What a couple of days! Yesterday we spent most of the day in Salida. Karina made friends with a girl from Kansas who was also staying at the campground; her name is Hannah. She had recently learned to kayak and so we all went out to breakfast together then down to where the river passes right through the town. There is an area of rapids there called the "play hole";great place to watch and learn about kayaking. The two girls spent the entire afternoon in the river. Karina was learning how to roll up; she must have been tipped over 50 times! They finished that time with a few floats down the rapids just with life jackets- it was great.
Then the three of us went to meet Aunt Betty and her friend Betty who had driven down from Denver to see us. We visited for a few minutes and then the girls and I set off on the bikes to Poncha Springs (about 7 miles to the place we were to spend the night. By 7 PM we were there and checked in. John and Alice came and picked up Hannah and then Karina and I went out to dinner with the two Bettys.
Nice dinner, then back to the B&B where we had care packages sent by Christy and Lilah AND by Tanya, Indta, Zephyr,and Kamal- Thanks!!!
We went in the hot tub, then watched a video (mrs doubtfire). Finally asleep by midnight!
5:30AM I am up and out for a pre-sunrise walk, then woke up Karina so we could get in the hot tub one more time! Karina went back to bed after, I stayed up and ate a great breakfast, got the bikes ready, and eventually got Karina back up in time to eat breakfast and be on the road by 9:15 .
Today was CD Day (continental divide day. 22 miles up to Monarch Pass at 11,213 ft; we climbed almost 3,500 vertical ft! Karina was terrific yet again. We made the summit before 3 PM , which was good time. We then spent the next 2.5 hours eating and playing around at the summit. We rode a gondola up to the very top - that was also great. We saw three elk - very impressive!
We left the summit at 5:30 to ride the remaining 45 miles to Gunnison. 9 miles downhill, 6 percent grade - rocking. The remainder was fine, very, very beautiful. We got to the campsite at 8:30. I am pooped! I am typing ok the iPhone in the bathroom at the KOA while I recharge the battery.
Tomorrow we go on to Black Canyon near Monttrose. We ride past Blue Mesa Resuvoir, so I am hoping for swim time! The ride total for tomorrow is about 45. Total for the trip so far - something over 2,000!
Good night!
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Pete You are better with your 2 thumbs on a cell phone than I am on this full desktop! What a ride . Can't wait to see pictures of the pass. you must have been smoking up the brakes on a 9 mile downhill. I'll bet that was a welcome change from the up hil 3500 ft. You guys must have legs like steel by now.
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