Saratoga - Rawlins
43 fast miles
2 hours and 53 minutes in the saddle
30.8 mph max speed
14.7 mph average speed
We left early this morning to avoid the winds that increase through the day and we arrived in Rawlins at 9.30am.
We have had another day of mostly downhill and today the roads have been beautifully smooth. We like Wyoming roads, especially after some of the rough and bumpy roads in Colorado. We have had a short ride today in anticipation of a long ride tomorrow. Wyoming is sparsely populated and without a tent we don't have many choices for places to stay. Tomorrow we may have to do another 120 miles to find a bed for the night. We said we were mad last time we did 120 miles and we are feeling a bit apprehensive about doing it again. This time we are well prepared: we have bought a loaf of bread, a large jar of Nutella and some Vaseline!
Today we met another 3 TransAm'er riding eastwards. Two of them had been riding for 6 months, they had started in San Diego riding north to Canada, before heading south and east. They gave us some good advice on cycling from Oregon to California. Oh, we haven't mentioned that we think we have enough time to ride the Pacific highway down to San Francisco. We have made good progress throughout the trip and without too many rest days we should have a couple of weeks to spare once we hit Oregon.
To date we have cycled for 42 days and we have covered 2677 miles. We are about half way to San Francisco and have completed about 2/3 of the TransAm. Our average distance per day is 64 miles. We have suffered no punctures, and no mechanical problems apart from Mette's rear wheel preferring to be oval rather than round. Physically we are in good shape and probably in a lot better shape than what we were 42 days ago. We have eaten our lifetime fill of hamburgers and we will soon reach our burrito and enchilada limit. We keep cycling past signs saying "Eat Beef" and that's often the only option we have.
Every state we have cycled through has been special and unique in its own way and we have enjoyed every day of our trip so far, apart from possibly the last 10 miles to Canon City. It is hard to distinguish between the highlights, but if we had to choose, then reaching Currant Creek Pass in Colorado was eyewateringly beautiful. We both agree the mountains are special.
Monday, 4 June 2007
Sunday 3 June - Riding the high plains of Wyoming
Walden - Saratoga, Wyoming
69 miles
5 hours and 37 minutes in the saddle
27 mph max speed
12.1 mph average speed
We entered Wyoming after 22 miles. The scenery continues to be beautiful, with snow capped mountains visible no matter where you look. The mornings are crisp and clear and cold, we have been wearing all our clothes to stay warm. The weather is changeable here, and thunderstorms build in the afternoon over the mountain ranges. Storms are great to watch from a safe distance. Thankfully the storms always seem to be gathering to the south.
We have met another TransAm'er today and had a brief chat before we headed in opposite directions. We have yet again suffered strong headwinds. We think we are a bit unlucky because the prevailing winds in this area are westerlies and we have had northerly winds ever since we turned north several days ago.
Before we left Walden one of the locals offered us some riding advice. He asked us if we had ever been to Wyoming before, which we said we hadn't. He then said with a grim look on his face that we would soon see what it was like. I asked him if it would be a bit like the flat Kansas plains, to which he responded that he thought Kansas had some hills. We suspect he had never travelled outside Colorado.
69 miles
5 hours and 37 minutes in the saddle
27 mph max speed
12.1 mph average speed
We entered Wyoming after 22 miles. The scenery continues to be beautiful, with snow capped mountains visible no matter where you look. The mornings are crisp and clear and cold, we have been wearing all our clothes to stay warm. The weather is changeable here, and thunderstorms build in the afternoon over the mountain ranges. Storms are great to watch from a safe distance. Thankfully the storms always seem to be gathering to the south.
We have met another TransAm'er today and had a brief chat before we headed in opposite directions. We have yet again suffered strong headwinds. We think we are a bit unlucky because the prevailing winds in this area are westerlies and we have had northerly winds ever since we turned north several days ago.
Before we left Walden one of the locals offered us some riding advice. He asked us if we had ever been to Wyoming before, which we said we hadn't. He then said with a grim look on his face that we would soon see what it was like. I asked him if it would be a bit like the flat Kansas plains, to which he responded that he thought Kansas had some hills. We suspect he had never travelled outside Colorado.
Saturday 2 June - See no moose, hear many moose
Kremmling - Walden
62 miles
5 hours and 18 minutes in the saddle
29.2 mph max speed
11.7 mph average speed
Today we crossed the continental divide for the second time. This is the watershed where the water drains either to the Pacific or the Atlantic. Our first crossing was at Hoosier Pass. We will cross the continental divide many more times as we head north through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Today we crossed Muddy Pass at 8,772 feet elevation. We have finally acclimatised to the higher altitude and we had no trouble climbing.
Our ride today has taken us along the wide Platte River Valley, with majestic snow capped peaks on either side.
Tonight we are staying at the flash Antler's Inn, in Colorado's moose viewing capital. Antlers were everywhere and there were plenty of hunting trophies staring at us from the walls. Some of the 2000 moose in the area are keeping us awake with their strange throaty calls.
62 miles
5 hours and 18 minutes in the saddle
29.2 mph max speed
11.7 mph average speed
Today we crossed the continental divide for the second time. This is the watershed where the water drains either to the Pacific or the Atlantic. Our first crossing was at Hoosier Pass. We will cross the continental divide many more times as we head north through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Today we crossed Muddy Pass at 8,772 feet elevation. We have finally acclimatised to the higher altitude and we had no trouble climbing.
Our ride today has taken us along the wide Platte River Valley, with majestic snow capped peaks on either side.
Tonight we are staying at the flash Antler's Inn, in Colorado's moose viewing capital. Antlers were everywhere and there were plenty of hunting trophies staring at us from the walls. Some of the 2000 moose in the area are keeping us awake with their strange throaty calls.
Friday 1 June - Back on the road again with a straight wheel
Breckenridge - Kremmling
55 miles
4 hours and 12 minutes in the saddle
29.3 mph max speed
13.1 mph average speed
We finally left Breckenridge at 1pm after having Mette's back wheel re-built by the excellent mechanic at Mountain Sports Outlet in Silverthorn. We were both frustrated at being stuck in Breckenridge for longer than planned, but it was a nice place to be stuck. However, we were still determined to make good miles today. First 25 miles of our ride took us on a lovely bike path snaking through the forest from Breck to Silverthorn. There were millions of racing bikers out training as this forms part of the 40 mile paved bike path from Breck to Vail. It is so nice here we had a brief look in the real estate agent's window to see if we can buy a house here in the future!
Just outside Silverthorne we met Steve who is doing the TransAm west to east on a recumbent. He was very keen to have a chat, so we shared stories and advice on the hard shoulder as heavy traffic thundered past.
Our ride today has had a downhill bias, we dropped over 2000 feet in elevation and we feel much better for it. We continue to be awed by the mountains. For most of the last 30 miles we had a strong headwind.
55 miles
4 hours and 12 minutes in the saddle
29.3 mph max speed
13.1 mph average speed
We finally left Breckenridge at 1pm after having Mette's back wheel re-built by the excellent mechanic at Mountain Sports Outlet in Silverthorn. We were both frustrated at being stuck in Breckenridge for longer than planned, but it was a nice place to be stuck. However, we were still determined to make good miles today. First 25 miles of our ride took us on a lovely bike path snaking through the forest from Breck to Silverthorn. There were millions of racing bikers out training as this forms part of the 40 mile paved bike path from Breck to Vail. It is so nice here we had a brief look in the real estate agent's window to see if we can buy a house here in the future!
Just outside Silverthorne we met Steve who is doing the TransAm west to east on a recumbent. He was very keen to have a chat, so we shared stories and advice on the hard shoulder as heavy traffic thundered past.
Our ride today has had a downhill bias, we dropped over 2000 feet in elevation and we feel much better for it. We continue to be awed by the mountains. For most of the last 30 miles we had a strong headwind.
Thursday 31 May - Hoosier Pass
Fairplay - Breckenridge
24.5 miles (felt like at least 100 miles)
2 hours 52 minutes in the saddle
29.8 mph max speed
8.5 mph average speed (new record low)
Today we have suffered the altitude and the climb over Hoosier Pass at 11,542 feet became a real slog. Scenery has been stunning. Mette has struggled with feeling lightheaded and shortness of breath, which are common symptoms of altitude sickness. Mette's severely buckled back wheel made the descent very interesting as she wobbled into Breckenridge!
Breckenridge is a great spot. It is outdoor heaven that attracts skiers in the winter to the vast slopes and bikers and hikers in the summer. We feel at home here, shame that the prices require a regular, steady income. We can't afford to stay here for long.
We spent all afternoon chasing around Breckenridge's many bike shops trying to fix Mette's rear wheel. We finally found a solution at a bike shop in Silverthorne, where the mechanic offered to re-build the wheel. This involves replacing all the spokes, it is a big and quite expensive job, but the best option for us. Stephen has told Mette not to fall off her bike again, as we can't afford it :)
Hopefully we will be back on the road again tomorrow. We will be descending from here on, so altitude sickness should disappear.
Today we were overtaken by Jesse who is also doing TransAm east to west. He is the first person to overtake us. Oh well. His bike looks like a weird cross between a BMX and a touring bike with huge handle bars and a saddle that has two independently moving buttock pads. Jesse was very friendly. He even waited for us to reach the Hoosier summit, so we could get a group photo.
24.5 miles (felt like at least 100 miles)
2 hours 52 minutes in the saddle
29.8 mph max speed
8.5 mph average speed (new record low)
Today we have suffered the altitude and the climb over Hoosier Pass at 11,542 feet became a real slog. Scenery has been stunning. Mette has struggled with feeling lightheaded and shortness of breath, which are common symptoms of altitude sickness. Mette's severely buckled back wheel made the descent very interesting as she wobbled into Breckenridge!
Breckenridge is a great spot. It is outdoor heaven that attracts skiers in the winter to the vast slopes and bikers and hikers in the summer. We feel at home here, shame that the prices require a regular, steady income. We can't afford to stay here for long.
We spent all afternoon chasing around Breckenridge's many bike shops trying to fix Mette's rear wheel. We finally found a solution at a bike shop in Silverthorne, where the mechanic offered to re-build the wheel. This involves replacing all the spokes, it is a big and quite expensive job, but the best option for us. Stephen has told Mette not to fall off her bike again, as we can't afford it :)
Hopefully we will be back on the road again tomorrow. We will be descending from here on, so altitude sickness should disappear.
Today we were overtaken by Jesse who is also doing TransAm east to west. He is the first person to overtake us. Oh well. His bike looks like a weird cross between a BMX and a touring bike with huge handle bars and a saddle that has two independently moving buttock pads. Jesse was very friendly. He even waited for us to reach the Hoosier summit, so we could get a group photo.
Wednesday 30 May - Climbing the Rockies
Canon City - Fairplay
79 miles uphill
8 hours and 21 minutes in the saddle
37.6 mph max speed (ok, it wasn't all uphill)
9.3 mph average speed (mostly it was uphill, our second slowest day)
Today we have gained 6,000' elevation and it has been a killer of a bike ride. We were expecting a tough ride, but we hadn't counted on the gale force head winds we had for the last 50 miles. Pure punishment. In spite of how tough this day has been, it has also been an enjoyable ride because the scenery has been spectacular.
When we crested Currant Creek Pass at 9,404' we had the most stunning views across snow capped peaks in the Rockies. We appreciate the mountains so much after having spent almost a week cycling across the flat plains of Kansas and eastern Colorado. We stopped for lunch in Guffey, after 30 miles of cycling. We had the best lunch to date at Rita's cafe, a haven of health food where burgers are not on the menu. We also met Bill, the owner of the Guffey Garage. Bill is a real wild west character. In his garage resides the mayor of Guffey, a big black cat called Monster. There are no cars in Guffey Garage because it is stuffed full of strange things like cow skulls wearing sun glasses. Outside the garage is Bill's rat rod (like a hot rod), which he has built himself. It is a 1937 rusty old wreck, but with a modern v8 engine and automatic gearbox. We tried to convince Bill to give us a lift to the top of the mountain.
After almost 50 more miles we finally reached Fairplay at 6.30pm and we are staying at the historic Hand's Hotel which has beautiful rooms. This evening we went to the local, very good Italian restaurant (we think there is some Breckenridge effect in Fairplay) and had a delicious meal. We started the meal by having a cocktail each, to celebrate the tough ride. Stephen downed his and promptly felt the full kick of the alcohol which is about 3 times as strong at 9,500' elevation. Both of us have suffered the altitude, but hope we will acclimatise soon. We are feeling light headed and a little nauseous, it is very similar to a hang over.
79 miles uphill
8 hours and 21 minutes in the saddle
37.6 mph max speed (ok, it wasn't all uphill)
9.3 mph average speed (mostly it was uphill, our second slowest day)
Today we have gained 6,000' elevation and it has been a killer of a bike ride. We were expecting a tough ride, but we hadn't counted on the gale force head winds we had for the last 50 miles. Pure punishment. In spite of how tough this day has been, it has also been an enjoyable ride because the scenery has been spectacular.
When we crested Currant Creek Pass at 9,404' we had the most stunning views across snow capped peaks in the Rockies. We appreciate the mountains so much after having spent almost a week cycling across the flat plains of Kansas and eastern Colorado. We stopped for lunch in Guffey, after 30 miles of cycling. We had the best lunch to date at Rita's cafe, a haven of health food where burgers are not on the menu. We also met Bill, the owner of the Guffey Garage. Bill is a real wild west character. In his garage resides the mayor of Guffey, a big black cat called Monster. There are no cars in Guffey Garage because it is stuffed full of strange things like cow skulls wearing sun glasses. Outside the garage is Bill's rat rod (like a hot rod), which he has built himself. It is a 1937 rusty old wreck, but with a modern v8 engine and automatic gearbox. We tried to convince Bill to give us a lift to the top of the mountain.
After almost 50 more miles we finally reached Fairplay at 6.30pm and we are staying at the historic Hand's Hotel which has beautiful rooms. This evening we went to the local, very good Italian restaurant (we think there is some Breckenridge effect in Fairplay) and had a delicious meal. We started the meal by having a cocktail each, to celebrate the tough ride. Stephen downed his and promptly felt the full kick of the alcohol which is about 3 times as strong at 9,500' elevation. Both of us have suffered the altitude, but hope we will acclimatise soon. We are feeling light headed and a little nauseous, it is very similar to a hang over.
Tuesday 29 May - A really bad day
Pueblo - Canon City (pronounced canyon City)
57 miles
4 hours and 38 minutes in the saddle
34.3 mph max speed
12.1 mph average speed
Today we had a short ride in preparation for the long climb up into the Rockies tomorrow. We are staying in Canon City which is a bit of a dump. The road out of Pueblo offered pleasant riding, but things got a bit ugly as we got closer to Canon City. The last 10 miles before Canon City were probably the worst we have had so far on the trip (even worse than nasty Kentucky dogs). Mette came off her bike, narrowly avoiding crashing into Stephen and grazed her knee and got some very stylish black and blue bruises on her thigh. It probably looked spectacular as I fell sideways at hardly any speed. The back wheel got buckled, yet again. That is 3rd time unlucky for that wheel. A little later a local driver decided to vent his anger on us. This is the first time in 2,300 miles that we have experienced road rage. A little later a metre long snake decided it wanted to cross the road in front of us. The upside was that Stephen finally managed to get the photo of a live snake that he has been trying to get for the last 1,500 miles. We have seen many snakes, most of them road kill and the ones that have been alive we have sped past. Given the snake was determined to cross the road we assume it is now road kill.
We went out for a very nice Chinese dinner and we got the obligatory fortune cookies, which had some very appropriate messages:
There is more to balance than falling over (yes, Mette got that one!)
The harder the fall, the higher the bounce - not sure that really makes sense
57 miles
4 hours and 38 minutes in the saddle
34.3 mph max speed
12.1 mph average speed
Today we had a short ride in preparation for the long climb up into the Rockies tomorrow. We are staying in Canon City which is a bit of a dump. The road out of Pueblo offered pleasant riding, but things got a bit ugly as we got closer to Canon City. The last 10 miles before Canon City were probably the worst we have had so far on the trip (even worse than nasty Kentucky dogs). Mette came off her bike, narrowly avoiding crashing into Stephen and grazed her knee and got some very stylish black and blue bruises on her thigh. It probably looked spectacular as I fell sideways at hardly any speed. The back wheel got buckled, yet again. That is 3rd time unlucky for that wheel. A little later a local driver decided to vent his anger on us. This is the first time in 2,300 miles that we have experienced road rage. A little later a metre long snake decided it wanted to cross the road in front of us. The upside was that Stephen finally managed to get the photo of a live snake that he has been trying to get for the last 1,500 miles. We have seen many snakes, most of them road kill and the ones that have been alive we have sped past. Given the snake was determined to cross the road we assume it is now road kill.
We went out for a very nice Chinese dinner and we got the obligatory fortune cookies, which had some very appropriate messages:
There is more to balance than falling over (yes, Mette got that one!)
The harder the fall, the higher the bounce - not sure that really makes sense
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