day 19/20/21/22/23 (companions into colorado)

this trip has been a roller coaster of emotions, just as i expected. i'm riding strong for a week or so, then the weather or bike problems hamper my efforts, and my energy and enthusiasm levels fall dramatically. i've been riding a huge upswing lately, and a great deal of the credit goes to my riding companions. i've had riding company for the past five days, which has been a pleasant change, especially considering how barren and windy wyoming was. drag. you have to appreciate the science of aerodynamics.





day 19 was a brisk 70 mile day into lander, WY. it was the first day i've had warm weather and riding companions in a while. i enjoy the freedom of being able to decide when to start, how fast to go, when to take a break, and how far i want to ride. but i'm not even going to front. having someone to talk to really makes the miles fly and makes some of these long, desolate stretches much more tolerable. i'd been passing andrew and sam for the past few days and after some introductions, we talked and rode together into lander. it's definitely nice talking to someone other than myself. lander was the biggest town i've traveled past in quite a bit. it's not chicago, not even quite a chicago neighborhood, but it sure was a great change of pace from these small towns of 300.     





day 20. andrew and sam did some couch surfing, something i've yet to try, but have been considering lately. perhaps one day. i was prepared for another day of solo riding with no music (headphones broke a couple days back), when i ran into some bicyclists i had met in wisdom, MT, back on day 11. andy, heidi, emily, and jared introduced me to the concept of dragging, and quite honestly, i don't know how i managed to ride so many miles into the wind by myself. taking turns plowing through the wind with the others riding behind makes a huge difference. they were kind enough to let me tag along and be a fifth wheel, sharing their food, but more importantly their company. even though i've met so many people who've been kind enough to offer me coffee, rides, or a conversation, i'm still amazed at the generosity and hospitality from complete strangers.   





day 21 started in muddy gap junction. not really anything there except a gas station and convenience store run by a friendly family. and off we went, inching closer to colorado. the plan was to push for 80 miles or so into saratoga, WY. my new riding crew, team bannf (it's the best i can do heidi and emily!), had already pushed me beyond my previous day's schedule. and today was no different. rawlins was my goal, but it soon began to change. i split up from team banff to enjoy some mcdonald's. (team banff is self-sufficient, carrying and preparing most of their meals. i didn't even bring the stakes for my tent, let alone any cooking gear. my trip has the perk of being funded by a Fund for Teachers grant, and a food budget has given me a freedom that most other cyclists don't have. thank you so much FFT!) this almost became the end of "javage", as they named me, and team banff, because i left rawlins prematurely, thinking that they had already left without me. but as fate would have it, my yellow bike reunited us in saratoga, as they spotted my strategically placed bike outside a diner. i thought we would be off to camp, but they had different plans, and i was more than happy to join in on the fun. a quick trip to the local hot springs in town, a dip in 120 degree water, and then off to reach the century mark! the century mark. i've thought about it so much, but i've never been able to muster the strength to do it. 109 miles! the last twelve miles completely in the dark. it wasn't the safest of situations, and definitely not the best decision, but it was amazing riding with a flashlight guiding our path and the stars overhead. unreal. luckily, i've had experience with late night rides in forests with flashlights before, so riding on a paved road was no problem. we coasted into riverside, WY, close to 10pm,





day 22 was a light day, but just as exciting. a huge breakfast set up a late start, but we only needed to cover 50 miles to escape wyoming, cross into colorado, and reach our destination for the day. what started as a beautiful day, soon became overcast, and the raindrops followed. i fell behind team banff as i put away my camera and took out my jacket. when i caught up to them, they were on the side of the road. i thought they were waiting for me, but they were actually getting ready to crawl into a culvert under the roadway to wait out the storm. definitely not a big city type of experience, but off we went. besides some wet feet, the plan worked perfectly, and we rode into walden as dry as we left riverside, if you don't count our sweaty riding clothes.

day 23 was the end of me and team banff. after riding together for 50 miles, jumping into a creek, and enjoying a last lunch together, we parted ways. the continued to denver, their destination, and i continued south to pueblo, CO. the rain got us today, and i was soaked as i rode alone toward kremmling, CO. the weather started to improve, and i was just 17 miles short of kremmling when i spotted a burger shack. nothing beats a burger and milkshake after 60 miles of riding. perhaps it was fate, but just as i finished my burger, and hopped on my bike, the storms returned with thunder, and once again, i was left to make a decision. ride through the thunderstorm, stay in the small town 17 miles short of my goal, or take out the thumb. i rode, then a bolt lit the sky and i quickly turned around and out came my thumb. i looked stupid holding my thumb out in a thunderstorm, as my body shook with each cold gust. i was about to head to a motel, when someone pulled over. even before i could ask if he was heading to kremmling, he was helping me load my bike into his station wagon and asking me what i was doing out in this weather. luis. a pastor from peru, working with different immigrants in the colorado area. it was meant to be. as we drove to kremmling, he asked where i would head the next day, and when we discovered that he was heading all the way there, he was taking me one day ahead of schedule to silverthorne, CO, and i took a motel day two days earlier than planned.

i've traveled 1,428 miles to date by bicycle. i've traveled almost exactly 100 additional miles by car. i like that number. 100. in the early days, i might have been upset at myself for accepting help. but I've come to realize that i can't plan everything perfectly. plans are made to be changed. these ups and downs have led me to so many new experiences. i now realize this trip will become what it is has to become. and i'm grateful this week for having shared a few of these experiences with such amazing individuals.