Day 23: Big Rocky Mountain Finishing Day!

Big finishing day, passing up the AirBnB I had reserved in Vail I decided to bring it on home for a 72 mile day with over 5,000’ of climbing.  And for the first, and last day of this trip, I had 30 minutes of rain before summiting Vail Pass and more sprinkles as I glided down the rec path into Frisco, my home town.  I called it “cooling mist for my day”.  

Definitely a climbing day, especially the last 10 miles up Vail Pass. 

Ang dropped me off in Dotsero so I could bypass the 14 dangerous miles I would have had to ride through Glenwood Canyon on I-70 since the rec path was closed due to flooding.  

  
Saying good bye to my old friend the Colorado River as it bends north to its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park and hello to my new one on the way to Vail, the Eagle River.  

Rec path was my main choice as it paralleled US 6 and I-70 towards Edwards. 

In Edwards, my first stop after 31 miles, it’s 11:30 and it’s just 13 more miles to W. Vail and my thoughts turned to skipping my last overnight and finishing my trip today.  I was pretty sure I had the legs to do it and I definitely had the will, and the forecast looked pretty good as far as rain….

I canceled my AirBnB in Vail and my new target was to get over that mountian range!

I’m riding a slim and trim version of my Surly Disk Trucker today. Last night I weaned down my gear to just what I needed to finish my trip: my tools and small parts, first aid kit, toiletry bag, a pair of shorts and my merino t-shirt and Ang drove the rest home.  I was now prepared to ride the mountains a little faster today.  

As my first rain shower was starting, about 7 miles from Vail Summit I found this guy waiting for me on the rec path. 

Lots more energetic snowmelt today, in many cases running over the rec path. 

And waiting for me at Black Lake, just a mile or so before Vail Summit, was Len, his grandson Liam and friend Michael banging pots and pans to cheer me on the last few hundred feet of climbing.  Thanks Len!!

At the top of Vail Summit, 10,600’, with just 13 more miles of downhill riding to my home, in the rain. It was ok though, I was about to be home!!

Day 22: Parachute to Glenwood Springs

Everybody was Sunday driving today, even me.  Casual start at 7:30 and arrival at the Best Western Antlers Motel in Glenwood Springs by 1 for a 44 mile day.  

I faced headwinds like this for the first 35 miles, but I just went with a slower speed and easy pace.  No need to fight it, I’ve got time. 

The first 36 miles were on Old US 6 that paralleled I-70.  Yesterday US 6 was very quiet but today, along the Colorado River there are lots of little towns, businesses and homes so there was lots of traffic today. I might have been safer on the Interstate!

New Castle was one of the little towns closest to Glenwood Springs. Compared to Parachute, Rifle, and Silt, New Castle had “old world charm”. I had already stopped in Rifle for breakfast sandwich but stopped in New Castle as well because it was so nice and had a comfy bench along Main St. in the shade just waiting for me. 

Ironically, for the very last time I would need to get on the Interstate on this trip, a County Sheriff was parked on the West bound on ramp looking right at me. The road dead ends here so I was sure he was going to watch me jump on the overpass to get to I-70E and then come after me and tell me I couldn’t finish the last 8 miles on the Interstate which was the only way I could get to Glenwood Springs!  I kept looking back in my rear view mirror to see if I saw flashing lights.  Maybe it’s perfectly legal for me to ride on the Interstate!

Rafters on the flood stage Colorado just downstream from Glenwood Springs.  

And there’s my Rocky Mountains I’ve been waiting to see again!!

2 miles before the motel they had a Culver’s so I went in to test a theory if a chocolate shake was better for recovery than chocolate milk.  I may have to test the theory a few more times to be sure….

I hit the hot tub/pool and a deck chair while I was waiting for early check in.  Very nice to relax like this. 

Angela arrived around 4:30 to spend the evening with me and to drive me up about 15 miles through Glenwood Canyon tomorrow morning since the rec path is closed due to flooding and you would never want to ride your bike on that stretch of  I-70, too narrow, little to no shoulders and very curvy. Then I can finish my ride as planned, all the way home.

 

   

We had a great dinner at Juicy Lucy’s and enjoyed the evening ambiance of Glenwood Springs, our favorite town to visit in Colorado. 

Day 21: Fruita to Parachute, CO

A lazy departure at 7:15, with rec path, 2 lane, roads and interstate thrown in for the trifecta of riding options today.  Warm to hot with little to no help from the wind, and I didn’t push too hard, arriving in Parachute after 62 miles for a 2pm check in. 

Other than whoop-tee-doos my elevation change followed the natural course of the Colorado River that I followed most of the day, rising about 1,000’ in 62 miles. 

   
There was a rec path pretty much all the way to Palisade.  Lots of Saturday riders, runners and walkers out, I kept wanting to sing “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago. 

9:45 finds me in Palisade at the 357 Bar/Grill. I don’t think the address is 357, but perhaps a pistol is called to mind? 

  

After a few more miles on local roads I had the choice to either climb 4,000’ and add 30 miles to my day by going over Grand Mesa or jump back on the Interstate through the river canyon for about 18 miles.  I’ve heard from other riders that the Grand Mesa is just beautiful to ride but I chose the Interstate.  I’m ready to get back home, Grand Mesa some other day!!

In De Beque I got off the Interstate and jumped on Old Highway US 6 but not before a Slurpee and Snickers protein bar.  I still had 15 miles to go and it was getting warm!

  

US 6 was such a great highway to ride on, with almost no traffic, so for the first time on this trip and because of the heat, I took off my helmet and felt the wind on my head.  It was very nice.  

I glided into the Grand Vista Motel at 2, hit the hot tub, showered and worked on the blog for a bit.  It felt good to be clean, horizontal on the bed with the A/C on high and off the bike for a bit!

   
I found what looked like an interesting place to eat across the Interstate called Shoomy’s so I rode my bike over around 5. Anything with gravy sounded good and it was. Robin, the bartender, started asking questions about what I was doing in Parachute. When I told I was heading home on my bike, and ultimately where I had started from, she started shouting at Tre, who was sitting next to me at the bar that he better get a fr’king bike and start riding!! They both might have been late into the Happy Hour. We got to talking and after I finished dinner I asked Robin for the check, and she said Tre already had it.  He refused to let me pay so we talked some more about life and then I headed to the motel.  Again, why I like these trips so much is you meet and get to know, just a little bit, so many interesting, kind and gracious people.  Thanks for dinner and my beer Tre!

Day 20: Thompson Springs, UT to Fruita, CO

Taking whatever the road and weather gave me today I did 65 miles, all on I-70, to Fruita, CO.  I left the Bordello around 6:15 and by 6:30 after I stocked up on food/water I was on the Interstate to Fruita where I arrived at 1pm. 

On my way to the 7-11 to stock up for the 65 mile ride with no services.  

Lots of clouds this morning, very atypical from what we’ve experienced on this trip. 

Just me (and the clouds) again on the road riding into the morning sun. 

More clouds and signs of rain to the south. 

I-70 was pretty quiet throughout the morning. I had some really nice riding in excess of 20 MPH as the first 15 miles were downhill and the wind wasn’t a factor, yet.  

At 40 miles I took my first real break at 10:15 and checked out a way to take Old US 6/US 50 which would mostly parallel I-70. However the old highway, what was left of it, was decomposing into gravel and pot holes.  Riding it would have gotten me off the Interstate but it would cost me more than an hour due to slower speeds not to mention heart ache from the bumps and extra work put forth.  Back to my 8’ wide Interstate shoulders.  And I actually got sprinkled on while I ate my snacks here, the first time I’ve felt rain all trip!

At 10:50 I break through the Colorado state line.  3 states behind me and one more to get to the middle of!!  I’m a happier boy now, in spite of the headwinds I’ve been facing. 

About 15 miles shy of Fruita Len quickly pulls over in front of me and offers two bottles of iced cold water to replace my piss warm fluids!  He, Chris and their 8 yr old grandson Liam, were on there way back home to Dillon.  It was a very thoughtful action by Len and made the last hot and hard miles into Fruita more bearable.  Thanks Len!!

The mighty Colorado River, at least mighty during the winter snow melt, on its way to try to fill Lake Powell. 

My first stop at the Fruita exit was to stop at the first gas station and suck down a chocolate milk, probably the most satisfying post ride treat I could have.  It quenched most of my thirst and hunger and it allowed me to skip lunch and check directly into the motel. 

After hot tubbing, showering, and catching up with friends my next stop was the Happy Hour at El Tapitio. I started off with a big Mexican Gatorade. The meal was tasty, I ate it all, and waddled back to my hotel room to write this blog and drift off into a deep sleep, ready for another day heading east into Colorado towards my home tomorrow.