JUNE 22 HELP FROM A HOMETOWN GAL

Loading luggage bright and early in Grand Junction

Sue, a hometown gal from Grand Junction and one of our fellow riders, was a big help to all of us today. She is a friendly, helpful "take charge" young lady and is a cardiac nurse at the hospital here. She plotted and marked a 17 mile bike trip for us through the parks and along the scenic Colorado River bank as a detour to AbB's more direct route. We could take either as they came together eventually. Most of us took the Grand Junction Bike Trail. What a pleasant ride on a beautiful, sunny Colorado morning.

Our ride then followed Route 50 East through the Escalante Canyon, the towns of Delta, Olathe, and into Montrose, CO ("Home of the Black Canyon"). It was 70 miles in all. There were 2530 ft of elevation gain with gradual climbs and easy downhills. Everyone loved today's ride. We were in the mesas and foothills of the Rockies, but I kept saying, "I want to see the Big Boys." By the halfway point in our ride "The Three Sisters" of the San Juan Range of the Rockies were visible in the distance. The locals call them "fourteeners", as in 14,000 feet of elevation. Colorado has 54 fourteeners!! They are not only snow-capped but snow covered they are so high. Beautiful mountains ....getting closer each day.

SAG Stop At Escalante Canyon

AbB suggested the quaint town of Delta as a lunch stop. It would be the pefect town setting for a Hollywood movie needing a Colorado town locale. At a red light in town, I went into the Visitors Center and received directions to the best Mexican restaurant in town. We (Mason, John (ME), the Marinos (MA) and Steve (CO) had our fill in this crowded, authenic lunch spot. (Why do they drink so much agua? they wondered...)

Colorado River and Mesa

We also had a few laughs about our "run-in" with the highway construction crew. In the widening of route 50, a new lane has been paved----currently off limits to cars, but accessible to us and protected by barrels from traffic.We always loook for the safest option on our rides. We chose the new lane. WRONG CHIOCE! A crew woman jumped from her truck, yelling, arms swinging, demanding we get off the new road. We did, immediately, of course. Mason's impersonation of this "crew lady" is priceless!

Cruising into Montrose, we stopped at the bike shop (new tubes) while Tom (IA) stopped for lunch. He ended up being interviewed by the local paper about our cross country challenge. We were told the Black Canyon located at the edge of town is "the deepest and narrowest canyon in the world." We have the choice of biking to it tomorrow--adding miles and elevation to an already horrendous climb day. Maybe.

How are the Yankees doing? Is there really a Presidential campaign underway? We wouldn't know...we're busy.

         - Bill

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