Distance: 49.8 mi, Climbed: 840 ft
Completed: 2,398.3 mi, 107,880 ft
Today, Joanna and I rode to Pueblo, Colorado. This is our last flat ride before we start slowly ascending to Hoosier Pass at 11,000 feet. The forecast was for just 94 degrees. I say “just” because, while 94 degrees is hot, it’s been near 100 the last few days.
We got up early and were on the road by 5:30am to beat the heat. The great part of getting out early is that we generally have the roads to ourselves for a few hours, and everything looks great in the morning light. The downside is that it can be quite cool. Today, the temperature barely hit sixty degrees for the start of our ride. We were cold the first hour or so. I thought about going into my bag and getting my gloves and jacket, but that just seemed wrong when the forecast was in the 90s.
We mostly cruised through the morning miles. The scenery started to become more green, with lusher fields and patches of trees. We were treated to a couple of antelope that hopped away before we could get out our cameras. We also ran into a nasty truck driver going the other way. The truck moved halfway into our lane and blared his horn as he passed. He was clearly trying to send us a message. And we got it loud in clear — he needs to learn better manners.
Our one refueling stop was in Boone about half way to Pueblo. As we rode into town, we saw a home with an amazing collection of rusted-out antique cars.
We stopped at Figaro’s General Store for a snack and to refuel. The owner had recently purchased the store from his son, who is a veteran. His son’s kidney was failing, and he could no longer run the store by himself. Fortunately, as a veteran, the VA is providing his son with the medical care he needs and is in the process of finding him a new kidney. We wish both of them the best.
We have ridden the last several hundred miles next to train tracks, but we have only seen a few active trains. Today, everywhere we looked there was a train going somewhere or preparing to go somewhere. It is quite impressive to bike along a mile long train. It’s even more impressive to think what kind horsepower a locomotive must have to pull such a massive load.
With about ten miles left, Route 96 merged with Route 50 to take us into Pueblo. Route 50 is a major four-lane highway with a big shoulder. Even though we were separated from traffic, it is not my favorite type of road for biking. We had to navigate several dangerous spots where exit lanes interrupted the shoulder.
While this is pretty much the last spot I expected to see wildlife, there were a few prairie dogs scooting around the dirt on the edge of the highway.
We arrived in Pueblo nice and early. We stopped at Great Divide Ski Bike & Hike to do some mid-trip maintenance and pick up some supplies. I got a new chain, replaced a frayed cable, and had my brakes adjusted. Joanna needed a headset adjustment. We walked into town for a little bit while the work was completed.
When we returned, our bikes were not quite ready. We talked to the staff a bit and learned that there were several fires nearby and the day before it was raining ash in town. We asked about whether it was safe to ride, and while there was some hesitation, the consensus was that we should be good to go but we should monitor the situation. Soon, our bikes were ready, and we headed to our hotel for the night, which was just around the corner.
