July 12,
2001. 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.
