Halfway to Go!

 So I am sitting in a hotel in Pueblo, CO.  No complaints here. (but I have this voice in my head that says you should be riding!)  After riding into the HOT wind yesterday all day downhill which felt like uphill I am grateful to be here.  Since we have completed half of our journey across this vast country of ours I feel a bit reflective.  Riding across country is hard!  Mentally and physically.  When the going gets really tough I think about what life was like before this.  I could be sitting alone in front of my laptop M-F, 7-3.  I automatically get grateful to be on my bike.  I knew this wasn't going to be a walk in the park but I don't think anything could have prepared me for this.  I have never done anything this challenging before (except a Logic class in college). Most of the country is quiet and not very populated so coming into a big city is a shock to the system.  Sensory overload.

Every day we have passed people going East to West or been passed by people going W to E or by those speedy people on their road bikes.  We sometimes stop and chat or just wave or shout a 'hello!' or cheer them on as we cross paths.  I really like the times we've had sharing experiences shared or otherwise about each others journey.  The camaraderie I feel with these people is very cool. (Kind of like another group of people I know). I love hearing someones view of something I just experienced or will see is very interesting.  And it is almost always about the weather, the condition of the shoulder of the road, how many flats you've had, what bike problems you've encountered, towns you've gotten stuck in, the people in the town, the strength and or the direction of the wind, the incline or decline of the road, the courtesy of the drivers, the condition and or price of the campground, the food at the restaurant or grocery store in town, your longest day, where you started and where you are heading.  We have spent the most and the best time with Jaime and Ale (http://jaimeebikes.wordpress.com).  Rocking out to "I will Survive" as done by Ale with Jamie in the gazebo in Walden, CO was one of the high points of the trip.  They are fabulously, wild, lively, fun and interesting people and I can't wait to run into them again. We have also made friends with Hugh.  He gets more interesting every time I talk to him.  I wonder if he is still riding or has chosen to head home.  It is really fun getting to know these guys.  It is like a little TransAm family out here:)

Tom and I are hanging out in Pueblo till Sunday morning where we will head out to God knows where.  We've put in some big days these last few days and with KS coming up I think we may top our biggest.

Another highlight of the trip was getting to spend time with my cousin Brian and Beth up in Frisco.  They were so warm and hospitable.  It was really fun talking about our families and the environment and politics believe it or not:)  We all had a lot in common.  They are going to try and hike a section of the Appalachian Trail with us.  Boy I really hope that happens.

Crossing over Hosier Pass (elev. 11542) was a moment for Tom and I also.  The altitude got to both of us a little but didn't have too much time to pay attention to the symptoms bc we had to rush to shelter before a storm moved in.  Flew through Alma to the end of Fairplay/Southpark (the theme song kept going thru my head the whole time we were there) and into a hotel.

So much has happened since the last time I posted there is no way to fill in all the blanks.  We are taking an alternate route through KS and getting on the Katy Trail in MO. God help us we'll be off the ACA maps for the first time.  I'll let you know how that goes:)

PS: the people are what really makes this trip so great