Sunday, September 9, 2007

Salida, CO

We're at the library in Salida (mile 1775 on the route), while the good folks at Absolute Bikes put fresh new chains on our bikes. At our current pace, we'll probably reach Antelope Wells in about 20 days.

Everything here continues to go very well. Weather has been great, scenery has been great, bikes are healthy, and we are healthy. We consider our luck with weather to be exceptionally fortunate.

We met another pair of GDR cyclists today. That's only the second party we've met riding the whole route this summer, but we continue to hear about a few more parties within a week ahead or behind us.

The scenery has been great, with the exception of the incredible sprawl of one ski area that seems to be a bit out of control - the complex of Dillon/Silverthorne/Frisco/Breckenridge was a bit overwhelming. Most of the towns we've been through since Helena seem to be either dumpy and economically depressed, or ski/golf areas that are over-run with condos and McMansion sized second homes. Salida is the first town since Helena that seems like a normal, livable place.

The riding between Breckenridge and Salida has been perhaps the most satisfying of the trip - just lovely very empty country, high quality dirt roads, lots of space, nice camping, etc. We crossed Boreas Pass above Breckenridge, which at 11,400+ is the second highest on the route. The road was an old railroad route constructed in the 19th century which was converted into a dirt road in the 1950's. It had a nice gentle and steady grade which made the crossing surprisingly easy. We made it to treeline at the summit and had great views of the central Colorado Rockies. It was a real relief to find that we could still pedal at high altitudes.

We continue onward with high hopes that we can finish this thing.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi Amy and Jim,

Amy, I'm an old friend of your sister, Christine. She told me about your blog and I'm enjoying it very much. My partner, Stacey, and I would love to meet and host you when you come through Silver City, which lies just three miles east of the Continental Divide in SW New Mexico. E-mail us at this address: rmahler@cruzio.com

Have fun!

Richard Mahler