June 18, 2021

I will stop every time for a moose picture

We were heading to Montrose to get groceries and get James’s truck tires balanced when I saw this guy on the road, I immediately knew he was a cyclist and thought he had been hit, we did a U turn and were the second and third to stop, guy had a major concussion and scrapes. He hit that pot hole (painted) and launched. As we were keeping him still, holding up shade and waiting for emergency folks we asked if he was local, he said where am I? He was from Iowa… I guess someone made a call and by the time I passed this again, a road crew was fixing these massive pot holes…. this is why cyclists ride to the left of the white line and not on the shoulder…

Ridgway Area Trails (RAT) mountain bike trails, this was my favorite rides of the trip, it starts with a 20 minute climb of switchbacks up the mountain and then super flow-y and fun trails!

June 16, 2021

Sunrise ride on my unnamed trail

Last day at this campsite, nothing special, but super quiet at the end of the road.

Searching for a new spot outside Ouray, look at the drop off! This ended up this was the way to Imogene Pass.

Finally saw my first moose.

June 13, 2021

Today is day 31 on the trip and I passed 5,000 miles as we searched for a new camp spot outside Pagosa Springs. Beth found me a new grill decoration.

Nap time

While we were searching FS roads I saw this trail and knew I wanted to ride it, I never figured out it’s name but it was fun and flowy.

Fancy ass dinner.

June 10, 2021

I wanted an epic ride today, so I headed north of Durango to Pass Trail. The ride starts at Coal Bank Pass at 11,000 feet and climbs to over 13,000 towards the base of Engineer Mountain. The ride is supposed to get above the tree line and have amazing views…

But before this there is still snow, so much that it was more “hike a bike” so I gave up. I asked a hiker who also was a biker and she suggested Jones Creek Trail, ” a fun 4 mile climb to a beautiful mountain before descending back down.” She lied, the climb sucked, took me 1:20 to climb, the meadow was amazing, but the descent was scary fast and only 21 minutes!

Kali is so pretty!

Durango-Silverton Railroad – Durango, Colorado

An even better picture of the train since Pongo is in it ; )

June 9, 2021

James and Elizabeth headed to Texas to buy a new home, so I headed to Cortez and Phil’s World. The trail is home to the 12 hour bike race 12 hours of Mesa Verde and the famous “Rib Cage”

After my ride, I did laundry, washed Pongo, caught up on school work and went to bed as the sun set. Who would want to leave a view like this in bed?

June 5, 2021

Today was a calm day, set up camp, breakfast in Mancos (may have been only the 3rd time we had eaten out in 3 weeks) and I explored the trails around the camp, turns out there is an awesome trail – Ramparts – at the entrance of our little dead end. I didn’t bring anything other than my cell phone, to bad I didn’t have the GoPro, I crashed pretty spectacularly on a downhill, but the next day I made a video Click to Watch

Seriously gorgeous sunsets!

As I said, a calm day and at elevation, it was chilly, so we fired up the Mr. Buddy heater and settled in for movie night – really watching our favorite YouTube channels.

June 1, 2021

Still searching for mountain bike trails, Rocky Top and Ramblin’

Nice mix of slick rock and flow

Just riding along…

Recovery time

My view of the sunset from my bed, can’t buy this privacy and view, it’s free.

May 30, 2021

After my disappointment at Slick Rock, I asked another local rider for better trails, this is Rodeo, much more fun!

After 17 days on the road and many miles off-roading, I finally washed Pongo. She was clean and pretty for 30 minutes…

Sunset from camp spot above Moab.

May 18, 2021

A busy day, we camped last night above 9000′ and then hiked Saddle Mountain to North Rim of Grand Canyon.

Then we explored forest service roads

till we found this awesome lunch spot

That evening I did a mountain ride along the Arizona Trail with several overlooks of the Grand Canyon and awesome forests

April 6, 2021

An evening ride

A lobster dog recovery