2nd June 2018 Saturday – I had a fantastic bout of wind

Hello Everybody!

Route: Sugar City to Pueblo (and TWO rest days)

For the non-mathematicians out there:

Distance: 55 miles (Total 2,157)	Average speed: 14.9 mph
Calories: 908	Cycling time: 3h 40min
Average cadence: 72 rpm	Climb: 794ft, Descent: 384ft
Heart (yes I have one): Max 110 Aver 97	Aver Temp: 32C, Max temp 38C
Temperament: Mentally I was a bit of a mess but physically OK

To probably misquote the late, great Bill Hicks: “Night and day, night and day.”

NE wind blowing around 10mph, Me & the Big B blowing around 15-17mph without tying the laces. Nice phrase that “without tying the laces” - no pigging idea what I’m talking about but seems to suit the general tone so far established by me.

55 miles into glorious Pueblo the biggest place I have visited since Washington DC. But I am getting ahead of myself again.

I woke to sunshine in Sugar City and got tent down and things packed in the usual 2 hours. There was nothing open in Sugar City so I cycled to Ordway where Andrew, one of the chaps from yesterday, had told me was worth visiting due to places to eat, stay and enjoy oneself. I ended up in the Spit & Something. I had a vegetable omelette with hash browns and toast – could have been fried or toasted. Hang on, hang on... is toast bread that has been burnt or is toast just bread that has been toasted. Which came first the bread or the toast and why did the toast cross the road. Another day, another day we WILL find the answer. I also got some fresh water from my first Colorado cowboy – big hat and all. Very nice guy but driving a beat up car rather than Trigger the Wonder Horse or was it Tigger the Wonder Horse?

I did meet an Austrian couple who had just finished the Western Express into Pueblo and we shared stories. It seems that there is no water in Nevada – this guy arranged to have 2 gallons of water dropped at set places whilst they were cycling through Nevada. Sorry, just a quick “oh dear!” needed to calm the nerves. Also, California will be headwind city when I get there. Nevada also has goat-thorns or something that will P&^”%£*) my tires no matter what I do. But there was also some bad news….

The fun bit was that we met on the road where a woman was selling livestock of the chicken like variety. They (the chickens) are looking very happy apart from being locked up.

The rest of the day was spent smiling and occasionally chuckling and once a little laugh of gay abandon. Still, nothing gets done without effort so after around 3 and a bit hours I arrived at Pueblo and managed to find the cycle shop I was looking for. This visit was to see if I could make Blossom a little easier to ride up the hills. Turns out options were almost nil and they did not have enough time given I was leaving Pueblo in 4 days. I did manage to find another solution from a cycle shop in Salida when I will be there later this coming week – it involves a 40 cog rear cassette and if you want to know more please get a life instead.

Anyway, managed to find my next Airbnb staying with Karen who is an artist in ceramics, painting, and various other textures. I think I will buy a little something - small and light. Her house is quirky (which is my favourite word) so I think we will get on very well [EDITOR NOTE: we did and do get on]. Also having decided to take two rest days I think I will enjoy some actual rest/holiday time as well as planning next week etc. I had a very nice Italian meal for a change and on the way back I saw another chicken in a cage but this one belonged to Polo and Candice. Polo is a sort of farmer I think and he uses chickens to keep grasshoppers off his produce. We did a selfie and had a very nice chat about stuff, interesting stuff, but stuff none the less.

So no drama from today but after yesterday I am quite happy with that.

Night and day, night and day,

Yours Al & Frankie x