Day 18 – Montrose, CO to Gunnison, CO via US-50, 18 Jun 2014

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Miles 1226 to 1292, 66 miles, 5050 feet of climb, max speed: 42 mph, avg speed 12 mph

US 50 coming off of Blue Mesa Summit

I remarked to Al today that National Geographic could fill a book with all the beauty we saw today, and he replied that they already had. Over half the day was outside of cell phone coverage so my pictures were not transmitting. No wonder – two major summits (Cerro 8005 ft and Blue Mesa 9,228 ft) were climbed today. US50 is well maintained, to include significant road construction. One stretch of road construction was controlled by flagmen and it took us almost 15 minutes to clear the lane for traffic to go the other way. The road off each summit required braking, a lot of braking, and the second proved quite difficult, especially in the narrow canyon section.

The Pie Lady of Cimarron River

Again, the highlights of the day involved meeting people. We were told about the pie lady of Cimarron River. She ran a country store that specialized in pie. Al treated six of us riders to pecan pie a la mode today. What a wonderful stop. The second person we met was a neurologist turned naturalist. He gave up his research position at a hospital/university in Boston, and since Jan 1 has been photographing as many different bird species he could find in the United States. He has ridden over 7,000 miles and cataloged 451 different birds. He travels to where the birds are, will be, and hope to be. The guy was ‘self-contained’ which means he carries everything he needs on his bike for one year of travel. He seemed a bit incredible, whereas the pie lady was as ‘back-home happy’ as a person could be. And the pie lady had pie and ice cream.

A bike accident really put the damper on spirits today. One of the ladies found a rut on the way down Blue Mesa Summit, went over the handlebars (which were broke off at impact) and ended up taken by ambulance to the hospital here in Gunnison. She suffered injuries to the face which unfortunately by nature bleed a lot. We will get a further report from Eddie, our priest, tonight about any broken bones and a possible concussion. Eddie is with her at the hospital along with her husband. First responders and medical personnel were awesome.

Bottom Line: Everyday seems to get more beautiful. Prayers go out to our fallen rider.

Day 17 – Fruita, CO to Montrose, CO via US-50, 17 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 1151 to 1226, 75 miles, 3130 feet of climb, max speed: 33 mph, avg speed 8 mph



Dominguez Canyon seen from US 50



We crossed two extremely swift rivers today, first the Colorado in Grand Junction, and then the Gunnison in Delta CO. Most of the ride today was uphill except for swooping down into canyons along the mesa walls and then climbing back up the other side. Around 8 AM the wind started, and everything turned ‘uphill’ from that point on. A truly amazing surprise was the Dominguez Canyon. It just happened along the side of the road where once it was miles of mesa table top on the right and left. What a sight! Another interesting thing that happened was that we stopped to help a broken down motorist today. He was a doctoral student at U of CO at Denver and had just come back from a sedimentary rock study in Utah in land where we had just ridden through. He had decided to take the scenic route back home and found out scenic routes don’t have cell phone towers. Today we also got to see our future – and the snow on those hills started at the base, not just dust the top. We can expect to start seeing snow at 9,000 feet of elevation. Al always wears a great smile for pictures.





Al, and our first good view of the Rockies

Mirria. This was the windiest day in remembrance for all the riders. NOAA officially reported sustained winds between 29 and 35 with gusts to 59 mph. Yup. Here are the rules of thumb: 10 mph is like adding 2 percent climb to the ride, can glide downhill. 20 mph is like adding 4 percent climb to the ride, must pedal downhill. 30 mph is when dust and grime from the highway is picked up and starts to sting your legs. 35 mph is when dust and grime from the desert starts to sting your face. 40 mph is when the desert hovers about ten feet above the surface and everything goes dusty. 45 mph is when bikers ride on the sidewalls of their tires trying to maintain balance, eyes get full of grit no matter how good the protection is. 50 mph is when you steer into the wind and everything is push with the feet and reacting with the hands. 55 mph is where you see rocks rolling up hill. 60 mph is really bad, almost un-ridable except when facing the wind directly head on, and bikes and riders can be picked up and tossed a few feet down wind sliding over the pavement (especially the skinny-minis). 70 mph is what happened to almost all of us as we descended into Montrose today along a cut in the ridge. Not only did the wind stop forward progress, but before I could get my feet out of the stirrups the wind stopped me and pushed me back up the hill. Two of us got off the bikes safely, but Al ended up in a ditch. We collectively thought the wind would stop but it did not, and after two minutes of being spanked with dust, we pushed our bikes out of the cut (about 300 feet) to where we could look up again. Other than that, today’s ride was another day in paradise. This ride should have taken 4 hours, it took us 9, some 12 hours. Brutal.

Everybody’s spirits are still quite high. This will be a day we tell everybody about when we return home. Even the Dutch thought it breezy today, and they train in the winds that come off the North Sea. (They call their wind “Dutch Mountains”.) Most of their country in under sea level, so elevation is not available – but the wind sure is, and salt spray along the dikes.

Bottom Line: Circle this day. I can’t believe we all made it in safely.

Day 16 – Green River, UT to Fruita, CO via I-70, 16 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 1061 to 1151, 90 miles, 3600 feet of climb, max speed: 44 mph, avg speed 16+ mph

Today was a fun day. Utah is now behind us. Most of the ride was in the brown sandy mesa land that looked remarkably similar mile after mile. Mirria, the wind that slapped us in the face yesterday, kissed us on the lips today. What Bonneville Salt Flats is to rocket cars, I-70 east of Green River is for bikes. The road is recently repaved in sections, and the 20 foot wide shoulder allows for maintaining speed over long distances. Al and I averaged over 23 mph through gentle grades up and down (less than 3 percent) and delicious flats across the 40 miles between SAG stops today. If it wasn’t for a very rude 4 mile hill to get out of the Green River Valley and three miles of repaving/milling operations we would have easily averaged better than 17 mph today. Today was a big day for flat tires too; almost everybody suffered at least one. Road litter on the side of the road is filled with microscopic wire from steel belted tires that do us in.

Now we are in Colorado, the reality is setting in that we are in for several tough days. As we descended into Fruita (the I sounds like an E) we were greeted by our first vista the Colorado River. Both the Green and the Colorado Rivers have tremendous currents. I would be very hesitant to put out in a boat in either of these rivers. I was surprised how I-70 is built right on the bank of the river, about a four foot drop to get into the water. I am so use to rivers that flood in Alabama. I think the rivers out here don’t flood, they flush – just get faster and swirl a lot.



Our first view of the Colorado River, Fruita, CO



There seems to be a building correlation between how well we are fed at night and how demanding the next day is, and we were stuffed tonight. All forecasts are predicting 20-25 mph head winds tomorrow as we climb all day. Longer range forecasts all agree we will ride over Monarch Pass in a snow storm. Several of the faithful have contacted Father Eddie, our rider-priest, to petition the Almighty for something more tolerable.

Bottom Line: I can’t believe it! Colorado already! Wow.

Day 15 – Price, UT, to Green River, UT via US 6, 15 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 994 to 1,061, 67 miles, 1,300 feet of climb, max speed: 29 mph, avg speed 14 mph

Wind Warning - No Kidding!

They have a name for her: Mirria. She was in full bloom today and in our face, hair, bikes, noses, ears, and pockets. Until 10:30 this morning the wind was calm, hardly noticeable. After 10:30 it picked up directly in our faces first at 10mph, then 15, then 20, then more. It made the route today seem completely uphill. We averaged 17 mph in the morning, and 13 mph after Mirria came to stay. Every inch of pavement was earned today – there was no gliding or coasting. Nothing I did in training could have prepared me for today. Twice I was caught in thermals, about 60 mph dust devils. The first I didn’t see but blew me off the road. The second one was in the town of Green River, and its sting was full of debris, gravel, grit, trash, and tumbleweeds, but nothing an extra 15 minutes in the shower couldn’t clean up.

Al and I were the last ones in today thanks to another flat tire and taking any opportunity to stop and shield ourselves from the wind. Cell phone coverage was sparse and we were basically left to enjoy each other’s company. We got in around 2:30. At three o’clock the staff sponsored a scenic trip for the first 12 to sign up to go to Arches National Park. It worked out well and all those who had never been there all found a seat in the van. When they came back we had a BBQ in the back of the hotel.

Sarge and Son

Today was Fathers’ Day and Sarge had his dream come true. His son was able to get off of work for the Salt Lake City, UT to Pueblo, CO segment of the cross country challenge. His son is fit enough to ride at the head of the pack of riders, but he stays with his pops for the whole trip, this segment now the third day. Sarge is the happiest guy on the face of the earth. Al and I followed them for most the day, but did spend many of our breaks together. They do a lot of talking, and his son takes a good amount of pictures. Sarge suffered with the hills coming through CA and NV, but there's a new giddy-up in his step since he has his son here as a riding partner. What a great son. What a great dad.

Bottom Line: Mirria waited 1,000 miles before she made us slow down and enjoy the scenery. That’s a good thing.

Day14 – Provo, UT to Price, UT, via Soldier Summit (7,447ft), 14 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 919 to 994, 75 miles, 3,930 feet of climb, max speed: 43 mph, avg speed 15 mph

Looking where we came from on US 6

When my wife and I retire and set out from Huntsville to look at America, US Route 6 going across Utah is on the top of the list to visit. Simply magnificent. The conditions for today’s ride could not have been better, and the tail wind providence brought helped push us up over the hills. Eddie, our youngest rider and vacationing priest, was thanked again at our daily meeting for his answered petitions to heaven for such beautiful conditions. Eddie wouldn’t allow us to blame God for the road conditions. There were some stretches that were terrifying. Twice today I had to stop in a blazing downhill section to allow my heart to get back in my chest. Hitting rumble strips at over 30 mph is not a good feeling, but it is better than a physics experiment with a truck. We had about 6 miles of road shoulder less than a foot wide going down 5%-7% grades. Soldier Summit, our first pass in the Rocky Mountains, was rather anticlimactic. There were no spectacular views, but only a whistle stop for the Union Pacific and a convenience store with a sign out front in the middle of a mountain meadow above the tree line. The vistas that took our breath away were getting there and leaving there.



12% Heart Hiccup with a side order of Double Rumble



Price River Canyon. Oh my. When the bottom dropped out from underneath the road I froze up. Al, my riding buddy teased me about stopping again, and I had to confess to him my heart skipped a beat and I needed to just rest until my rhythm returned. Not only did the road go straight down, but the shoulder reincarnated as dual rows of rumble strips forcing us to share the single lane with trucks and traffic. The next eight miles were going with traffic at speeds of above 40 mph in straights and 30s around corners. We even passed a freight train going down the same canyon. At dinner tonight some of the experienced riders gave me hints on how to increase my speed flying down the canyons. I smiled and thanked them for their advice, but am really not ready to apply their giddy-up to my giddy-up any time soon. I am starting to like climbs better than descents; these speeds on mountain roads terrify me. I am not complaining, just stating what's happening. I have never been so stretched out of my comfort zone than what happened to me today. I fear I am being prepared for the back side of Monarch Pass, just a week away.

What really counts in the ‘forever remember’ category was what was waiting for me at the hotel. The three women in my life conspired and sent me a Father’s Day card. When I mentioned my name at the front desk the clerk’s eyes brightened and told me that they had a special delivery for me. I didn’t even realize that tomorrow was Father’s Day; life has been such a marathon. I am so so so so so blessed. The rest of you dads can start to envy me now. You just get a Father’s Day; I’m getting a Father’s Summer!

Bottom Line: Today's ride surpassed all the others in raw beauty. Our staff said today’s ride surpassed all the other days in risk. When we were all in, our staff called AbB leadership to report that all riders arrived in Price healthy.

Day13 – Salt Lake City, UT to Provo, UT, 13 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 856 to 919 , 63 miles (and around 5 bonus miles), 1,850 feet of climb, max speed: 24 mph, avg speed 13 mph



This is America, from sea to shining sea



Okay, I have to take it back. Only western Utah looked like an unshaven armpit. The ride from Salt Lake City to Provo was beautiful, even breathtaking. When the Mormon pioneers came out the mountains and down into this valley, I don’t blame their leaders for saying, ‘Ok boys, this is that Promised Land I have been telling you about.’ The mountains are magnificent. We spent 80% of the day on bike paths that either followed rail, river, or canal. All the homes were well maintained, and no trash or debris anywhere. Part of the trip went through BYU (Bingham Young University) and the dorms looked new and maintained, campus policed, and sidewalks full of well-dressed students.

Today was a tough day for my roommate Bill. Tire trouble started early this morning and two tubes later and considerable delay he was back on spokes. There was a surprisingly very little cell phone coverage on today's segment. One of my riding buddies also had a flat and we couldn’t raise a signal either. I hate to even think this is a providential practice run for what is coming. Anyway, we all made it in. The Flying Dutchmen had extra reason for blazing down the trail. When we arrived they were already in the hotel lobby watching their country’s team beat Spain 5-1 in the Soccer World Cup live from Brazil. Those boys are serious about riding AND soccer. They were even wearing war-paint of their country's flag on the foreheads and cheeks. Being from Alabama, I have nothing to say. Our fans have been known to get excited too.

AbB staff explaining which way to go, again.

Bonus miles. Hmmm. I seem to be collecting quite a few of them. Al, Bob, and I totally missed a turn on the Murdock Canal Trail and ended up in a cement factory access road that dumped out on the frontage road to I-15. Blissfully we rode down the road not knowing any better until we noticed our odometers were lying to us (or maybe not). We eventually passed the HQ for Adobe software where we discovered our cue sheets were lying to us too (or maybe not). By committee discussions and GPS we eventually made haste to where we were supposed to be. Our staff is aware of our abilities to turn left when the sheet says right. Oh well, we got to meet more interesting people and experience the excitement of going down roads not meant for humans to trod.

Bottom Line: I thought I would be refreshed today. No. I was sluggish, but it was all still amazing. I’m glad I have seen the better face of Utah.