Days 34-37

Sorry for the lack of updates. This may be the last time I can do this for a while, so here goes… Day 34
Nothing crazy, a rest day. We sat in our couch-host’s house all day listening to cranked-up jams. We put some new brake pads on (the Monarch descent did a number on the old ones), did a little this and a little that. A typical rest day… Day 35
This is the day shit started getting crazy/awesome. We got a super-late start leaving Gunnison, around 11. Karl got a flat about an hour into the ride, fortunately at this awesome reservoir. While stopped, another cyclist cruised into the valley. Jeff (cavemanacrosscountry.com) pulls in, rocking the same Surly that Karl and I both have. We’re both heading to Montrose, so we ride together. We all hit it off really well and rode a couple rad hills against headwind together. Jeff had a place to crash in Montrose, he called the host, Rob, then we had a place to crash, too. Rob is a super cool guy, who really loves cycling, and is spearheading community-wide bicycle advocacy efforts. We were really fortunate, again. Day 36
The ride from Montrose to Telluride included a monster hill and half another monster hill. The headwind, again, was intense, which made climbing the Dallas Divide extra-difficult. After a long and brutal day, we pulled into Telluride, an awesome town nestled in between several incredible mountains, in the cold and the dark. We hit a bar, not in any rush to camp in the frigid night air, and sat down for drinks and food. Karl and I both ate AWESOME falaffel sandwiches (I ended up eating 2!) and finally got to try the Ska Brewing Co. out. Their IPA is the shit. Anyway, while there, this guy, Matt, comes up to us, talks about our tour, etc. Turns out, he did a cross-country tour for Livestrong a couple years back, and he offered to put the three of us up for the night. Score, again. Day 37
Annnnd today. We left Telluride bright and early, with our second highest Colorado pass to hit right off the bat. It ended up being both incredibly easy (comparatively) and astoundingly beautiful. Atop Lizard Head Pass, the three of us reflected on our Rocky Mountain experiences. The journey through Colorado was incredible for all of us— the best time, by far, and we each took something different away from it all. We had plenty more time for personal reflection on our amazing 40+ mile downhill. At least for me, it was the greatest ride of my life. For 2 hours, we watched the incredible mountains fade away alongside us, while exerting little effort. We just took it all in, one last time. In Dolores, we decided to change course. Jeff is bound for San Diego via Los Angeles, and we, obviously, for San Fran, via Utah and Nevada. We calculated it is the same distance for us to ride as a group through the Grand Canyon, Vegas, and on to LA, as it is to go slightly north through desolate Utah and Nevada as a two-piece. So tomorrow we leave Cortez, CO, and head into the Arizona desert, bound for Las Vegas! More updates when I can, Grand Canyon pictures on the way… Night,
T.