Cycling 5000 km, from Banff in Canada to the US-Mexican border, raising money for MS research.
Salida > Campground 10 KM west of Marshal Pass
In Salida I bought food etc. for 4 days, because there aren’t going to be any shops on the route for a while.
I leave a bit late, because I facetimed with the home front for a while. The day started with great weather, but just as I leave Salida it starts to rain and thunder. I made it to a gas station just in time, I’ll just let the bad weather pas. Half an hour later it’s as good as dry and I decide to finally go on my way. First I have to go over the freeway for a while, but then back on the small tracks to climb the Marshall Pass. But also on these back-roads it’s quite busy. It’s Labour Day weekend and a lot of Americans go out with everything you can find that can roll. Trucks, RV’s, ATV’s, Motorbikes etc. Whole families on motorbikes; father, mother and young children on little motorbikes…
Marshall Pass road seems a bit like a playground. Anyway, I have to be very careful. I’m going up slowly, on muscle power only and the rest of the traffic comes flying by left and right. The trucks are driving quite relaxed and slow, but the ATV’s and mainly the motorbikes are driving very fast. The weather is quite unstable, then it rains and then it’s sunny again. I keep changing my clothes. Raincoat and trousers on and a short while later I have to take them off. That happens a few more times. All together I didn’t have the change to take a lot of pictures. I’m just to busy, the weather doesn’t help and I’m in a bit of a hurry to arrive at the top. In the afternoon a guy on a big motorcycle catches up on me. He looks at me as he passes and says: Koen…?
It’s Dave, who I previously met two times last week. What I coincidence! We chat a bit on the side of the road and then both of us continue our own journey. He asked me if I wanted him to drag my bike and me up the hill with his motorcycle. I don’t think that’s really necessary. I think I arrived at the top about an hour later and it’s getting darker and quieter. To the campground is about 10 more KM, down hill of course. It looks like it’s going to rain, so I put on my raincoat and gloves. Going down, without sunshine, it’s cooling down fast. I pass a few sites where some hunters have made camp and than I find the location that is mentioned in my route book, described as a very primitive campground (so without any facilities). I quickly put up my tent (still wet from last night) as it starts to rain. I take everything I think I’ll need for dinner and sleeping from my bike, and put it in my tent. Underneath the tent’s canopy is just enough room to boil some water for my dry-meal and then into my sleeping bag.
I leave a bit late, because I facetimed with the home front for a while. The day started with great weather, but just as I leave Salida it starts to rain and thunder. I made it to a gas station just in time, I’ll just let the bad weather pas. Half an hour later it’s as good as dry and I decide to finally go on my way. First I have to go over the freeway for a while, but then back on the small tracks to climb the Marshall Pass. But also on these back-roads it’s quite busy. It’s Labour Day weekend and a lot of Americans go out with everything you can find that can roll. Trucks, RV’s, ATV’s, Motorbikes etc. Whole families on motorbikes; father, mother and young children on little motorbikes…
Marshall Pass road seems a bit like a playground. Anyway, I have to be very careful. I’m going up slowly, on muscle power only and the rest of the traffic comes flying by left and right. The trucks are driving quite relaxed and slow, but the ATV’s and mainly the motorbikes are driving very fast. The weather is quite unstable, then it rains and then it’s sunny again. I keep changing my clothes. Raincoat and trousers on and a short while later I have to take them off. That happens a few more times. All together I didn’t have the change to take a lot of pictures. I’m just to busy, the weather doesn’t help and I’m in a bit of a hurry to arrive at the top. In the afternoon a guy on a big motorcycle catches up on me. He looks at me as he passes and says: Koen…?
It’s Dave, who I previously met two times last week. What I coincidence! We chat a bit on the side of the road and then both of us continue our own journey. He asked me if I wanted him to drag my bike and me up the hill with his motorcycle. I don’t think that’s really necessary. I think I arrived at the top about an hour later and it’s getting darker and quieter. To the campground is about 10 more KM, down hill of course. It looks like it’s going to rain, so I put on my raincoat and gloves. Going down, without sunshine, it’s cooling down fast. I pass a few sites where some hunters have made camp and than I find the location that is mentioned in my route book, described as a very primitive campground (so without any facilities). I quickly put up my tent (still wet from last night) as it starts to rain. I take everything I think I’ll need for dinner and sleeping from my bike, and put it in my tent. Underneath the tent’s canopy is just enough room to boil some water for my dry-meal and then into my sleeping bag.
