GreatPlains2012

Day 2

Thursday, 14 Jun 2012
Parker, CO to Limon, CO
74.5 miles, 6h16m, 11.8 mph
Elapsed Time: 7h41m, Max speed: 44.0mph
Total Climbing: 3340ft, Max elevation: 6704ft
Total mileage: 100.8

Wow! Look at that profile. I gotta say I had no idea I was going downhill for the last 25 miles. The wind, which had been fairly nice to me all day, suddenly turned against me at the end.

I slept in until 6:40 and hit the road about 8:30. I meandered around until I found the Cherry Creek Trail again and headed south...and uphill.

Same trail as yesterday. It was nice. Lots of snakes.

It was considerably cooler than yesterday--the breeze was from the north. And it even helped a bit on the trail. But after 12 miles it was time to leave the trail and hit the road.

Plant nursery humor.

There was quite a bit more climbing. Then some descending. Including a frightening downhill where I hit 44mph while fighting a stiff crosswind.

I kept expecting to drop down out of the hills onto a flat plain. But that never happened.

Just the same scenery for hours and hours.

The bear was unimpressed.

I stopped for lunch in Kiowa. That was good.

Finally, after endless climbing and descending, I reached I-70. So I got on.

But then I got off and rode the dirt service road into Limon.

We chose the wrong restaurant for dinner, so we got McDonald's shakes for dessert.

Tomorrow I ride to Eads.

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