The weather was threateing but I took off early and was pleased to find that I had no headwind and possiblly a tailwind. I went pretty fast and stayed in my large chain ring all day (the thrill that comes but rarely in one's lifetime). My first town was Tribune (KS) at 46 miles. I arrived around 11:40. However since I had entered the Mountain Time Zone about 5 miles back it was now only 10:40. The next town was 58 miles away. After realizing that 10:40 am was just a little early to start looking for a place to sleep, I continued. The sky looked bad and it was getting darker but I sped on. This time I was even faster. If I started to slip below 16 mph it felt like something was wrong.

The sky seemed to get better as I got faster. The clouds in the Kansas skies don't seem to move. They coalasce and then disburse. Dark clouds can appear overhead and the sun can be shining on you from the east. Similarly, you can be in the shade of a bunch of clouds and yet sunny skies are ahead of you.

Even though I was on a fairly busy highway, truck drivers gave me lots of room. Most people waived as they passed: from the full hand waive of a Bethel College co-ed to merely lifting an index finger off of the top of the steering wheel by an old turkey necked farmer.

People in Kansas are so friendly. When I stop at a store or gas station, someone usually approaches and askes about the trip. People in Kansas are just more sociable. Maybe it's because everything is so open and flat. Maybe the topography makes you realize that you really can't hide so you might as well learn how to deal with other people and the best way to deal with them is to start out being friendly. I am constrasting this to a place like Eastern Kentucky. On the roads I was on in eastern Kentucky, you can't see much more than 50 yards in any direction. That must have the effect of making an Eastern Kentucky denizen feel more isolated and make it easy to avoid contact with others. Thus social skills are reduced.

Economics also probably palys a role. It's easy to be open and friendly when you are able to earn a good living. When you are having trouble making ends meet, it probably harder to be open and friendly. Needless to say, Kansas looks a lot more prosperous than does Eastern Kentucky.

I was thinking how much I liked Kansas when I realized that I was at the Colorado State line. After entering Colorado, the number of the state highway did not change. I was still on state highway 96. Another example of intrastate cooperation. However Colorado's highway 96 has a terrible case of SBS. (NOTE: for a discussion of SBS, Shell beach Syndrome, See June 11) For twenty miles there were big gaps in the road. Some of them wide enough to hide a scotch tape dispenser. It was terrible, especially since I had already done about 65 miles and I was getting tired and testy. After 80 miles I reached Sheridan Lake (An upscale sounding name for a town but actually it's a nothing place) and my average speed was 15.7 mph for the entire day. SBS slowed my down after that. I just couln't stand those bumps. When I got to Eads I was really hot so I took a cold shower and then took a nap.

Today was back to reality in the speed department. There was a wind coming out of the south and it seemed that highway 96 kept curving more and more south. Thus the wind grew stronger as the day progressed.

This part of Colorado is similar to Kansas except it is drier and not quite as flat. Also the landscape has a more purple hue.

After 55 miles I stopped for lunch at Sugar City. It used to be a big sugar beet growing and processing area. But the mill pulled out and the farmers sold their water rights to farmers further north. All the fields went back to grass.

I got to Ordway around 4:00 pm and took another cold shower and a nap. I like hot weather, but the heat can really sap my strength sometimes.

Next two stops will be Pueblo on Monday and Canon City on Tuesday. Then the climbing begins!

Today as I rode to Canon City I got got closer to the mountains but at the same time they seemed to close around me into a semicircle. Tomorrow I start some serious climing so I called it quits after 40 miles. Besides I would have to go another hard 25 or so to
get to a place to stay.

The sky look terrible in the morning, but I started early hoping to get somewhere before it started raining. I had breakfast in Hartsel after cresting Currant Creek Pass (at 9500'), and then resumed the climb. For the first time I thought I could feel the elevation, which worried me because of the climb to Hoosier Pass. I made it to within three miles of Fairplay before the rain hit. The Georgia couple started later and got really soaked, again. It was really cold and I could never warm up. We both stayed in the same motel (which was quite bicycle friendly) and had a nice dinner together.

The three of us got up early and had breakfast at the Brown Burro. Then we started the climb to Hoosier Pass (at 11,500'). The climb was about 1500 feet over 13 miles, so it was a lot of work, but it was worth it. What a joy when we got there. The sky was clear, the mountains snow covered -- absolutely gorgeous.

My cell phone worked, so I called the people I was gong to meet that night. We had a great conversation going. Then the clouds rolled in so the Georgia couple left and continued on their way. I started thinking about the storm in Mt Everest (Into Thin Air) and wondered if I might get caught, so I ended the call and began my descent.

Along the way I went thorough Breckenridge which is a real tourist town. Continued on to Silverthorne where I met my friend from Boulder, Maya. The Georgia couple continue on -- not sure where they stayed. Maya and I talked well into the night.

This was a hard day in the morning. There were headwinds as I fought my way to the summit of the pass. After that things improved.

Walden claims to be the Moose viewing capital of the world (although Tom didn't mention seeing any).