Mile 1,100, De Beque, Colorado.
It was a beautiful but cold ride out of the mountains toward Utah. My teeth were chattering and I swore to put on more layers at the first gas stop, at which I felt warm enough to do without. I found that to be a lie as soon as I got back on the highway, but I didn’t learn at the second gas stop either.
The roads were downhill twists with the landscape zipped up around me. Every once in a while it would open up and I could get a sense of scale, which was humbling, but nothing like the way Utah would expand to fill my vision.
So, De Beque. I filled up yet again because I’m paranoid about the Scout’s range: around 130 miles, supposedly. I’ve had the fuel light come on at 118. I parked the bike and ate my super-healthy lunch (Diet Coke and Gardetto’s snack mix) sitting on the concrete base of the huge Kum & Go sign planted next to the parking lot.
When I thought about this trip back in the winter, this was one of the images in my head: a ribbon of road over land asking the mind to dig deep. And I hadn’t even gotten to the really mind blowing stuff yet.
Comments
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Theresa Rose It’s been so cool following your adventures! Are you coming to Cali?Delete or hide this
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Haley Hemen I might be! I’m kind of planning it day by day. If I do, I’m looking you up!Edit or delete this
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Theresa Rose Haley Hemen hell yeah! 😊😊😊Delete or hide this
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Another Denver outing, this one to the Botanic Gardens. The rain hit late afternoon, just as I was waiting for my uber back to Brian’s neighborhood. It seemed perfect. There’d been sun for just as long as I needed it. The smell of irises, peonies and roses would tinge the air in certain places so you’d walk in and out of it. I almost stepped on that bird who was digging in the dirt for bugs. There were humming birds too, and I heard them before I saw them. I hadn’t realized how noisy they are. It was a moment of zen the day before I was finally able to get back on the road.
Go, Haley, Go! 