Ride the Rockies, Day 7 – Gunnison to Salida via Monarch Pass
I'm back home, back at my laptop, in my own chair, and the whole week seems like a blur. I can't believe it's over, and I wasn't even a rider this time around!
I left just minutes after The Lizard this morning, hoping to stay ahead of the cyclists. I don't know if the cyclists were dreading the ascent of Monarch Pass or just ready to go home, but there sure were a LOT of cyclists out on the road before the sun came up this morning! I was passing cyclists for close to 30 miles! Of course, driving is the only way I get to pass that many cyclists...
So once again I didn't get any photos of the actual route. One photo I still kind of wish I had taken the time to pull over for was a recreational rider going up the pass from the opposite direction. He was sitting against a sign post with his townie bike leaning up against him, and he was thumbing for a ride. My first thought was not very many motorists would be able to fit his bike into their cars. My second thought was, "Wow, kudos for making it two miles up the mountain on a townie!"
I took a wrong turn in Salida, which allowed me to get a cool wildlife shot...
At closing venue, which was, well, next to the county detention facility, I discovered a parking spot set aside especially for me. (Not really; the position District Attorney just happens to have the same initials as me.)
At the finish line, I got to help the volunteers for a few minutes, and I found a surprise at the actual finish line and a cheerful robin in the grass nearby.
I found a silk moth literally ON the finish line. I moved him to safety, and he rested there for about an hour.
Olympic silver medalist Nelson Vails was one of the first riders to cross the finish line.
Not long after, My Lizard crossed the finish line.
I missed riding, but I'm glad I got to be in our favorite part of the state together for a whole week. I'm so happy to be done with driving for a good long time.
And I'm anxious to finish up the tests on my arm and neck, hopeful I might be able to ride again one day.
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Congrats to him on crossing and hopefully you can both do it next year. The robin sure got a snack, great shots indeed. Yeah, after all that driving I'd want to stay in the house for a week haha not sure your parking lot initial idea would fly.
ReplyDeleteDAs traditionally don't work on Saturdays, Pat, so I did indeed get to park there long enough to get a sunburn on the back of my legs!
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