Day 35-39 Steamboat Springs - Salida

Hit a brick wall. Exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally, seriously considered quitting. Leaving Steamboat was sad but the trail was calling. The trail and the climb up to Peaks pass was amazing, both the scenery and the gradual incline on picturesque roads. Over the pass and due to the storms a few days earlier, all the rivers were all running very muddy, so it made filtering a little dubious. I stopped and asked a man putting a fence in a field where the nearest water supply was, he said we were welcome to go to his ranch for water and an emergency beer if we wanted. Whilst I was cycling with my amigo Mike we agreed and followed him up a 2 mile drive to his ranch. Sat on the veranda drinking cold beer out of the mid day sun was a great welcome unplanned detour. After an hour of drinking and chilling out, we headed to Kremling our next stop over. Messages from home made me super emotional, I tried to put things out of my mind, but sometimes 8 hours in the saddle can make the mind can work over time. The next two days from Kremling to Silverthorn then to Hartsel were an emotional overload for me. Too much reflection on the past, not enough living in the present. Both the road, the climbs, the head wind and my thoughts were playing heavy. Camping by a dumpster in Hartsel I called my mum and a few close friends, who put my hat back on straight. Headed to Salida I has a fresh mind, but not fresh legs. The road was tough, washboard, muddy, hilly with a strong headwind that made 50 miles seem like an eternity. Speaking to new friends that I have made on the route, I realised that the path you think is mapped out for you isn’t always the best one. A deviation or what the universe presents to you, often unplanned could be a pleasant surprise. The rest of the trip may not take the planned GDMBR route, but it will certainly be an adventure. Watch this space.Read more