanting to just gaze into that beautiful valley and focus very hard on staying on the road.
It might have been the most beautiful stretch so far. We stopped close to the top to draw and write poetry and eat peanut butter.
So it was July 3rd when we rode into Silverton and it was packed for the 4th of July. Everyone was really pumped. There was going to be a parade, a water fight, a rhubarb festival and fireworks. We rode up to a group of kids, all camped out in a yard and asked if we could camp there too. They said yes, if we would be there friends, which seemed reasonable.
We ate nachos at a funnel cake recipe,
hung out around a big camp fire and talked to the new friends who convinced us to stay for Independence day.
the next day, july 4th, was as amazing. The parade! (no one throws candy at us any more). The water fight (a serious water fight with firemen hoses, and people drenched). The rhubarb festival! (we split a GREAT Rhubarb crisp). Then we drove all their 4wheel drive vehicles up a mountain road, bouncing all around in the gravel, shoved into the front seat of the truck that they live in (so cool). And we got as high as we could, inching around other trucks coming down the mountain. Then the climbing began! We went up up up, Daniela still wearing her flip flops. Above the tree line into a steep field of wild flowers, ones that I had never seen before, whites and yellows and pinks and purples. It was beautiful. James and Daniela powered ahead, I took my time. And threw a snowball at the top. The view was overwhelming and the wind could almost knock you off your feet. I have never been up on a mountain so tall, and I have never really hiked without trails!
it was great. beautiful. I love Colorado. Everyone has their priorities straight.
that night, the fireworks lit up the entire valley, the mountains bounced the booms all around, back and forth. The 'official' fireworks were sometimes interrupted by 'rebel' fireworks from other campsites. It was incredibly exciting.
We made hot chocolate in the morning for everyone (the group just kept getting bigger), and got a ride into Durango. Yeah, sometimes we cheat.
Best forth of July Ever!
Jocelyn
We rode into Silverton, CO after riding over the Red Mountain Pass- a beautiful road called the "million dollar highway" (it cost that much to make it) (which was a lot back then). It was all switchbacks, no shoulder and no guardrails! To our right, the whole way up was a tremendous drop off, the biggest cliff you can imagine. And in that valley was a rushing river. It was beautiful and I was going back and forth between wanting to just gaze into that beautiful valley and focus very hard on staying on the road.
It might have been the most beautiful stretch so far. We stopped close to the top to draw and write poetry and eat peanut butter.
So it was July 3rd when we rode into Silverton and it was packed for the 4th of July. Everyone was really pumped. There was going to be a parade, a water fight, a rhubarb festival and fireworks. We rode up to a group of kids, all camped out in a yard and asked if we could camp there too. They said yes, if we would be there friends, which seemed reasonable.
We ate nachos at a funnel cake recipe,
hung out around a big camp fire and talked to the new friends who convinced us to stay for Independence day.
the next day, july 4th, was as amazing. The parade! (no one throws candy at us any more). The water fight (a serious water fight with firemen hoses, and people drenched). The rhubarb festival! (we split a GREAT Rhubarb crisp). Then we drove all their 4wheel drive vehicles up a mountain road, bouncing all around in the gravel, shoved into the front seat of the truck that they live in (so cool). And we got as high as we could, inching around other trucks coming down the mountain. Then the climbing began! We went up up up, Daniela still wearing her flip flops. Above the tree line into a steep field of wild flowers, ones that I had never seen before, whites and yellows and pinks and purples. It was beautiful. James and Daniela powered ahead, I took my time. And threw a snowball at the top. The view was overwhelming and the wind could almost knock you off your feet. I have never been up on a mountain so tall, and I have never really hiked without trails!
it was great. beautiful. I love Colorado. Everyone has their priorities straight.
that night, the fireworks lit up the entire valley, the mountains bounced the booms all around, back and forth. The 'official' fireworks were sometimes interrupted by 'rebel' fireworks from other campsites. It was incredibly exciting.
We made hot chocolate in the morning for everyone (the group just kept getting bigger), and got a ride into Durango. Yeah, sometimes we cheat.
Best forth of July Ever!
Jocelyn
7.01.2010
In Crested Butte, COLORADO
We climbed 11,312 feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant believe it. When we got to the top, I almost started crying. First I screamed and freaked Daniela out. We tried talking our way into a free ski-lift ride but they wouldn't have it.
On the top we met a long-haired biked from Oakland named John. I wish he was going our way, he knew what was up. He made his own panniers out of those big plastic white barrels. Next cross-country trip, I'll be sporting those.
On the top we met a long-haired biked from Oakland named John. I wish he was going our way, he knew what was up. He made his own panniers out of those big plastic white barrels. Next cross-country trip, I'll be sporting those.
Wetmore Colorado
After parting from the boys, we spent the morning (and afternoon..UGGH) in Pueblo food shopping and bike gearing. We met Bruce, a west-bounder biking for MS. He was really friendly and nice. He treated us to Mexican food at Rojas (very authentic). Thank you Bruce!
We left Pueblo late and got about 6 flats as we approached the towering Rockys. We pulled into Wetmore just as the sun was beginning to set over the mountains. It was beautiful. We were finally in the long awaited Rockys. Wetmore was very small. They had a library that was somehow still open, so naturally, we headed there. Nan, the librarian, let us use the computers. The library was closing, so Nan took us to her home, where we would spend the night.
Nan's house was beautiful. It had been an army barracks, but over the years the family had converted it to the warmest, homiest of houses. The sink and counter were 4 feet high (a very tall family). Nan was great. She told us about her years as a traveler, living in tents and hiking everywhere. She told us about the evolution of their shower, which was originally a waterhole in the trickling brook behind the house, then a solar shower shack, and finally a beautiful bathroom shower. She gave us delicious home-baked blueberry muffins and cookies and made us cheese omelets with eggs from their chickens.
I got up to help Nan hang our laundry on the line at midnight. It was so magical outside. We stood there quietly pinning chamois, socks, and shirts to the line listening to the trickling stream. The moon was nearly full behind the trees and there was a soft warm breeze blowing from the south. I could see stars above the faint outline of the mountains. Then I crept back to a warm bed and fell asleep.
Thank you Nan and Courtney! Staying at your place felt so much like home.
We left Pueblo late and got about 6 flats as we approached the towering Rockys. We pulled into Wetmore just as the sun was beginning to set over the mountains. It was beautiful. We were finally in the long awaited Rockys. Wetmore was very small. They had a library that was somehow still open, so naturally, we headed there. Nan, the librarian, let us use the computers. The library was closing, so Nan took us to her home, where we would spend the night.
Nan's house was beautiful. It had been an army barracks, but over the years the family had converted it to the warmest, homiest of houses. The sink and counter were 4 feet high (a very tall family). Nan was great. She told us about her years as a traveler, living in tents and hiking everywhere. She told us about the evolution of their shower, which was originally a waterhole in the trickling brook behind the house, then a solar shower shack, and finally a beautiful bathroom shower. She gave us delicious home-baked blueberry muffins and cookies and made us cheese omelets with eggs from their chickens.
I got up to help Nan hang our laundry on the line at midnight. It was so magical outside. We stood there quietly pinning chamois, socks, and shirts to the line listening to the trickling stream. The moon was nearly full behind the trees and there was a soft warm breeze blowing from the south. I could see stars above the faint outline of the mountains. Then I crept back to a warm bed and fell asleep.
Thank you Nan and Courtney! Staying at your place felt so much like home.
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