Last night I had the opportunity to stay in Steamboat Springs. That meant that I was fairly close to Walden and fairly far from Rawlins. So I went backwards. It just made more sense. And, Steamboat happens to be a cool town. Last winter they received more snow than anywhere else in Colorado... Ever. So ALL of the rivers and streams were flooded. I saw sandbags in Steamboat, and a lot of sandbags in Riverside, Wy.
The ride started early as I screamed out of Walden going somewhere between Fast and Really, Really fast. I'm traveling light and supported (minimally) so that definitely picked up my pace. And there was a tailwind, and the Fish tacos. So I cruised. I hit the state line in less than an hour. I made it to Riverside (~50 miles) in just over 2 hours (the picture shows 82.78 miles in 3:30:07). Just before hour 4 things changed.
I had seen some clouds to the west after I left Saratoga. Then more clouds. Then more clouds, no sunshine and lightening. I could also see I80 in the distance. I knew I had to make it to the interstate. There would be a gas station or at least an overpass, some shelter. So I went from conserving my strength on the small inclines to riding hard. The wind had already started to change. It was in my face, then on my left, then in my face again. My pace slowed. Finally the wind settled in to a 40 mph (I am not exaggerating) cross breeze. My pace nearly stopped. I just made to the highway and ducked inside a shell station to wait out the storm. Reading over an ample stack of Style Magazines. I learned about the bizarre growth on Sandra Bullocks face, that Princess DI sent Kate a secret message telling her not to marry into the royal family, and that Katie Couric has a boyfriend who is 17 years younger than her. The storm passed before I could get any further.
Back on the highway. Literally. I-80. A little unnerving even with the ample shoulder. Now I was battling up a slight incline into a headwind. Blah. Then my support car (thanks mom and dad) met me and I wolfed down a couple of Pb and Js and then kept going for Rawlins. Only 15 miles now. Still a headwind, but as the storm moved away it kind of subsided.
On to Sinclair. Where it smelled, and then to Rawlins on a flat tire... Uh oh. 6 miles from the end of the day, too. So I pumped it up and hoped. That was short lived. I waved down my crew as they passed and grabbed the front tire off my mother's bike and made it too Rawlins (where it also smelled) and Dee B's Family Espresso and Ice Cream. Compression Socks on and back to Denver.
Stage 1
Distance: 111.34 mi
Time: 5:10:46
Ascent: 4657
Descent: 5190
Tailwind: Yes
Pace. 23.0 mph to I-80. 17.1 from I-80 to Rawlins
Here are the links: Walden to I-80; I-80 to Rawlins
*hopefully most of my reports will be shorter and less boring than this one. I mean, who wants to hear about a guy cycling all day. Boring.
Location:Rawlins, wy
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