So I read a little, his books are easy reads. I like to jot things down in my notebook and look at them latter.
He makes my note book full.
So most likely it will be read twice.
After carefully collecting all my gear from my tent not to get the red rust anywhere. I put all the gear on my bike. I did this in between pumping air into my tire. A slow leak and goning downhill on a forest road spell bad news for a low tire. At this time I broke my speedometer since the handle bars were cocked far right. I managed to pull the wire loose. So I got everything back on I was getting good at this now it rains every night. I managed to get some rust on my tarp and a small stain on my day pack but everything else was fine. I had some spray due to lack of front fender that collected on my front panniers.
I talked to pop up camper man who loves to play his acoustic guitar at 0000 hours. The full moon made everything super bright. Skeeters and the cold kept me from looking at the scene to much.
He is looking for housing ouch. Vail and housing are hard to come by since you can rent a condo for a week for thousands of dollars.
I imagine.
So I said " good luck!" And was off. It was a whole lot easier comming down it was a popular forest road. I stopped several times on the one lane red road. People passing in there shiny vehicles I smirked. I even seen a Mita wow. Forest roads are like torture for vehicles. This wasn't to bad a lot of money went into maintaining this road. Normally they are the lowest of the lows in terms of smooth travel. This had some hairy sections. Like boulders creeping out of the road but was rather good as I said.
Finally reaching pavement I noticed my speedo. Dam!
I went into Vail to get my free internet time and read the news paper. I left after that and filled my tire to 95 psi . At the small busy Conoco station. The only gas in town?
I then road the bike path to US road 24 it had a nice wide shoulder I then arrived at the town Minton????
Where I found a c store to change my tire. I made a jack for my trailer with plastic cartons and fixed my wheel. I looked very carefully for what caused it. Sure thing a black piece of wire stick up. I was now satisfied in repairing such a slow leaker. Next to an air hose makes changing a tire a snap. I did notice my defunct tube was like glued to my tire wired. The light tan inside helped identify foreign objects. I put it back and now spent 1.50 on air. O well.
I moved on I could see some black clouds so I headed for shelter at little beach park. There was a band shell and it was mine. I then had a big lunch. Tortillas, ramon, cranberries and animal crackers. I really was tempted to buy some more cheap food but I was able to control my self. I have another two towns that should have something for a price. We will see. Besides I didn't want to carry all that weight. I have enough still.
I did want water but the store I stopped at didn't have anything big enough. So I tried to filter my water at the park yet minning ruined that and the water tasted like crappy minerals. So I managed to get what amounts to a gallon with what I already had plus filtering. And either hoped to find some better stuff on the way or just ration my self Leadville is not to far away and I should have plenty. The park sat beside the Eagle river.
I saw a break in the clouds now or never.
As I was sitting in the park I watched a guy try to kite board (with a trainer kite) he was practicing. Dumb ass place for a place like this. I was waiting for the kite to go right into the power lines ten feet away. I did get a pic though. So now I am off after a nice lunch I have about 14 miles to camp Hale.
I went back to a bike shop in Minton and they didn't have the art I needed I was off. The town had a lot of wrong gravel shoulder riders. At one point I took the lane. The traffic was adhering to the 25 mph limit. There were lots of signs in this town saying slow down we love out children and other signs.
Upon leaving town a guy honked at me and flipped the bird, and I told him off like I had some place else to ride.
The shoulder never gain conscious all the way up the massive hill. A bus broke down on the hill. I was amazed they had bus service in the middle of nowhere. Gotta love Eagle county.
If I see a bus in Leadville I might take that to go shopping ;)
So I had what the computer said 1500 feet to climb. Riding along the outer cliff I had at times drop offs over a thousand feet the scenery was out of this world. The great thing about this the speed is slower for everyone I had no close calls here. Even Semis, however I could see them comming so I just pulled over at a pullout for some of them.
I reached the top and then wahoo on the descent it was really windy and I was weaving back and forth. I pulled up to the Eagle river Gorge where you can go to Red Cliff or across the Eagle River bridge. I went across the bridge after dropping into the canyon and stopped at a bus stop. Ha a bus stop!
Then I put my warm gear on the sun had vanished from the steep canyon. I started cycle in the valley still following the river. It be came slower at this point. Beavers galore. Dam ha!
I then entered the White River National Forest.
I had to do one more medium sized climb. Here I heard screeching tires and some mad truck driver. I screamed "your in a frikin forest." Speed limit was 35 mph. I did this after I pulled way off of the to avoid the idot on the hair pin turns.
Still following the river which was glassy now, reflecting all which watch from above. I also at one point watched the beavers swim about.
Then just before Camp Hale I saw a huge gathering by the bow hunters.
The food smelled so good.
I rounded the corner I had seen the mile marker and new I was going to be ontop of the camp. I saw the satellite picture so instantly recognized the one road which would have been the main road in camp. I was exhausted from the climbs and it felt good to see me campsite. Now Hale is a dispersed camping mecca a 1000 buildings stood here once, now a 1000 rvs pony up. They even try to sell the campground yea fat chance.
They leveled the land and I think I am sleeping on some old Barrick foundation which is hard rocks. Nice and level though. I wonder if the men would have approved such a RV haven?
I feel honored to be in the same place as a 10th MT division. I even felt like one eating canned foods from my army issued can opener. Lasanga and corn.
Now it is time for some novel and then night night.
I climb another 2500 feet tomorrow. 16 miles wasn't much but a chance to spend a night at camp Hale yep gotta do it.
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