Montrose – Misery loves company. That’s what they say, at least. I was at my most miserable — not just on the 2005 Ride The Rockies; I mean ever — Monday while climbing the face of the sun en route to the top of Grand Mesa. Yet I was left alone.
Yesterday, on a tightly embraced shorter route from Delta to Montrose, I was lucky enough to bump into Denver Post staff writer Steve Lipsher, who is covering the event for The Denver Post. I was delighted to see a familiar face.
When plotting my first-ever Ride The Rockies experience, I found a certain romanticism in going at it alone. A chance to find myself, if you will.
What I’ve found since is that riding a weeklong bicycle tour by your self can be dadgum lonely. Not just for me, either. I’ve heard plenty of miss-yous and love-yous — not just mine — uttered into cellphones in the quiet of the camp evening.
So, suffice it to say, Steve was greeted warmly.
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TODAY’S DESTINATION:
GUNNISON |
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Initially, I had planned to take it REAL easy. After all, I had almost perished from the earth at Jumbo Lake less than a day ago. But between the laughs and the need to impress (the latter an inherent male instinct), the 34 miles between Delta and Montrose were … what’s the word … fun.
And I hadn’t even realized it until an RTR volunteer working one of the four-way stops said, “You guys are having too much fun.”
Too much? I forgot to have any at all.
Steve’s friend Ryan didn’t forget. When Ryan caught up to us, I could not help noticing the can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the water-bottle cradle of his bike — in a koozie, no less. Ryan noted that he was carrying the can of PBR throughout the 405 miles of the Ride (the koozie was a rattle-removing measure added along the way), and he planned to pop it open at the finish line.
Now, that’s fun.
Fun, too, was the atmosphere at Columbine Middle School after Day 3’s ride, where most cyclists arrived with plenty of time and energy to set up camp, air out the dirty laundry and plan a fun day, be it a beer at the New Belgium Beer Brewing Co. Beer Garden, a bus tour to Black Canyon or a fruitful search for Internet access.
* TODAY: Montrose to Gunnison: 65 miles.
Day 3 recap
* High point (literal): Near Oak Grove, roughly 6,100 feet elevation.
* High point (figurative): Swapping stories of Day 2 with a colleague and his buddy.
* Low point (literal): Mile 1, Delta, roughly 4,900 feet elevation.
* Low point (figurative): Piercing my middle finger with a tent stake. To the delight of fellow cyclists, it will be out of commission for a while.
* Quote of the day: “I don’t know. I just overheard somebody say it.” — fellow RTR cyclist’s response to my inquiry into the correct spelling of “foal,” at the birth of one along the route from Delta to Montrose.
DenverPost.com sports producer Bryan Boyle is participating in the — his first bike ride of any kind beyond the occasional wee-hour visit to a convenience market. His series runs on DenverPost.com each day of the June 18-25 event, which follows a 405-mile course from Grand Junction to Breckenridge.
To share any RTR-related experiences, fears, advice or yarns, send an e-mail to Bryan at bboyle@denverpost.com.