Susi and I returned to Ft. Collins on July 4 to spend a week with our daughter and her family. We had a great time with our grandchildren Christopher and Josephine. Thanks to Jen and Mike for letting us spend so much time with them. We also visited with Susi's brother Cliff and his family in Loveland.
On Tuesday we loaded the van with my bike and gear that I'd left behind when I flew home in June. We drove much of my bicycle trip route backwards on the way home. After reaching Pueblo Wednesday night by car, I felt great satisfaction and reward for having ridden through the Rocky Mountains. I was certainly
privileged
to have had the opportunity to ride this part of our country. Thursday we drove the route through eastern Colorado and nearly half way through Kansas before heading for a more direct route home. Susi asked me what I thought about all day when riding through such flat and sparsely populated country. I remember some things I thought about; family and friends (both those still with me and those who have passed), faith, and all the ways I've been blessed in my life. However, I must admit that I must have been zoned out some of the time, though I remembered every town and nearly every stretch and bend in the road during our drive back.
When we turned towards home we actually drove through some awesome parts of Kansas; lots of hill and trees - much different than most of what I rode through. Sooooo, I take back what I said in my Epilogue blog entry about Kansas. I did find parts I would be willing to ride through. Anyway, I certainly look forward to riding in the Rocky Mountains again.
What's next? Under consideration for 2013 are;
- Pacific Coast route (Vancouver, BC to Imperial Beach, CA - 1,850 mi.)
- The remaining western portion of the TransAmerica route (Walden, CO to Astoria, OR - 1,800 mi.)
- The entire Mississippi River route (New Orleans, LA to Stillwater, MN - 1,750 mi.)
- Some portion(s) of the Lewis & Clark route (Hartford, IL to Seaside, OR - up to 3,265 mi.)
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