Day 33

I’m on the verge of crashing, but I’ll try to give a little justice to the epic day we just finished… Today we left Salida no later than 8:30. There was a slight incline from the get, and after briefly stretching at a gas station in Poncha Springs (5 miles in) we started what we would soon find to be the gnarliest climb of our lives.

The first twelve miles were slow but relatively easy, but the final six to the summit were another thing altogether. On the climb, we experienced all four seasons. In the final miles (6 miles=2 hours) we were pummelled with rain, sleet, hail, and so forth. I listened to Jack Kerouac read the entirety of On the Road with a half hour left to spare before we reached the summit, blue-lipped and beat. Atop Monarch Pass (11,312 ft.), we caught up with the Sergeants, whom we’d been chasing since mid-Kansas, when we found there were more westbound cyclists en route. It was an incredible feeling to have conquered that beast.

The other side was so fucking intense, I can’t find words for it. 10 miles down at a 6 per cent grade, surrounded by awesome scenery. Then it was on to Gunnison.

Here we were welcomed by Emily and her friends and room mates. We went to a party which was amusing, at the least, until the cops showed up. We moved to a different residence and continued to kick it. I got my ass kicked in Wii bowling. Now we’re back at the house, more than ready to pass out.

On that note…

T.