July 12, 2001 - Mike and Marilyn's 2001 TranAmerican Bike Tour

 

Kremmling to Walden, Colorado. (62 mi.) Mile 2578

Last day in Colorado

This evening we are in "The Moose Spotting Capital of Colorado". We have 22 miles to spot a moose in Colorado tomorrow, before we cross the border to Wyoming.

We crossed the Continental Divide again today, at Muddy Pass, elevation 8772 ft. We are not sure how many times we go back and forth over the Divide, just that it is some odd number and nothing as high as Hoosier Pass. Then we crossed North Park, just as beautiful as South Park but more rugged and rolling. Last night's rain washed the landscape and accentuated the greens, purples, and yellows in the sage and wildflowers. Deer and antelope played, ground squirrels scurried out of our way, birds swooped, white pelicans floated on a blue, blue reservoir. It's spectacular country. We also saw our largest road kill today, a very large male black bear, and were glad we weren't the ones that hit it.

Muddy Creek near Muddy Pass

A total of 20 other eastbound TransAm cyclists passed us today. This included 14 of Adventure Cycling's organized group. We spent a little too long chatting with them because today the afternoon thunderstorms caught us. We stepped up the pace as we could see more and more cloud shadow forming rapidly, dark rain showers and lightening in the distance in all directions. Soon the whole landscape was in cloud shadow, looking as if it was closer to dusk. Ten miles outside of Walden, a dark cloud formed over us, and we were soaked before we could pull on our raingear. There was no shelter higher than sagebrush for miles. This motivated us to get a motel this evening, even though we slept through a thunderstorm last night, snug and dry in our tent.

North Park, before the sky filled with clouds.

Our tent is now spread out and drying, and the sun is back out, but in the distance, today's thunderheads are still dissipating. Tomorrow we say good-bye to Colorado, which we will remember for high plains, high mountains, and high prices, but especially, paved bike paths.

A swarm of mosquitoes was waiting in these flowers for any victim.