Day 19 Gunnison, CO to Salida, CO  63.6 miles and 4346 feet of climbing

We left the hotel in Gunnison and continued east on Highway 50. We rode by many green fields with rolling hills and mountains as their backdrop. Many farms dot the landscape in this part of the Rockies.

But truth be told, I was a bit preoccupied for the first 30 miles of our ride today, beautiful as it was. I knew that up the road ahead was the longest climb that I had ever attempted on a bike. The nine-mile climb up Monarch Pass to the Continental Divide.

I was never a great climber when I was younger and needless to say the passing years have not improved things. But I still grind it out the best I can, one pedal stroke at a time. I believe this climb is the single longest climb of our entire coast to coast trip, and I think this is also the highest elevation that we reach, 11,312 feet.  The scenery on the way up is beautiful, but truthfully, I was concentrating more on each pedal stroke and my breathing.

The British National Cycling Team- Masters Division passed me by, chipper as always. I could swear I saw one of them on his cell phone ordering pizza for lunch at the summit. They were kind enough to ask me if I wanted any tea and crumpets, but I respectfully declined.

I reached the summit, shouted some obscenities that are not suitable for this blog, laid my bike down on the ground, and started just walking around as the wind blew a gale. The weather was changing, and two storms were moving in from two different directions. The Brits were in the coffee shop, eating scones and pizza. Some of the other riders visited the gift shop, and some riders rode the gondola that they have at the summit. I was content to take a picture in front of the Monarch Pass sign, put on my yellow windbreaker and start the long descent into Salida, CO.

During the descent I could enjoy beautiful mountain views everywhere I looked.

 The descent into Salida, CO

On the way to dinner tonight, a fellow rider from New Hampshire, Jim who just recently retired from the US State Department (translation: CIA), asked me which of the places we had ridden through so far was my favorite. I replied that Colorado these past few days had really caught my eye. My wife and I come to Colorado to ski in the winter, but I've only been here briefly in the summer for events I've performed at. Colorado is a special place, and I can totally see why people love this state. The scenery is spectacular. Not to mention the fact that they just legalized pot and mushrooms. Don't get me wrong, I'm not into that stuff, but I'm just sayin'.

Jim said that the ride we did from Truckee, CA to Lake Tahoe (much of it along the Truckee River) was to him, a high point. I had to agree.

Tomorrow we are off to Pueblo, CO, 95 miles away. On Saturday we have a day off from riding. We resume our journey on Sunday. 

I'm not sure how I'll spend my day off on Saturday. My friend Ken Brokaw from Walnut Creek suggested that I drop in on a mutual friend who currently resides in the La Vista Correctional Facility which is located in Pueblo. This individual owes me a great deal of money, which, unfortunately, I don't plan on seeing anytime soon. But I suppose it would be nice to see what he's up to these days and taunt him through the glass partition in the visiting area. Or maybe I'll play nice and see if he can get me a Colorado vanity license plate at a reduced cost. I think that's the least he can do considering the pain and suffering he's caused my family and me. I'll see what kind of mood I'm in on Saturday.

I may just want to kick back, perhaps play some miniature golf, watch Home Shopping Network for a while or see the new Aladdin movie. 

Until tomorrow.....

P.S.- if and when I figure out how to post videos on this blog I will. It's probably operator error, but when I try to upload short videos, it refuses to cooperate. Until then, I'll do my best to describe, in supremely eloquent prose, the sights and sounds I'm experiencing. Academics were never my strong suit, and high school English......well let us just say I wasn't quite as clueless in English as I was in Chemistry. But I'm determined to give it the old college try, even though I never actually finished college.