I posted Day33 and thought this map would be useful in understanding how the 2 days merge. The straight line is a result of a possible tire failure where Mr. Giraldo chose to be transported to Blanding, Utah where he was able to resolve his tire problem and trike on today to Dove Creek, Colorado. Goodbye Utah! It is a beautiful state. I want to visit and trike the same miles the Mr. G has. Maybe one day…

Today, Mr. Giraldo rode around 48 miles to get to Dove Creek. Tomorrow, I think he may go for Dolores, Colorado [identified on the map as a possible target.

Congratulation on beginning your trek through your 4th state. Before you know it, you will be into the plains of Kansas.

In reflection on these two days: Decisions were made, actions were taken, the ride went on. Good show my friend!

Day 28 – Natural Bridges National Monument to Blanding

Saturday June 13, 2009, 39 miles (63 km) – Total so far: 1,221 miles (1,965 km)

I left ahead of David and Jim.

This was a short ride. The climb out of the campsite was not as bad as I had anticipated and

I had joined the main road in under 40 minutes.

The ride was uneventful except for a long climb of over 8% which Jim and I walked up. David and Jim had by this time caught up with me. David true to form, cycled up the hill!

Two Dutch cyclists passed us on the hill. We have been amazed at the number of Dutch cyclists out here.

We phoned Ray on arrival in Blanding. He had booked and paid for our our motel rooms tonight.

David wanted to stay in a cheaper motel that Ray had discovered. Whilst we were checking in to our motel, David mentioned the “other” motel in front of the receptionist, who said words to the effect “you don’t want to stay there, its disgusting. We have been trying to shut them down for years. They have bugs and their beds stand on milk crates” David, hearing this piece of information decided to check into our motel. Now this girl is a real salesmen!

I am writing this in the Laundromat, waiting for my laundry to complete

Day 29 – Blanding to Dolores: Today we entered Colorado

Sunday June 14, 2009, 82 miles (132 km) – Total so far: 1,303 miles (2,097 km)

Today we entered Colorado!

Ray and I left Blanding at 7 am, about two hours earlier than David and Jim. They never did catch up with us because despite the 81 miles and the incessant climbing up and down the undulations, we had an almost-tailwind all the way and the road had only one big climb.

Colorado is green and it rains here. It’s astonishing how quickly the vegetation changes as you enter Colorado from Utah. It was only yesterday that we were in the arid conditions of Utah and now we sit in the foothills of the Rockies and its verdant green.

We changed plan at Lewis. Originally we were going to go down to Cortez and then onto Mesa Verde but because David and Jim did not make our rendezvous, we became concerned and decided that I would ride into Dolores, 11 miles to the east to secure a campsite and Ray would stay at Lewis, waiting for David and Jim. Jim decided to continue onto Cortez so we parted company with him. He is hoping to rejoin us in Pueblo.

Tomorrow we tackle our first peak in the Rockies of over 10,000 feet called Lizard Pass. After this it’s Monarch Pass, the big one at 11,350 feet. Then it’s one small peak and its downhill to Pueblo, where we say goodbye to the Rockies and big mountains for a long time