What's Fred Up To Now?: Day 28 - Saturday June 16; Walden, CO to Laramie, WY (64 miles)

I woke up at about 4:30 AM this morning and couldn't go back to sleep; thinking about today being the last day of this trip. The gas/convenience store opened at 5:30 AM and since there were no services for the entire ride today, I stocked up then headed to a local cafe where I ate a hearty breakfast of stuffed french toast. A number of local men were having coffee and breakfast and were ribbing each other - pretty funny. One would rib another then look at me and wink.

Anyway, I was on the road before 6:30 AM and rode north to Cowdrey then to the intersection of CO125 and CO127. CO125 continues the TransAmerica route NW to Rawlins and CO127 NE to Laramie. The last half-dozen miles of CO125 were pretty windy but with only a slight headwind component. I could tell from the map that this would change to a full-on headwind when I turned onto CO127 - and boy was I right! The first three miles of CO127 were tough, tough, tough! I was still out in the open but heading into a mountain valley. I was thinking that if the wind continued like this, I would likely never make it to Laramie under my own power. Luckily, once I entered the mountain valley the wind wasn't too bad; lots of climbing, but not so much wind. Also, there had not been a shoulder on CO127 until I started to really climb, then there was at least a two foot shoulder the rest of the way to the Wyoming state line - then it was a six foot shoulder. Way to go Wyoming! Riding roads with a wide shoulder make a tremendous difference mentally knowing that if you stay to the right, you're going to be safe.

I didn't have a map once I left CO125 so I was only vaguely familiar with the terrain. I'd seen it when I did a "mapmyride" a while back. I knew I had to climb from around 7,000 feet to 9,100 feet and that this was in the first half of the ride. But I didn't really know where the climbing would occur or when I could expect to start descending to Laramie which is at around 7,000 feet. Anyway, some of the climbing happened as soon as I turned onto CO127. Then I rode probably 10 miles at what I figured was 9,000 feet. There were excellent views back where I came from and the high alpine scenery was very nice. This section was pretty flat. This was followed by a few miles more of climbing before the six mile decent out of the mountains and to Laramie. Once out of the mountains it was still 27 miles to Laramie but this was all at a gentle downhill grade with only occasional wind. I stopped for a brief rest at the entrance to a ranch when the owner pulled up to get his mail. We had a nice chat. He said I80 was 18 miles further. He also said that normally I would have a very nice tailwind but that the wind in that area had been very unpredictable lately. We said goodbye and I headed the remaining 18 miles to a McDs next to an I80 exit in Laramie where I had arranged for my son-in-law, Mike, to pick me up.

I arrived just before 1:00 PM so I made better time than I thought I might (way better than what I thought when I turned onto CO127!). I'd told my daughter, Jenny, not to be there before 3:00 PM so I would have plenty of time to get there from Walden. Once there, they were still very busy with the lunch crowd. I checked in with Susi and just occupied space for about a half an hour. I was pretty bushed as I had pushed it pretty hard trying to get there early. Then I ate, cleaned up and took the front rack and fender off of my bike so it would fit on the car-top bike carrier. Then I just relaxed and waited for my ride to Ft. Collins.

Mike showed up around 3:30 PM. We loaded the bags and front wheel inside the car and Mike put the bike on the carrier and we were off to Ft. Collins. On the drive, Mike pointed out some of the places the North Park Fire had already burned and the smoke from areas where it continues to burn.

I arrived to Jenny and Mike's to hugs and kisses from my grandchildren and from my daughter Jenny. Life is good! I took a shower while Jenny prepared a dish for their supper club that was tonight. I got to take the grandchildren out to dinner then to REI so I could buy a t-shirt for tomorrow.

I'll make another post in a day or so with trip statistics, lessons learned and other miscellaneous thoughts.

Photos from today follow.