Stats Sunday August 29 – Colorado Springs to Brandon, CO. Day distance 146.4; ride time 8 h 56 m (13 hours); ave speed 16.36; trip climb 2307; total distance 1,749.4
Having heard about the wind on the plains, we wanted an early start. Bruce and Dad took us down to Colorado Springs (a 50 minute drive) where we could resume our route. At 6:00 we were rolling.
The first 60 miles were a breeze, literally, as we had a slight tailwind or a cross/tailwind with winds coming from the southwest. With these conditions we talked optimistically of getting all the way into Kansas today.
However, the winds picked up in the early afternoon. And our route began to turn southward.
We had run nearly 100 miles by the time we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant at Kit Carson, CO. (Kit Carson really got around in his day as his name is scattered over quite a bit of the West)
At lunch we have our maps out and I make a couple of calls to towns just over the state line into Kansas about possible accommodations for the night.
A hostel wants $47 for the night. No way! We might as well get a motel for that.
At a next table to ours four ladies are having lunch. When I come back from the restroom, Mick is having a conversation with them. They ask a lot of questions. Kind of the usual. Where did you come from? Where are you going? How long have you been on the road?
The ladies (mid 30s to mid 40s) are friends from high school days. They seem to be fascinated when we throw in a few stories of our experiences and show a couple of pictures on the camera.
Asking what we “do” they learn I’m a pastor. And Mick? Well, he’s unemployed!
As they leave one of the ladies puts a $20 bill on our table. “I want to help you with your ride,” she said.
“No, No! We’re fine,” I reply. She refused to take it back. Thanks, ladies. I hope we don’t look THAT pitiful!
After Eads, CO the wind began to wear us down. We wanted to make it all the way into Kansas. But we didn’t make it. About 7:00 we’d had enough!! But we were not near a town or a location at which we could camp. The wind was really getting intense when we reached Brandon, CO – “a wide spot in the road” with a few grain elevators and a couple of houses (basically out in the “sticks”).
I mentioned to Mick – “Let’s just knock on that door and see if they will let us camp in their yard (on the north side of the house – protected from the wind).”
“Hi, we’re a couple of cross country cyclists and the wind is killing us. Could we camp in your front yard? And…could we use your hose to take a shower?”
“Sure. And you can use our shower inside if you want. And you are welcome to hang out with us for the evening.”
It was a couple (Montana and Brittany) in their upper 20s.
We are too tired to “hang out.”
In the morning, Brittany had to take her grandmother to the doctor in Colorado Springs. She would come out and check on us at 5:15. And she did.
We feel like cycling hobos. Women paying for our lunch. Camping out in a "stranger" couple’s yard and showering in their house!
you beggers you. keep on a riding. i still miss riding with yall..... much love timothy
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