Still going up this is the top and then I go down so no pictures. Around the bend sitting on the Eagle river.

This is the Eagle river bridge.

I am taking a breather on the Eagle river.

Still going up looking back at what i

did.

going down?

The bike path heading outside Vail to 24

then looking at a small hill 1500 feet this was about a quater of the way up. This is looking ontop of that hill i climbed. The bus didn't make it up the hill.

ll

I had to first hike down which literally I hiked downhill. I got in and then went dowhill some more CO has been the only state that I have had construction zones.

Well I woke up early and headed into Aspen freezin my assen. I hung onto the cliff at times one lane roads and of course narrow as can be other times.
It was gorgeous going through the valley.
Upon reaching the beatiful town of aspen I got some more food. Then I was kinda lost, but the food store had maps. So now I am trying find the laundromat which I will just forget about considering it most likely expensive right in the downtown area.
So I am going through this ped mall. And plum tv wants to interview me.
Wholly crap I am gonna be on tv. I wasn't ready for this. I could barely contain myself. They were doing man on the street. Brandon starts talking as the camera counts "3, 2,1 "
"Welcome back we have ben here from Phoenix"
I was like wholly crap. I had some many things I need to look at my hair, my gear, and a shave.
I got so nervous I forgot how many days I was on tour considering my last post Dang!
I talk about how I get library books.
I took off my geeky gear.
I still am trmbling a bit.
It happened so fast I was like holly crap what do I say.
Wow
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

After spending the night at Hale I departed early at 700 hours. I was packing my gear up when, a guy pulled up in his car hopped out and was in an army uniform. He wanted directions to the bow hunting thing how ironic defunct army base.
I have seen lots of wildlife over the last couple days, porcupine, ram, fox, a dozen dear allotted together not all at once, beaver, and chipmunks.
I was at 9200 feet they call it Pando valley. Right after leaving the valley I climbed Tennessee pass 10400 feet. 5 miles. My first crossing of the great divide.
A bicycle lady passed me going double the speed. I also talked to Jeff my first ped I saw on my trip. He camped at Hale also. Some nice people left some water for cyclists about the same time I saw Jeff. We talked briefly he and I strode up the pass. He came from Copper Mt. He was a fast hiker. He went over another pass to get to Hale and I took the longer way a road.
I soon figured out this was a popular bicycle loop route considering you can take 91 and 24 giving you a century. Or close. Lots of roadies.
There was a construction zone and we had to wait with the flag man. MT Albert at 14443 feet is the highest of the 48 states. I looked on.
As we were getting ready to leave I got handed a stake which would make me the last person in line. When I got there I moved over so the waiting oncoming traffic could use the one lane.
I took a short break and talked with Ma her son was the flaggman and her daughter was another flagwoman. She was the one who told me about Albert. Kinda weird standing in the oncoming lane with a line of cars in front of you. After that it was a small lane with a big dirt patch people had to plow over this to pass me ha!
Finally a way to slow them down.
I got into Leadville after one more hill at 10200 feet it made me lethargic. I was going to the minning museum until they said 7 bucks. Sure not only do they exploit earth they also exploit people. I got back on my bike previously I went to a food store to pick up some milk a few items. I left to go look at the forest ranger station but it was closed on Sat. I left Leadville. It was a nice long downhill run with the Arkansas river by my side. This also was the head waters for it.
I then exited on 82 to Aspen. First 6 miles to Twin Lakes city and $ 2.34 a litter of water. I then went over to the visitor center and found my camping spot. I then headed out to Independence pass I was noticing some black clouds behind me due to Massive MT I thought I could beat it and then with the sun shinning a sprinkle which turned into a 30 min down pour. I found a trail head and covered my bike with the tarp, then I took shelter in a mass of evergreens. The clouds soon broke and I was heading for the sunshine.
Which never left my view. I then reached the pass and started climbing. The pass was brutal and cold with snow all around me. It felt as though I was in a refrigerator.
I climbed the pass making two continental divide crossings in one day.
I stopped at the scenic overlook at found a spot to put my tent up. I was going to push the issue, if someone wants me to move then so be it. I woke up around and waited with the sunrise at 12000 feet. It felt a lot warmer now for some reason. I don't even see my breath. I left the rain fly off so the tent could dry off.
So with that this my rest day. I will once I can see head down to my forest road and make a new camp. I didn't quite make it last night.
My goal has been met. Today just sleep. Monday 15 miles to Aspen. Then another 30 to 133. My new extension is a lot of miles. So I want to push my self in the beginning. If I can knock out route 82 by the 21st of July. I will still have 15 days left. Roughly 300 miles left that should be easy if no problems arise. Who knows I still have one more extension option.
Which takes me through Pikes peak park. My last 6 days have been wonder full. Good thing I didn't just sit down in the forest and wilt.

I woke up with sunrise well a little before on Sunday. This was my highest camp at 12000 feet. Having cycled for 10 hours on Saturday and then a short nap at night I was tired.
I have know added artic tundra to my list of environments.
It was like a stale air to cold to bring any more life than six inches of grass and flowers. The snow was still plenty which created small arctic pools.
After getting all the pictures I could take I mounted my bike and went over the top of the Independence pass. I found a nice water fall by mi. 60 (are everywhere) and collected some water. Then again gazed at the valley below for a few mins. I then continued to upper lost man trail. I decided to find something easier. So I went to Lower lost man trail. There I filtered 1.5 liters of water. Ate green beans, animal crackers, ramon noodles, cranberries, and had PB tortillas. My stash is getting low. Still have some food but need some more after my oatmeal spilled out in my panniers. I hope Aspen doesn't jack me on food.
After my huge feast I packed a small cache of food and got my hiking gear in order. I hiked about a half hour and found a spot over a dry ravine (hope it doesn't rain).
Level ground, 100 feet from a trail or water is very hard to find. Which is why I didn't do upper lost man.
Getting up so early made me sleepy so I went to bed and then read some of my novel.

I finished the Da Vinci code off my novel finished. Off PBs most of my animal crackers and raisins. The day was refreshing cool. With night fallen onto me I slipped on my warm gear and fell asleep at 10,000 feet.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

For the first time I counted how many days my tour is. I never wanted to be on a schedule. I was close and planned for lots of time as the extensions of my tour show. I wanted to see and experience my travels rather than merely pass them by.
83 days.
I am on my 66th day.
In a whirlwind of travel. I am lost into a world of my own. I still remember all those foolish things I did when first starting out. I have grown up a lot.
Now comming to a close this epic journey torn on wanting it to last and continuing with my old life. Questioning how things will change or remain the same as before as though on a different shore?
For now I can drown out these haunting answers with strokes of labor filling my days. No purpose other than to go forward with the next, nothing to stop my progress, and yet no destination needed to continue forth.
No success and no failure finds me, only personal conquests and mirrored smiles.
I have come to get lost in myself and found companionship. I have come to find peace where only modern sounds entrap me.
Is this the beginning in what I am about to end. Shall I find the answers resting on the deep bottoms?



Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Well it rained about 20 mins after I set up camp oh what fun, it must have rained during while I was sleeping everything outside was drenched when I woke up. It took about 9 am to start drying out. I am reading the Di Vinci code. I had the first book Angels and Demons. which I found at my job. I have been wanting to read this for so long. I finally saw it up on the shelf. I was like running out to my vehicle to get a book to exchange. They had a huge assortment of books must have been a thousand free books.
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.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Another night!
I left Vail after my gondala ride to the top of the MT. I suppose to see Holly Cross never happened. However did see lots of 14 teeners. The amazing view helped that I didn't have to climb. I joked " this is the easiest MT I have climbed yet." After they found I was from Phoenix we all had a laugh.
One interesting thing is they don't stop them you just jump in. It isn't going to fast and wheel chair people have e it stopped for them. It was great like a roller coaster ride. In winter an all day pass will cost over a hundred bucks. Today free. There was some lighting in the area so it was shut down for about 45. The thing is you get stuck up there once it shuts down. So I went up marveled at the beauty. And got back down when it started to rain. No way I wanted to get stuck up there for hours. They also have a place you can get married. Like I saw the cross I could see yet it is 1500 feet so maybe the rain or snow prevented this.
Comming back down I was all by myself. I was dancing and yelling it was awesome. The rain was comming down pretty hard now or was it this side of the MT. What about my stuff? At first you feel some Gs but it settles down. It was great feeling descending into the compact village. It was also neat to get a birds eye view now that I had bike the town a few times.
The subsided by the time I got down thank my stars. There was a couple who where going to hike down the thing ha! In that shorts and t shirt wow cold and wet.
I picked up my dry bike and forged through the mass of people walking about. Funny they have dismount zones.
I then with any ped friendly town cross I 70 with a ped bridge, and found Sandstone road which turns into 700 forest road which I could see from my ride down the MT.
After a 1.5 hours walking and biking I was about top give up. See I was in a forest so no problems there, yet I was going aside a steep cliff so no level ground. Finally a turn and poof power lines. Which means access road and Ben finds a nice level camp site. There is a pop up camper here also. So success.
Free gondala ride, free bike adjustment, and free night stay. All in probably the most expensive place in CO.
I am in red sand stone hence the road it gets everywhere and stains everything red.
Just like back in my tour.
Last night it rained and I hope we can avoid that yuck.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Heading down South 125 past the Continental divide into windy gap. And the windy Gap Res.

Going into Kremmling on US 40 two tales of death one a nice valley over looking the Colorado river and the other a death trap ready to run you off the road if you get in there way.