Journey Stats

For those number folks out there, I have some extra time to at the library to write up our daily mileage and times. For those that care more about the journey, skip this and read "22-34" the next post.

Day 1
Lorsburg to Silver City
12.73 miles
6.98 mph

This was our rude awakening to altitude after getting off a 25 hour bus ride.

Day 2 Silver City rest day
5.1 miles
7.62 mph

Day 3 Silver City rest day
5.7 miles 7.2 mph

Day 4 Silver City to Mimbres Ranger station
29.2 miles
6.88 mph
Feeling much better, rode on mostly roads, 11miles on dirt. rained all night

Day 5 Mimbres ranger station to Rocky Canyon Campground
16.47 miles
4.95mph

LOTS OF FREAKING MUD! We also climbed several thousand feet up onto the divide
took 1 hour to go 300 feet in mud. Very fustrating. Day ened in a hail storm

Day 6 Rocky Canyon to Wall Lake
25.98 miles
6.72 mph
Very steep north georgia fire road type climbs but covered in sloppy mud making progress nearly impossible. Saw a herd of elk at Wall lake. We camped under some trees due to rain but then a guy came and told us that we were on private land, so we have to ride another 3 miles after the rain stopped.

Day 7 Wall Lake to before Collins Park (elevation of campsite) 7456ft
32.50 miles
6.42 mph
We rode around thunder stroms like a giant ches game but eventually got caught before our goal of collins parks. Jamie's rack broke here, I fixed it with zip ties and duct tape

Day 8 Collins Park to Patterson Canyon (elevation of campsite) 7731ft
39.71 miles
6.05 mph
Tried to get in more riding before the rain came by waking up before dawn. But unfortuneately, none of the roads were dry enough from the night before. Got stuck several times, then went through the San Austin valley to be slowed by severe wind. Enough to slow you down to 4 mph on a downhill! When it turned to a cross wind, it would litereally blow us all over the road. Very tired, camped in a canyon and listened to two pack of wolves bay at the moon all night.

Day 9 Patterson Canyon to Pie town
33.93 miles
9.01 mph

NO RAIN! and really killer descent. Nothing like the sound of knobby tires wailing over the hard packed dry dirt roadway all the way into Pietown where we ate some great pies! Met josh and Ryan and some CDT hikers. The ride also took us through a pretty dry valley full of lots of homestead ruins of thse that couldn't find enough water to survive out here in some very harse landscape

Day 10 Pie Town to Grants
68.72 miles
11.61 mph

This ride was relatively flat on very hard packed raodways and 35 miles of pavement in Grants. Jamie hauled it and I tried to keep up. The last 2 miles were a real struggle due to the unrelenting wind that slowed progress to a crawl.

Day 11 Grants rest day

Day 12 Grants to Mt. Taylor (elevation of campsite) 7960ft
30.69miiles
6.8 mph
Really BIG and LONG climb today. over 3000 ft over 24 miles topping out a 9200 feet. I got a bit winded at the top and the descent was great. We camped on the ridge overlooking the vally below and watched the sunset over a very hard but beautiful day.

Day 13 Mt. Taylor to Hunter's camp (elevation of campsite) 6426
47.61
8.17 mph
The sun was blazing today and we treked through a harsh desert, heavily eroded and dotted with the ruins of ranches that didn't make it. No water except for a spring near camp. Saw a bunch of foxes including one that was dead, its bones bleached and dried in the desert. ONce again, harse life out here. Lots of up and downs and wind, really wore us down.

Day 14 Hunters camp to Cuba (elevation of campsite) 6800ft
46.07
8.12 mph
We made it but did got dehydrated in the progress. Like I keep saying, harse landscape, no water, hard for life.

Day 15 Cuba to FS road 103
29.66 miles
6.21 mph
Lots of climbing. See "22-34" post

Day 16 FS road 103 to Abiquou, NM
48.8 miles
7.72 mph
average speed on climbs was only 4.2 mph but the descents skewed the stats. Once again see the "22-34" post

Day 17 Abiquou to El Rito NM
17.89 miles
7.08 mph avg speed
This was supposed to be a rest day but the Abiquou Inn is really expensive (but very nice) so we left after having a great time at the Maya Art Cafe (and they drove us to the grocery store) that we cruised up to El Rito about sunset. Even after the sun went down, you could still see the road under the bright moonlight. When we couldn't find the campsite we pitched a tent at the ranger station.

Day 18 El Rito to Canada del Oso river campsite (elevation of campsite) 8212 ft
23.13 miles
6.16 mph avg
Met 4 new people riding north as well. Spent a lot of time in El Rito having the best mexican food ever and then decided to leave late and do a big climb. All the mexican food stayed down but it was tough. Drank water from a gasoline can a guy offered way out in the middle of nowhere. He was drinking it too and we didn't get sick so I reckon it was alright.

Day 19 Canada del Oso river campsite to Rio San Antonio campsite
36.17 miles
6.56 mph avg speed.

Climbed Burned mountain (10,200ft) which despite its name was very pretty. Decent started on dirt and progressed onto pavement. Hit 46.4 mph on the pavement decent. Pretty fast for knobby tires and an unstable BOB trailer behind you. Last 4 miles had severe headwinds. Met Steve a cool guy that used to ride Cat 2 that gave us beer and whiskey while he went fishing in the river. Hooked up with Jon (a rider we met in El Rito) he decided the other were going too fast and he'll ride with us.

Day 20 Rio San Antonio Campstie to Apachee Creek campsite
10,614ft (elevation of campsite)
26.89 miles
4.8 mph avg

The distance and speed should tell the story of today's ride. Severe uphill, mud, snow drifts, elevation slowed us down but we had a lot of fun! Road was so severely eroded it was closed to vehicles. Topped out about 11,400ft. Great views up there! You'll enjoy the pictures once wew're able to post them (probably a few weeks)

Day 21 Apachee Creek campsite to Lake Fork Campsite
approx 9000ft (elevation of campsite)
35 miles
8.1 mph avg

Very rocky and steep decent off of the ridgeline. Entered Colorado!!! Got to see a real steam train chugging through the valley. Clibed back to 10,200 ft on pavement over La Magna Pass (10,260ft) and then ripping decent at 46.8 mph to a great cheeseburger in Horca, CO, then back on dirt climbing up a river valley to the campsite

Day 22 Lake Fork campsite to Monte Vista, CO
52.85 miles
9.75 mph

Got off to late start because of a great cafe in Platoro, CO. There we were told the passes ahead were closed due to excessive snow cover. We thought about trying them anyway but we met a guy that had to be turned around up there when a combination of motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles couldn't him and his buddies across. We took his advice and did an alternate to here, Monte Vista. Just 16 miles off route but no snow and much lower in elevation (7700ft approx)

Day 23 Monte Vista, CO
Started out as a rest day, then Jamie got sick. Turns out Josh was sick as well.

Day 24 Monte Vista, CO
Jamie feeling better, I got sick. Determined it was bad water in Platoro, CO. Learned that the four guys made it over the pass. One of those got sick, too.

Day 25 Del Norte, CO
I slept this entire day. Started to feel better in the evening. Had my first meal in over 40 hours.

Day 26 Del Notre, CO
Took Andrew's advice, stayed another day. Met the great folks Gary and Patti and learned what ultra light really means.

Day 27 Del Norte, CO to campsite on descent from careneo pass
9346ft (elevation of campsite)
37.6 miles
8.09 mph

Feeling much better. Ripped up the pass at a blistering pace pulling the trailer in the middle ring for parts. Its great to see the passes aren't as steep. Camped out underneath some beautiful aspens. Look forward to the rest of the downhill tomorrow

Day 28 Decent from careneo pass to sargents, co
8497 ft
69.14
9.36 mph

Pulled a LONG day today with a 10,100ft pass in the middle. Still feeling pretty strong. We did this really killer decent that went up and down around these smaller hills. You could use your momentum to carry you over each top slowing you down just enough to catch a brillant view of snow covered peaks and then back through the maze of hills again. Great ride.

Day 29 Sargents, CO to Salida CO
33.76
9.04 mph

The big climb over monarch pass. Went up really high with lots of road traffic. I'm a little pooped but having a good time in Salida. 3.8mph up the pass 35+ going down so the average speed is a little misleading

Day 30 Salida to FS 175 camp
10.09
4.63mph

Not feeling well. Legs don't want to go but I forced myself anyway. No water on steep climb but some folks in a truck gave us a gallon. Before we reached the top, it rained. Very cold.

Day 31 FS 175 camp to Hartzel, CO
8860 ft
39.47
7.47 mph

Hard day, cold rain and cold severe headwinds. Body just not feelling a lot like moving but we got a good hot meal and we're sleeping behind the bar.

Day 32 Hartzel, CO to Breckenridge, CO
19.1
6.28 mph

Note it is not 19/1 miles to Breckenridge from Hartzel. We cheated. I left Hartzel feeling groggy but then everything started falling apart. Severe COLD headwinds and my body told me it had enough. I laid down and couldn't get back up, body just wouldn't move. Hitched a ride with a passing truck into town. Will see doc tomorrow.

Day 33 Breckenridge
rest day

Saw doc, deteremined that I haven't been eating enough and have thrown myself into a severe imbalance. Talked to nutritionist and figured out how to eat more. So, I'm sitting around eating. Feel like crap

Day 34 Breckenridge
rest day

rode 5.5 miles to do laundry and nearly didn't make it. Very weak. Never felt like this before. Will continue eating

Day 35 Breckenridge
rest day

feelling better today. Jamie's friends came out to visit

Day 36 Breckenridge to Blue river camp
23.15
10.17 miles

Took it real easy today over very flat to mod downhill pavement. Saw a movie, ate a lot. Feeling better.

Day 37 Blue river camp to Kemling, CO
45.03
8.82 mph

Good day. Feeling much better. Climbed up Ute pass and got an incredible view of the snow capped Gore range. Then long steady decent almost all the way to Kremling.

Day 38 Kremling, CO to French Creek camp
26.72
6.18 mph

LOTS of big climbs today. I feel like we've down 6-gap in only 25 miles. Great veiws of the Colorado river through a canyon (that we climbed both sides of). Asked Jamie ot marry me. She said yes. Lots of misquitos

Day 39 French Creek Camp to Steamboats Springs, CO
51.26
9.42 mph

Severe steep up and downs for the first several miles, finally an easy climb up to Lynx pass and the DOWNHILL practically all the way to Steamboat. Really ripping. We're absolutely filthy and enjoyed a shower.

Day 40 Steamboat Springs, CO
Rest Day

Finally got to ride some Colorado Mountain bike trails. They are really really ripping. Had a great time and got to tour the Moots tinanium bicycle factory.

Day 41 Steamboat to Mt. Meaden pass
39.7
6.48

Long continuous climbing today. First on road and then on dirt. Very steep and rocky. Walked a lot of the really rocky stuff, just too challenging with a trailer. Really brillant views up top.

Day 42
Mt. Meaden pass to Medicine Bow NF
43.85
8.57

Up and down terrain through aspens and later into the great wide open. Got dehydrated but ended up in one of the most beautiful campsites of the trip.

Day 43
Medicine bow NF to Rawlins WY
66.65
9.6mph

Feeling good, left in the cool morning but still ended up in the heat and desert by afternoon. Long day in the saddle. Couldn't seem to drink enough water but we made it. Feels good to eat pizza!

Day 44
Rawlins, WY

Rest day.

Day 45
Rawlins to A& M Lake Resevior
58.43
9.48 mph
7280 ft elevation of campsite

Jamie is really cruising on her new tires. She stayed out in front a lot today as we rolled through the desert and made it to the lake before it got too blazing outside. Carrying 40 lbs of water sucks but necessary

Day 46
A & M Resevoir to Daicus Well
56.6
7.79 mph

The Desert was surreal at night and we really enjoyed the ride. In daylight, it gets a lot harsher. Very washboarded and rutted roads, severe winds (cross and head), and the blazing sun took a lot out of us but we made it.

Day 47
Daicus Well to Atlantic City, WY
22.11
7.1
7550 ft elevation of town

We were really tired from the odd hours, little sleep and difficult desert riding. There was a bed and breakfast in town run by super nice folks and so we stopped there.

Day 48
Atlantic City to Little Sandy Creek Camp
36.52
6.95

Not feeling too good today. Having a lot of stomach problems and not pedaling very fast. Really nice looking scenery but hard to appreciate when you don't feel well.

Day 49
Little Sandy Creek Camp to Pinedale, WY

Woke up to more stomach problems. Decided to hitch a ride 55 miles to Pinedale to the hospital. Minor food poisoning from the buffollo burger I ate in Atlantic City. Dehydrated from"extra restroom breaks". recieved 2 bags of IV and feeling much better.

Day 50 Pinedale, WY

Rest day
Still wasn't feeling quite up to speed so we took one more day.

Day 51 Pinedale, WY
Pinedale to Misquito Lake CG
elevation of campsite = 8940ft
47.2 miles
7.11 mph avg

Nice ride up a valley, then super steep exposed climb with lots of bugs. Ended up a a really beautiful campsite by the aptly named misquito lake. Lots and lots of bugs.

Day 52
Misquito Lake CG to RV park along hwy 26/287
44.6 miles
7.12 mph avg

Getting over Union pass took a while but the downhill was insane and super scenic. I was going to fast and trying to hold on so I didn't take any pictures. Ended up at a RV park with showers and hot food. I like hot showers and eating.

Day 53
RV park along hwy 26/287 to Colter Bay CG
49.1 miles
9.42 mph avg

Got over towgatee pass by lunch. Lots of construction but the traffic was okay. The view of the teton mtn range was incredible as we decended into teton national park just screaming all the way downhill. We nearly got flattened by an RV in the park on the way to the campsite.

Day 54
Colter Bay CG to Elks lodge CG in Idaho
52.76 miles
8.69 mph avg

Finally off the death highway of RVs and people in big hurries to get to their vacations. Getting back on dirt was extremely dusty but a nice ride through the woods. Very steep up and downs but lots of streams and lakes to take an occasional swim. We now get to see the Tetons from the backside.

Day 55
Elks lodge to Flat rock CG (Macks inn, Idaho)
elevation of camp 6418ft
44.33 miles
6.98 mph avg (Jamie's avg speed was 7.15!!)

Jamie was faster than I was today and I'm so proud of her. The ride was really sandy that soaked up all our speed. The trailer was a huge disadvantage is the sand. Really neat ride along an old railway bed but very dusty from a lot of ATV traffic. Macks Inn, Idaho is a weird place.

Day 56
Flat rock CG (Macks inn, Idaho) to Upper red rock lake CG (Montana)
31.56 miles
7.15 mph avg

We slept in today and did an easy ride to this lake full of swans with this enourmous mountain behind us. Swarmed by thousands of flies and misquitos so we spent most of our time in the tent. We entered Montana as we cross the divide on red rock pass.

Day 57
Upper red rock lake CG to Lima, MT
56.46 miles
8.08 mph avg

Pulled a long day today. After the lake, all the mountains disappeared along with the trees into a vast wasteland of scrub with no shade but plenty of wind and sun. Felt good to arrive into a town and get a big dinner.