Ridgway to Telluride, CO Fri 7/17/2015

     Been over this road before on my Canada to Mexico ride in 2013.  I knew what to expect from here to Dolores, CO.

This family overheard my phone conversation during breakfast in Ridgway as I was talking to a family member telling them where I was and what my destinations were for the next few days.  They were so nice and complimentary of my venture.  I added them to my memories of wonderful people I've had the privilege of meeting on this journey.

To scan this scene with your eyes when you can feel and smell the fresh mountain air is awesome.

Another beautiful scene.

This picture would would look great on any calendar.

Guess what just happened?  A large cattle truck just whizzed past and sprayed  me with a  mist of cow pee.  One of those moments you never forget.

This man was disabled in the Iraq War and does horseshoe artwork.  I was pushing my bike up a steep grade to the Dallas Divide and had about 500 yards to go when he stopped and offered to take me to the divide in his truck.  I told he I was OK and could make it there.  He insisted that he wanted to help me and I very graciously accepted his offer.  Another of the wonderful people I was able to meet.

This is Paul Potter.  Met him at a gas station/mini-mart/cafe in Placerville.  He had been out hiking a "fourteener". I didn't know what that word meant so I asked him.  A fourteener is a mountain that exceeds 14,000 ft. elevation.  It's his goal to climb as many of those peaks in the US as he can.  I hope I'm accurate in my recollection of that info.  Anyway, the highway from Placerville to Telluride is narrow, fairly steep, not much shoulder for bicycles, a guardrail, plus lots of traffic this time of day.  I remembered this stretch from my previous ride and I had a reservation at the Hotel Columbia in Telluride, so I accepted his offer to take me there in his truck.  Safety wise and the time of day I considered it a no brainer.    Another gracious person I was privileged to meet.  

Overlooking Telluride from the Ski Gondola.