Bike Trip Journal
Number 2
6-15-02: I am not sure when we last sent a newsletter so I will try to catch up what has been happening lately. It is Sat. and we are in southern CO. at a ranch of a friend of Danny’s. The husband (Peter Dominick) is an architect that designed the owner's house that Danny is the caretaker for. The ranch is 1700 acres and is surrounded by four 14,000 ft mountains. The altitude of the ranch is 9000 feet and is in the middle of nowhere! This morning, we went on a wonderful hike up one of the mtns. They also have a computer that I am using to write this. There is NO cell phone reception around here for miles! Owell. His wife, Philae and her friend, Libby, are such great hostesses and a lot of fun. We are in the bunkhouse and both have our own room and own bathrooms! I am sipping on ice coffee right now and tomorrow night we have elk steaks!
The last few days: Lets play catch up! Coming out of OK and into Colorado the winds were extremely hard and made it difficult to hold the bikes on the road.
12th: From Clinton, we went to Amarillo, TX to spend the night in a camp ground. This morning, we found a library downtown and were able to use it to send out our first newsletter. We then headed N and looking at the map, realized that there may be many miles between gas stations. So, instead of waiting to hit our reserves, we started to look for a gas station every 100 miles or as we hit a town. As we were diving across this barren stretch of hwy. (all of it from Amarillo to I-25 is barren!) At one point I saw an antelope by the road. Later on, I saw a cop parked beside the road. Since we usually cruise around 80 or more, I watched him in my rear view mirror for a bit. Miles down the road he passed me with his lights on. I was so busy daydreaming that I had not been watching my rear view mirror (something you should always be glancing at) that I did not notice that he had been behind me for a while. He then got behind a car and just sat there, with his lights on, and finally passed them. I guess he gets his kicks out of riding someone's tail with his lights on till they pull over then he goes on! At one gas station, I tried to put the gas on my American Express card and it was refused with a message: "Please see attendant". They had no idea and said that they do accept AmEx cards. I was afraid there was a problem with making so many small purchases, so I called AmEx. After many minutes. they said the station did not take the AmEx card. The owner was there and said they did! I decided to use another card and hit the road. As we entered Colarado, we pulled into the welcome center in Trinidad and asked if there was a camping area around, how far to Colarado Springs and what impact the fires may have on us. We normally go to welcome centers to get a map and get tips on what to see. This evening, we got into Colorado and went to the campground at Lake Trinidad in southern CO. This is a very arid area with a beautiful lake. Danny had to go swim in the lake that the ranger said was 57 degrees!!! I think I will pass.I stayed at camp and washed socks. With no humidity, they dry quickly. We got to bed early and I got cold during the night. Reflecting of our time in OK, I realized that all we had see were Caucasian people - no middle easterners, blacks or even Mexicans. Danny commented that in Texas that one house with some farm equipment seems to qualify for a town.
In Colo. Springs, 13th: Before we left Trinidad this morning, Danny went to explore some back roads and I tried to go for a run. I normally run 3 miles 3-4 days per week. However, trying to run here was NOT a good idea. I forgot about the altitude, 9600 ft and got winded right after I started. By mid morning, we drove up I-25 to Colorado Springs and made good time since the speed limit is 75 here!! We stopped by Focus on the Family (a ministry based out of here) and then went to have dinner with Aimee Dupuis, a girl that we were with in France. While at dinner, we met some of her 4 roommates. I was telling a story when Adrienne walked past and I hit her with a gesture. As I apologized, I meant to pat her on the back as I said I was sorry, but, I was sitting lower than I thought and patted her on her butt! I was SOOOO embarrassed, but she shrugged it off and said "it is all good". Got to check my e-mails on my cell phone since we were in range. As we were leaving Aimee's to go to the campground, it started to rain! Fun, not knowing where you are going, it is raining and dark! We finally got the the KOA campground ($30.00 for the night!!!) and got set up. Danny usually sleeps on a picnic table, but tonight, he put plastic sheeting over it and slept under it.
14th: This morning, we Aimee for a breakfast picnic at Glen Eyrie - a small castle built by the founder of Colorado Springs to make his wife feel like she was in Europe. It is now a conference center for the Navigator's - a ministry that Aimee works with. After breakfast, we got to pray with her and she showed us the around. She then drove us through the Garden of the Gods an incredible rock formation. From there, we went back to Focus on the Family. I met a pastor that lives at the base of Mt. Rushmore, which is near the famous Sturgis biker rally, and he invited me to stop by if I made it up that way. Never invite me unless you really want me to come for a visit because I will take you up on your offer. From there, we picked up some supplies, waited out the rain and ate at Wild Oats a health food store. Before heading to the ranch, we called to be sure of our directions. Unfortunately, the was we were supposed to go had been closed because of the fires, so we got a new route and headed out. It rained on and off and as I mentioned, we just missed a good bit of hail that was about half the size of a marble. We were told that in New Mexico, it had been so bad they had to get the snow plows out. When we got off the interstate, the road was literally a dirt road! I truck came by and we were looking at the map trying to be sure we were going the right way. He said to follow him to a town about 30 miles away. After we finally got off the dirt road (liked packed dirt potholes and washboard!) onto a paved highway, he took off. Danny kept up with him at 80-90mph, I tried to be sure I could see them in the distance. It was very dark, and there were a lot of turns, so I went much slower than them. At one point, I saw an escaped cow on the shoulder of the road! From the town of Red Rock, the road turned into a powdery dirt road. We rode on this road for 10 miles (going 20-30 mph!) in the dark. Danny was leading and I had to stay way back because of all the dust. We left Colo Springs at 6:40 pm, and got there at 11:00 pm. We had finally gotten to the ranch and drove up the driveway. A guy came out and we realized, it was the wrong house! there are only 2 houses out here and we went to the wrong one. We then went across the road and Philae, the owner, had heard us and come up to meet us on a 6 wheel ATV. She lead us down the drive and across a stream before getting to the house.
Not sure if I mentioned it, but in OK the temp in Clinton, OK was 99 by mid-afternoon. Here it is prob in the high 70’s and cool at night we are riding with our leathers on!
The bikes are running good and Danny & I are getting along with each other very well. Danny is so easy going.
We hope to go back to northern CO. before leaving the state. I have a cousin in Keystone I want to see and possibly go up to Winter Park on some back roads.
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