Day 43: An Eventful and Arid Century | Meeker, CO to Vernal, UT

Today was our second-to-last century, and it was surely a challenging one! The day started out quickly, with a scenic and gradual descent that carried us through the first 55 miles of the ride, and we had a great tour of Rangely Airport. The rest of the day proved to be more challenging, with ascents, high temperatures, and the desert landscape. Despite the rough day we had, we still met some amazing people who made the ride worthwhile, and we crossed into our 11th state!

Quote of the Day
Harbin: “After Vernal, we’re going to Starvation, UT”

Lady From the Church: “Uh oh” 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 110 miles

Elevation: 3,770 ft

Points of Interest: Rangely Airport, Bedrock Depot, Dinosaur, Blue Mountain 

Ride Dedication: David Cole

Tales of the Trail 

We started the morning with an early morning wake-up ahead of a long day and our second-to-last century. The first stretch of the ride was exceptionally fast, with a slight decline, tailwinds, cool weather, minimal cars, with great scenery of the rocky and arid landscape of Western Colorado. The first rest stop was on the side of a small lake, and we all made the stop quick to get back on the road. The second rest stop was on the side of the road, which was also a quick one, so we could make it to our next destination. After a couple of miles, we made it to Rangely Airport, where a kind man whom we had done a portrait of the night previous set up a tour for us. We got some cool views of the planes from the runway, and we had a look inside their hangar and classrooms, which had a high-end flight simulator. As we continued on, the rest of the ride would prove to be far more challenging, with tough ascents and dry heat in the semi-desert grasslands of Colorado. There were some great views, but conditions during the day put a mental toll on everyone and made for a very challenging stretch. Fortunately, we soon reached our lunch stop for the day at mile 76 in Dinosaur (yes, this is a town), which was a side of the road restaurant named Bedrock Depot. Our team enjoyed a very long rest stop at this restaurant, which offered sandwiches, floats, ice cream, and shakes, which satisfied our needs on such a long day. It was great to meet some of the locals who ran the shop and restaurant, and we learned a lot about the history of Dinosaur, with its proximity to Dinosaur National Monument – there were actual dinosaur bones found here! 

After our lunch stop, we continued on the ride, and we soon found ourselves at the Utah state sign, where we pulled off to take some pictures. As we entered Utah, the landscape turned into a full-on desert, which was a stark contrast to the forests we had ridden through in Colorado. We passed by Blue Mountain, which was certainly beautiful, but everyone was facing some mental and physical challenges as we braved the Utah desert. Soon, we found ourselves in a town where a nice man volunteering for the Fire Department let us inside and offered us some snacks and cold beverages – we also got to take pictures with the fire trucks! We had a great time talking to him in the fire station, learning about his life, and taking some time to rest before heading back on the road. These small acts of kindness by strangers make these rides worth it, and we’re so incredibly grateful when people take us in with open arms! We finished out our ride as we rolled into Vernal and took a picture by their famous dinosaur statue – this town loves dinosaurs! We rolled into our stayover fairly late, which means we unfortunately couldn’t enjoy the rec center, but we were donated Wendy’s for dinner, which was amazing after such a long day! 

Special thanks to the Uintah Community and Recreation Center for giving us a place to sleep for the night, showers, laundry, and a well-needed meal at the end of the night!

Cyclist’s Corner 

Today’s Rider: Harbin Li 

How are you feeling today?

Today was quite tiring for me, like the morning was really relaxing, but then, as the day got hotter and drier, my eyes, my breathing, my mouth, was just not having it. So it was not the most comfortable, the afternoon to evening ride, but we made it before sunset or at sunset.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Yuncong was asking me if I had any snacks that I liked, just because she wanted to get some, so I was saying I wanted to get some… I like gummy worms. When we had that pack of gummy worms, I ate a lot, so I asked her to get some gummy worms. She got two packs, and then I decided to put them into the snack box, but by the time I could go to eat them, they were gone. So, gummy worms. 

What is your rest stop routine?

First, I take any pictures of scenery that is good, and then I get my snacks. I eat my snacks, depending if it's just like a normal side of the road rest stop or a cafe or a gas station. Usually I don't get anything with a gas station, but if it's a cafe, I'll usually get an iced drink, like a frappe or whatever, but I leave the sunscreen till the end. Water. I usually chug a bottle during the rest stop to keep hydrated, and then take some candids. I always take candids because, like, you can't really take too many good shots on the bike. I always get people's backs on the bike, and like, it's all right, but if every shot is like that, what's the point? Yeah, so off the bike, that’s the best time. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Mostly like teammates, I guess, like I can rely on most people to get through the day, since we are all riding together, and there are tough days we're all experiencing, tough situations, so you're not the only one going through it all. Also, just giving yourself plenty of mental breaks, checking in with yourself.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

So we're like on day 43, so there’s a good portion left, but also a good portion done. Of course, there's like the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. I've been there before, but it was when I was really small, so biking through it will definitely be a different experience, and seeing the geysers and whatever will be pretty cool. I don't think I've ever, like, been to Oregon or have taken note of what Oregon looks like. So maybe people have said Oregon looks really nice, so I'm looking forward to having Oregon surprise me.

Anything else you want to talk about?

Well, Harbito (the team’s third adopted inchworm of the trip) died yesterday. I think I'm disappointed that I wasn’t, I guess, notified of his death sooner, but it's okay. He lived a good life. I don't think we should have more pets named after me, because they don't have a long lifespan. Generally. But Harbina was still the longest living of the three.

Day 42: Colorado Views | Glenwood Springs, CO to Meeker, CO

Not much happened today, riding through the glorious mountains of Colorado. We had another day to enjoy the views and even managed to find many Colorado plates! Most of the rest stops were located alongside the road as cities and towns became more spaced out as we made our way west.

quote of the day

“What’s your ideal shower tiling?”

— Micah

ride overview

Mileage: 68 Miles

Elevation: 3,527 ft. 

Points of Interest: Wild Coffee Roasters, Rifle

Ride Dedication: Hemali Dassani

Tales of the Trail

Today’s first couple of miles were on a short stretch on I-70 (woah). Luckily, it wasn’t too long and we had a big shoulder to ride along. Although the shoulder was large, there was a lot of trash along the highway that all of our teams successfully managed to dodge while on the route. Our first stretch of the day was a speedy 20 miles, where we ended at Wild Coffee Roasters for the first break. Riding through Colorado, we got another day of admiring the mountains and calling out infinite “my immortal cow” from the street signs. Today was a good day for finding license plates! Our team found at least five Colorado plates by the end of the day, which raises questions about how these plates end up on the side of the road. Nonetheless, they are fun to find and carry along the way as memorabilia.

Arriving at the stayover, the team was greeted with a warm welcome by the members of the St. James Episcopal Church! They provided us with dinner, and we got to talk to a community member, David, about their experience with cancer and what it was like. The team also spent the remainder of the day at the local recreation center, where we got to hop in the pool and jump off the diving boards, play pool basketball knockout, enjoy the hot tub, and take some much-needed showers. Thank you to the members of the St. James Episcopal Church who made our stay so welcoming with a welcome sign upon our arrival, smiling faces, and for providing us with dinner!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Jessica Fornek

How are you feeling today?

I am happy we had a rest day yesterday. I'm definitely feeling more rested. I was van driving today, so that was like an extra little rest. I feel like it was a pretty uneventful van driving day. No one was in the van with me, and no one needed the van. So, just a pretty basic day. Other than that, it's been a good day. Our stayover has been awesome. They provided a really amazing dinner, and also bought us day passes to go swimming at the Rec Center. So I was able to go diving, which was really fun for me, and then came back to the stayover and worked on a puzzle. And people who know me know I love puzzles, so it was a good day.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

I usually just go for a coffee or an energy drink or something, and I'll get snacks from the food snack box. But yeah, I feel like most of the time I just want something refreshing, so maybe ce cream or a slushy type fruity drink or something, but it's usually coffee if I'm gonna buy something at a rest stop.

What is your rest stop routine?

I usually go straight for the snack box because I'm hungry, and then after I've eaten my snacks, I'll work on filling my water and putting my sunscreen on, and go to the bathroom somewhere in there. I really don't have much structure to my rest stop routine. It's kind of just like what comes next in that moment, I don't know.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I definitely think about the cause a lot, and just the fact that I'm able bodied and I'm able to do this, and even though I might not want to in that moment, those are the days where it matters even more to push yourself to do it, because that's why people are donating, because it's such an amazing thing that you're pushing yourself to do. And yeah, I definitely just think about my family who's been affected by cancer, and I also think about the fact that I've done it before, like there's nothing I can't do if I've already done this. A lot of the time, hard days on the bike are just a lack of motivation for me. So thinking of those things is really important.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I think I'm most excited to go back to the Grand Tetons, because I feel like we hardly scratched the surface when my team went through the first time around. And I just want to see it again, like it was so beautiful. I'm excited to have a rest day there and explore a little bit more, and then probably also Mount Shasta and some of those places I've never seen before, like Bend, Oregon. Yeah, there's gonna be a lot of new places, from here on out, for me.

Day 40+41: Ain’t No Mountain Higghhhh Enough | Twin Lakes, CO to Glenwood Springs, CO

The team got up and ready on a cold morning in our tents. We were ready to take on the day with a 20-mile climb to our highest point of elevation for the ride at Independence Pass! After reaching our maximum elevation for the ride, we had 60ish miles of descents for the day, stopping by Aspen and riding along one of the most scenic trails of our ride to reach Glenwood Springs and have a rest day! During our rest day, we had a great time white water rafting down the Shoshone, getting lunch as a team, doing some chores, and resting up before continuing our ride!

quote of the day

“I’m waiting for our other friend to come back to take orders. She’s got something in her eye, like scratchhiinggg on her cornea”

— Waitress (talking about Veronica)

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 79.2 Miles + 9 Miles (rafting)

Elevation: 3,612 ft.

Points of Interest: Mt. Elbert, Independence Pass, Aspen, 7-Eleven, Shoshone (Colorado River), 9th Street Diner

Ride Dedication: Bev Downs

DAY 40

We woke up on this glorious camping morning to a temperature of 44 degrees Fahrenheit! Despite the temperature, it was no excuse to lie down and nap until it got warmer. We got out of our tents, packed everything up, and enjoyed a breakfast consisting of cereal and yogurt, something other than oatmeal! We had our layers on for the morning, and after a hearty meal and getting everything packed, we were ready to hit the road (after a quick coffee stop in Twin Lakes), with the first 20ish miles being uphill once again.

We were on State Highway 82 for the start of the ride and passed by Mount Elbert- a fourteener (a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet above sea level; there are 58 fourteeners in Colorado)! At the top of our climb today, we reached Independence Pass! The Independence Pass is a high mountain pass in central Colorado on the Continental Divide. It’s midway between Aspen and the Twin Lakes! Standing at an elevation of 12,095 ft. This is the highest elevation that our team has biked up to during our ride, whoop whoop! The team spent a while at this rest stop at the top to take multiple pictures, find stickers along the signs posted there, and admire the mountain views and the roads we took to get up there. It was a surreal moment for the team, with many of us acknowledging, dang, we somehow managed to get our bikes all the way up here.

Following Independence Pass, the 50 miles left of the ride were all downhill! The teams were zooming down (cautiously), taking in every descent - a much-needed reward after the climbs. Along the route, the team stopped in Aspen, CO! Known as a ski destination, it was fascinating walking around the city in the summer when snow was nowhere to be seen. The teams ate at local restaurants, getting burritos and burgers to fuel up for the rest of the ride, and some visited a local art gallery. Getting out of Aspen, the team had bike trails for the rest of the day, making it even better! It was one of the best trails the team has been on: majority downhill, no cars, not bumpy or gravelly, and stunning mountain views all around.

Since today was July 11th (7/11), some teams stopped at a 7-Eleven to get free Slurpees! A great way to cool off and get an energy boost for the rest of the ride. Along the trail, some teams decided to create their own mini rest stop around mile 69, where we just lay in the grass. It was an opportunity we couldn’t resist with the grass being so green, trimmed neatly, and under some shade. Naps and a chance to get a good horizontal lay down are never missed among the team. The trail also proved to be quite lively, with many animals often crossing our paths along the route. One team even almost t-boned a deer! It came out of nowhere from the trees and crossed the bike trail just feet in front of some of our riders! High-pitched screams were involved, followed by the deer just staring at us once it got to the other side as we continued to bike along the path. We almost hit Bambi! Thankfully not.

Once we got to our stayover at First United Methodist Church, we were provided with dinner from our hosts, and Lori even generously offered us to shower in her home (which was much needed after a camping day)! Thank you to Lori for allowing us into your home to get some much-needed showers and to the Church for providing us with dinner!

DAY 41

The morning started out a bit later than usual, but everyone was still awake around 7 am to get ready for white water rafting. We enjoyed some amazing donuts, bagels, and fruit provided by the stay-over, which filled us up for some river fun. After breakfast, we all shuttled over to the Whitewater Rafting Experience in Glenwood Canyon, where we were fitted up with gear and briefly shown the basics of white water rafting. After meeting our guides, we were taken upstream, where we unloaded rafts and paddles and prepared to raft down the Shoshone section of the Colorado River! The groups were split up between two rafts, with one raft holding everyone that had recently graduated. We started our rafting experience with class III rapids, with prominent sections including The Wall, Tombstone, Maneater, Pinball, and many more. The intense rapids were for sure a surprise, but we braved them as a team as we paddled through Shoshone! After some fierce rapids, the river mellowed out, and we had more opportunities to swim, learn about the history of Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River, dip into natural hot springs, and we even had a view of Lori’s house (our shower accommodation from the previous day). We finally ended our trip down the Shoshone River, where we got off our rafts and said goodbye to our guides who helped us navigate through the rapids!

Swimming in the Colorado River!

After our white water rafting expedition, we all shuttled over to 19th St Diner to get some well-needed lunch, and many of us enjoyed some malts and shakes. The food was delicious and the service was great! After lunch, we went back to the stayover, where everyone split up to do their own things. Some of us walked to the Laundromat to get some laundry done, while others stayed at the stayover to rest up or get their own chores done. After doing laundry, we went to Kaleidoscoops and enjoyed some great ice cream before heading back to the stayover. At the stayover, we had a good amount of time to relax and eat dinner before our final event of the night, which was premiering the movies we had made a couple of days previous. Both groups who made movies got to show their movies to the team, and everyone had a good laugh before heading to bed.

Thank you, First United Methodist Church, for giving us a place to sleep, a great meal, and special thanks to Lori for letting us use her home for showers!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Jason Wang 

How are you feeling today?

Today's our rest day, so it's a good day.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Normally, if there's anything that has protein, like if there's hot dogs or burgers, or fried chicken. On the rare occasion, those are definitely my go-to to especially if it's one of the first or second rest stops right after breakfast, because the oatmeal is not very filling.

What is your rest stop routine?

Usually, I just try to get inside as soon as possible, because it's hot outside. I'll take a look around, see if there's an ice machine. I'll grab some food. And if there is an ice machine, I'll grab my bottles, fill my bottle with ice, use the bathroom, and then that's usually pretty much it, and then get ready to roll out again.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I think, for the recent days, being in the Rocky Mountains, it's just so incredibly beautiful that I just look around and it feels like I can just keep biking all day, when you have such beautiful scenery all around you. So that's been really motivating.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

Well, Colorado was way up there on my list. But since I guess we're almost done with Colorado, afterwards, I am looking forward to Utah. I've heard a lot of good things about Salt Lake City, and I'm also really looking forward to the Tetons.

Day 39: Highest City in the US! | Frisco, CO to Twin Lakes, CO

Today, we got to enjoy the amazing scenery of Colorado as we rode through mountains and made our way into Leadville, the highest city in the United States. The team had more time to explore the town and take in the beautiful views of the Rockies! We also had our first camping night in Twin Lakes, where we took a dip in the lake and cooked hot dogs and beans before resting up in our tents. 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 51.6 Miles

Elevation: 3,437 ft. 

Points of Interest: Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters, Zero Day Coffee, Ice Palace Park, Fremont Pass, Mount Elbert, Mount Massive

Ride Dedication: Katy Dea

Tales of the Trail 

This morning, we had a normal wake-up with some eggs, sausages, and biscuits for breakfast, which fueled us for the day ahead. The teams were also tasked with making a movie throughout the day, which was a fun challenge that added some entertainment to our ride. Some of the groups made an early morning coffee stop at Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters. The first portion of the ride was on the Ten Mile Recreational Path Trail, which made for a relaxed ride with great scenery of the mountains. Soon, we started ascending the highway, for what would be the only challenging part of the ride. We chugged along and made it to the first rest stop of the day, which was at a scenic rest stop in a parking lot by a reservoir. After some more climbing, we had an enjoyable and scenic descent through the mountains, and we enjoyed going a bit faster while taking in the views around us. We rode through the Fremont Pass, an 11,318-foot mountain pass between Lake County and Summit County. We soon found ourselves in Leadville, which is known as the highest incorporated city in the United States. Leadville was an incredibly beautiful and historic town, known for its role in the silver boom! The team had a great time spending some time in the city, and the groups all split up to find different shops, cafes, and restaurants in the town. My group had a great time getting coffee at Zero Day Coffee and making our movie! The van was stationed at Ice Palace Park, which had amazing views of the mountains in the area and was built in honor of a giant ice palace built in the town during the 1800s. We spent some time relaxing at the park before getting back on the road to finish up the ride. 

The next portion of the ride was very easy, with a descent into some flat roads with tailwinds. The change in scenery was very noticeable, with the landscape seeming drier and arid. Soon, we found ourselves riding into Twin Lakes, our first camping destination. Our group got a little lost finding our way to the campsite, but once we arrived, we took some time to set up tents to prepare for the night. Once we were settled, a group of us shuttled down to the lake to take a cold dip in the water. Warm water is great, but there’s nothing like a cold dip in the lake to get your blood flowing, and the scenic views of the mountains surrounding the Twin Lakes were beautiful. Once we finished washing up in the lake, we headed back to the campsite to prepare hot dogs and beans for dinner. We started a fire to cook the hot dogs, and we cooked some beans on our camping stove. After dinner, we walked up to a scenic spot to take in the views of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, both 14ers known as some of Colorado’s highest peaks. We ended the night by washing up our bowls and sitting around the campfire for a bit before everyone dispersed to their tents. 

Day 38: From Spokes to Summit | Idaho Springs, CO to Frisco, CO

Today, the team had a plan for off the bikes. After climbing 30 miles (on the bike), up a mountain to Loveland Pass, we were planning on hiking to the top of Mt. Sniktau - a 13,240-foot thirteener in the Arapaho National Forest! Not only did we spend the day biking upwards, but hiking as well! We decided to take on the challenge knowing that after the hike, we had 18ish miles of descents until we reached our stayover for the night, making the trek to the summit of the mountain after a long bike climb seem feasible.

quote of the day

“I don’t know you, but I’m proud of you!”

— Random lady on a hike

ride overview

Mileage: 48.4 Miles

Elevation: 5,395 ft. 

Points of Interest: Frothy Cup Coffee, Loveland Pass, Mt. Sniktau 

Ride Dedication: Stanisław Tchorz

Tales of the trail

Who knows what this group of cyclists would be without their morning coffee. To start the day, the team biked opposite of the route to head back into the town of Idaho Springs for a slight detour to get their much needed coffee to tackle the physically demanding day ahead, and to lift spirits. Once everyone was energized from their caffeine, we hit the pedals to start climbing for the day at a slow, very slow, 5mph average pace. The first couple miles of climbing were along a scenic bike path which made climbing the hills much easier. With a bike path, teams were able to talk and not worry about traffic, as well as enjoy the mountainous scenery around us, take in the fresh air of the trees on both sides of the path, and take it all in. Looking at the scenery, talking, and appreciating where we were definitely helped take our minds off the fact that we were all struggling to catch our breath up the hills at higher elevation, but we made it!

After the scenic bike trails, we climbed along Route 6 and were met with the tougher and longer climbs up the mountains! The amount of times people said, “this is so pretty” on today’s ride was record breaking, as every couple of minutes, although we would see similar mountains, the perspective would shift, giving us a new angle of mountains, trees, and sky to gaze at. Along the route today, we also learned that Colorado drivers are some of the nicest drivers we have encountered throughout the ride. Multiple teams got thumbs up from divers, “good job”, “keep going”, etc. This was a shock to us as we know not all drivers can be the kindest to cyclists, but Colorado drivers definitely have a nod of approval and appreciation from us!

When the groups got to Loveland Pass (a mountain at 11,990 ft above sea level in the Rocky Mountains), many of us quickly changed to sneakers, packed snacks and water, and hit the trails to summit Mt. Sniktau or get to a “no name” mountain along the trail to Mt. Sniktau for additional beautiful views of the surrounding mountains (Grizzly Peak, Cupid Peak). Upon hiking the trail, the team just had to stop when we saw snow! Snow only means one thing - snowball fight! We started forming snowballs and throwing them at each other, with Veronica (unfortunately) being the main target. It was a great way to get some more fun in and cool down! Our hands were freezing by the end of it! After the snowball fight, we continued to trek onward to the scenic lookout, and others went further ahead to summit Mt. Sniktau. When groups got to their final destinations, either at the summit or scenic lookout, we all decided to take a seat on the nice rocks/ground and admire the views (and catch our breath). Standing above the tree line, all of us took a look around to admire the mountains, take in the fresh air, and trace the paths we took to get here - a rewarding moment for the team.

After spending a while at the top of the mountains, the team hiked back down to finish the rest of the ride. We (mostly) had descents for the rest of the ride until we hit our stayover. Everyone was careful while descending down the ginormous mountains, and it was a fun experience to be able to zoom down the mountains and enjoy the views without having to put as much power into the pedals. All hands on the breaks for these descents, no pedaling required. Getting closer to the stayover, teams had to bike along a one-laned dirt path due to construction, and received encouragement from the road workers to keep going! The ride ended along a bike path once again, and we were all ready to hit the hay once we got to the stayover after such a long day, despite it only being 48 miles.

At the stayover, we were provided with resources to make our own spaghetti dinner, but this time with better pasta sauce and meat! We also received fresh bread and were able to end the night with some good-ol ice cream. After such a physically demanding, yet exciting and fun day, the team knocked out when the lights turned off, getting our rest for the ahead. Thank you to the Summit County Church of Christ for providing us with dinner resources and a place to sleep. Having this location be along a bike path also made it much more convenient for us to get to and from on our route! Thank you!

From the Saddle: A Question for You

Today’s Question to You: Would you rather bike uphill for hours or hike steep switchbacks-why?

Day 37: Gateway to the Rockies | Boulder, CO to Idaho Springs, CO

Today, the team took on our first big ascent of the Rockies, and everyone enjoyed the sights of the mountains around us. We ran into some unexpected delays due to rock blasting and were shuttled for a small portion of the ride, and we got some great mountain pies at Beau Jo’s. After a great dinner, we ended the day with some pool and hot tub time at the rec center.

Quote of the Day

(Talking about Alpine Coaster) 

Veronica: “They have brakes?”

Nicole: “They need brakes! Otherwise… bro. Gravity.” 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 47.9 miles

Elevation: 5,030 ft

Points of Interest: Trident Booksellers and Cafe, Big Daddy Bagels, Beau Jo’s

Ride Dedication: Bohdan Huchko

Tales of the Trail 

The day started great in Boulder with an early morning coffee stop. We decided to stop at Trident Booksellers and Cafe, and the team enjoyed some coffee while savoring our last moments in Boulder. We spent the first portion travelling south on some trails and roads, and we had some intermediate ascents to tackle while leaving the Boulder area. Eventually, we started moving west into the Rocky Mountains, and the mountains towered over us, setting the stage for the coming days. Our second stop of the day was at Big Daddy Bagel’s, where the team fueled up and prepared for what would be our longest climb of the ride so far. Once we hit the road, we were only going up, and our first big ascent was 12 miles long. We slowly pedaled our way up the mountains of Colorado while taking in the beautiful scenery around us. After a couple of breaks, we reached the top and took in some views of the mountains in the distance. It felt unreal to be so close to those towering mountains, knowing we're braving the Rockies on our bikes!

A long ascent usually comes with a fun descent, and it was a fun descent indeed! We rolled down the mountain and had a great time, taking all safety precautions, of course! Unfortunately, our day came to an abrupt stop when we found out that the bike trails going into Idaho Springs were closed due to rock blasting in the area. It was great to find out that the state of Colorado is well equipped to manage transportation for cyclists, and a very nice state worker shuttled each group to the safest spot past the rock blasting. Once we were back on the trail, it was a scenic and easy ride into Idaho Springs, and we arrived at our stayover safely, ready to eat. After settling in, the team took a walk across town to Beau Jo’s, a restaurant with extra delicious Colorado-style pizza. We ordered mountain pies, which were massive slices of pizza loaded with cheese, toppings, and sauce, with the crust offering a built-in dessert meant to be dipped into honey. Some parents on the team were also gracious enough to pay for our meal, which is always appreciated! After indulging in some exceptional mountain pies, the team enjoyed some leisure at the rec center pool and hot tub, which was a fun way to end the day. We wound down, anticipating a fun but challenging day ahead!

Thank you to the Clear Creek Recreation Center for giving us a place to sleep and letting us enjoy your facilities!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Stephanie Yang 

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling great, good.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Well, my favorite gas station is Wawas, but we don't have any around here, so my favorite rest stop snack right now… I'm really into beef jerky. There's a teriyaki one that we had that was really good, and then also Rice Krispie treats, any type: regular, rainbow, or chocolate stripes.

What is your rest stop routine?

I like to eat first, and then I go to the bathroom. Once I have clean hands, I put on my chamois butter, and then I put on sunscreen.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Usually it helps to be listening to a story or to be telling a story with my group, and recently, we got music privileges. So listening to music or having a song in my head keeps me motivated. But I also love talking about the book that I'm reading, I feel like that helps a lot on tough days

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I'm really looking forward to all of Oregon. I've never been to that state before, and I think it's going to be really pretty and also have good coffee. So exciting.

Anything else you want to talk about?

This is a hot take, but I love the early morning wake up. Instead of waking up at 5:45, I full heartedly think we should be waking up at 4:45. You get to ride in cooler weather, I have more energy, we get to the stay over sooner, and it's just all around better. I know people don't like it because they don't want to go to bed early, but it's so nice.

Day 35+36: 14er Territory | Fort Morgan, CO to Boulder, CO

Today started out on rough roads and side of the road rest stops, but the mountains in the distance motivated us to push further. As we rolled into Boulder, we got closer and closer to the Rocky Mountains, and everyone was excited to be out of the open fields. We had a relaxing night in Boulder and explored some of the city before getting rest and tackling the next day!

Quote of the Day

Veronica: “They’re (guys on I4K) going to get buzz cuts did you hear?”

Jessica: “I know, we’re gonna have eggs”

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 94.9 miles

Elevation: 3,016 ft

Points of Interest: Pearl Street, Zoe Ma Ma, OZO Coffee, REI, Rapha, Yellow Deli, Tibet Kitchen, Pho Kitchen Bar and Grill, Flatirons 

Ride Dedication: Elizabeth Sharpe

Tales of the Trail 

DAY 35

We started the morning with an early wake-up ahead of a long day into Boulder. Not too much happened in the morning, and the first 57 miles of the ride were mostly barren. Since we passed by no towns, the first two rest stops were on the side of the road. On the bright side, we were soon able to see the Rockies in the distance, but we still had a long way to go before arriving in the mountains! Our third rest stop was at a Subway and a Carl’s in a gas station, and my parents (Dev) provided us lunch! As we approached Boulder, we started to get on some busy roads, and the mountains came more into view. We made some easy ascents and found ourselves in a more urban area. Everyone was excited to be in an urban environment after biking through the countryside for weeks, and the anticipation of breathtaking scenery motivated us to keep going further. Eventually, we reached Boulder, and we got to ride through the University of Colorado Boulder campus, where the sandstone buildings were beautiful!

Once we arrived at the stayover, everyone took some time to rest, and those visiting families and friends dispersed. The team got some well-needed floor time before getting cleaned up. Most of us used a hose to wash up before getting ready for dinner. Those of us who were still at the stayover got ready and walked down Peart Street, which was a really nice part of Boulder that had unique stores, restaurants, and cafes. Since everyone was really hungry, we decided to get dinner at Zoe Ma Ma, a Chinese restaurant that had delicious food. Some of the workers were even kind enough to give us leftovers for the night. We ended the night with ice cream, and even ran into a magician who put on a show for us! Since everyone was tired, we decided to return to the stayover to get some rest for the upcoming rest day.

DAY 36

Everyone was excited and ready to explore Boulder today for their rest day. Some had an earlier start than others by going to REI and bicycle shops to get the gear they needed for the rest of the trip, followed by brunch. Some people started off their day by heading to Lucile's Creole Cafe for breakfast, followed by a stroll down the renowned Pearl St in Boulder, peeking into different shops, buying souvenirs, and trying different cafes and restaurants. Everyone's mornings were different, and we got to share our stories at the end of the day.

Matt and Harbin decided to go mountain biking, and they had a blast on the trail. They got used to the suspension on the bikes, which is unfortunate as they wont be able to bounce up and down on the bike again when we hit the road tomorrow with our road bikes. One group decided to go hiking and tackle a Flatiron! The group coincidentally met Jason (our mechanic), who was with his friends, Yoanna and Jesse, in the parking lot that led to the trailhead. We combined groups, and Yoanna and Jesse ultimately became our guides up the mountain. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have found the top of the mountain when the trails became more confusing with directions towards the top. The group had a blast hiking up the mountain, and we were glad to be able to move our legs differently, off the bike. This hike also allowed us to acclimate better for the days ahead when we begin to hike through the mountains.

After the hike, the group was starving and headed to the Tibet Kitchen for some much-needed grub. A lot of us got dumplings and soup, and it filled us up. The other half of the team in the meanwhile were eating dinner at Pho Kitchen Bar and Grill while wearing Nebraska shirts that we got from a previous stayover for the giggles. That group got many discerning faces while repping Nebraska merch in Colorado, but it made for funny interactions. Afterwards, Jesse and Yoanna (Jason’s friends) managed to get the team access to showers! Thank you to Yoanna and Jesse for being the team’s tour guides up the Flatiron and for providing the team with showers and additional snacks the following day. It was great to meet you guys, and we had fun being able to get to know you better!

Thank you to the First United Methodist Church for giving us a place to sleep for two nights, and for allowing us to use the hose the first night to get ourselves clean. We appreciate your hospitality and those who stayed the night to make sure everything ran well.

Cyclist’s Corner 

Today’s Rider: Yuncong Geng  

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling awesome because today is the longest I've biked. I finished 95 miles, yeah, I think it's amazing. I didn't believe I could do that.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Well, if there is a gas stop, I would definitely buy something with meat,  like a fried chicken or something like that. But if it's just a roadside rest stop, I will try to get two or three protein bars. I think I feel hungry very easily.

What is your rest stop routine?

Well, I think in general, I don't make good use of time. First, I will try to find something good in the snack box, but it is not very common, and then probably go to the restroom and then sunscreen, and then drink water. Usually when I finish everything, the time is up. I don't understand how people can take a nap during a rest stop, they take a nap and then they go late. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Today is actually like one of the few days that I made it through the hard ride. So I would say the music helps a lot. Yeah, today we played some of my favorite music and also played games called contact, and that killed time. I think the support from teammates is definitely very important. And also,  another thing, during the first stretch, I felt  terrible, like all the joints started to get painful, and I thought of giving up, but, actually, I didn't. I kind of persuaded myself to keep going, and actually things got better in the rest of the stretches. So I feel like a mindset of keep going is also important. 

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I feel like Oregon.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I want to shout out to my teammates today. We formed the team because other people have already formed their team. I think our team worked out very well, we had very good music and fun games, and just a good day. Yeah, it's a very good day.

Day 34: My Cow | Yuma, CO to Fort Morgan, CO

Today the team tackled a windy day on Highway 34 from Yuma to Fort Morgan. The day wasn’t super eventful, but the team got to see many cows and enter deeper into Colorado, slowly and surely getting closer and closer to the Rocky Mountains.

quote of the day

“There’s just something about being horizontal that just feels so good”

— Jessica

ride overview

Mileage: 59.8 Miles

Elevation: 1,045 ft. 

Points of Interest: Latte Da 

Ride Dedication: David Martelle & Charlotte Fardoe

tales of the trail

Today was not a super long day, but it wasn’t short either. Not much happened along the ride as we were mostly on Highway 34 for our journey from Yuma to Fort Morgan with some windy conditions. One team stopped at a Sinclairs gas station and decided to vibe with the dino on site, which ultimately turned them green! Not to worry though, with some good soap and water, we were able to get off whatever green substance got on us. The team later decided to get some coffee at Latte Da, where some locals warned us about a stretch that would smell awful. Upon riding that stretch, we can confirm, that yes, it did smell awful for that short while, so the heads up was nice. Riding along the highway, the team saw many cows and continued to play the game “My Cow”, where we claim cows along the ride (the person who see’s it first and vocalizes it claims it) and the person who has the most by the end wins. The day was mostly uneventful until the last five miles of the ride when one of our riders, Dev, got TWO flat tires. With two flats and not enough tubes on hand with the group, Gloria (our van), had to be called for additional resources and Dev was able to fix the flats back at the stayover. At the stayover, our chefs, Stephanie and Harbin, surprised us at dinner by including chicken in our classic spaghetti and lentils dinner! It tasted amazing and was a nice touch to our usual dinner as a team before heading to bed.

Thank you to the Fort Morgan United Methodist Church for hosting our team this year and to Gary for providing us with some much needed showers for the team, it was great staying there and we appreciated the hospitality!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Andres Villarreal

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling good. My knees are working today, so no issues there. I don't really feel that tired. It was just a pretty good day.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Every time we're at a gas station, I always try to find an Arizona but usually I'm unsuccessful.

But snacks wise, usually  an orange from the snack box or  a granola bar, that's usually my go to.

What is your rest stop routine?

Okay, well, if the rest stop is at a coffee shop, then I'll get coffee, maybe some food. I'll probably use the bathroom, and then, like, sunscreen, water, and then anything else I need to do, I'll do, but usually I feel like I'm slower than everybody else, so maybe I have to change those.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I guess just not  pushing myself too hard. Like, if I know it's a long day, then I will  try to take it easy and just not overdo it. And then usually, like a song in my head keeps me going, or just  talking with everybody in the group, that usually makes time pass faster. And then, if we have good views, that makes it really motivating

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

Well, I'm excited for Boulder tomorrow. I've been there once before, and it was really nice. And then I'm excited to go just anywhere West, anywhere that will have mountains. I feel like I really want to see those.