Into Denver

Day fourteen
Distance Travelled: 92.1 Miles
Time in saddle: 8hrs 2 mins
Overall distance covered: 1,261 Miles

I had a terrible nights sleep last nights. I actually woke up looking for someone in my room. Obviously no one was there…. do you think I would be that lucky? It wasn’t that I had heard anybody but for some reason I had to look for them. Weird hey.
It was starting to get hot as soon as I woke up, which was a little worrying. I seem to have got used to the hills but the heat does get to me now and again…. perhaps I should do it naked; purely for ventilation reasons…try explaining that to a patrol officer.
I wasn’t really looking forward to today as I had some real climbing to do…. it turned out not to be that bad. Either I m getting very fit or people have been telling me ‘porkies’. Yes I did climb but it seemed to be gradual. I kept waiting for the big hill but it didn’t seem to come. Saying that tomorrow will be a definite climb…up to eleven thousand feet…I can see some walking and pushing coming on. I forgot to mention, yesterday a guy actually offered to give me a lift on a bus….yes a bus. I asked for directions and he said “hang on a minute and I will give you a lift…I’m going that way” It was very kind of him but I told him that I was doing the ride for charity and didn’t was to cheat.
I think that the other reason the climbing has been less noticeable is the views, they are unbelievable. Every corner takes my breath away…or is that the peddling? Seriously it is sensational. I want to stop to take photos but even the camera cannot do the scenery justice. There are a series of cycle paths that you must take on this section of the highway. I cycled down one today and had to turn back after three miles, the river had flooded the path. I eventually retraced my steps and continued on the highway….sod it. Let them put me in jail, at least the water will be colder than the stuff in my water bottle.
The Colorado River is very powerful and quite frightening to watch close up. Do you know when you are near the beach and you can smell the sea. Although it is fresh water you can still smell it…it’s strange but hypnotic.
I cycled along with a guy called Larry, another fellow cyclist. He was here for a wedding and decided to stay on longer to get some cycling in. He cycled with me into Vale. It was very pretty. It looked like one of those Swiss chocolate boxes you get at Christmas. It seemed very exclusive. I suspect that my Lycra attire would not be appreciated, especially pushing my bike into the lobby of one of the classy hotels. It was probably very expensive too. I cycled further expecting to camp by the side of the road, but it would have been difficult as everywhere seemed to be private property. I eventually came to a shop and asked if there were any campsites around the area, there was…. about two and a half miles down the road. As I stopped to film some footage of me riding up the road another cyclist called Al stopped for a chat. He gave me directions to the campsite and that’s where I am now.
It’s in a densely wooded area and there are signs that there are bears about….Well I’ll be bare in my tent tonight so they had better watch out too. If it wakes me in a morning it’s in for a surprise. You know what happens to us guys first thing in a morning don’t you?.......yes bad breath. The sign says to put your food away from your camp….I’ve put it next to a tent down the road that should keep them bears busy…only joking. I am the only tent in the area….the rest of the ‘campers’ are in RV’s, which probably cost more than my house…roughing it hey. I bought some yoghurt from a shop down the road. I haven’t got any cutlery so I used my fingers to eat them…fantastic. I’m never eating yoghurt any other way in future.
I’m outside my tent composing this blog. It’s going dark and the mossies are biting me to death. I don’t mind, it’s a beautiful evening, the sound of the river beside the campsite is very comforting and I’m ninety miles nearer to home. I’m very tired, but it’s a satisfying tiredness if you now what I mean. I’ve grafted today and for the first time I feel that I’m getting there. I’ve got a long way to go but I am absolutely one hundred percent sure that with your continuing support I will be home on Saturday 22nd August at 12 noon precisely…..count on it.