Panama or Bust

One Year Later- Back Ridin' Again

2009-11-09T17:51:00.001-08:00

Well, it's been over a year since our last post, but we're both still alive and kickin'.

I've since built up a few other bikes, one of which I took on a little stroll out to Fort Collins to meet up with Tim Mitchell, then we rode back to his place in Thornton to enjoy steaks and beer. It was a nice little century while the weather has been holding this week.

Lil' Get Together

2008-11-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Join us on:

Saturday, December 20th @ 1pm

To catch-up, eat good food, and hear the stories about Nick and Dave's trip! We'll be making Lasagnas and other like casseroles - so please bring a side dish! I will eventually send out an e-mail letting everyone know how many to prepare for (please e-mail me if you are coming).

The location of the party will be:

1473 Magpie Ct.
Golden, CO 80403

We will have a TV setup for photo viewing and there will (should) be picture CDs of the trip available for anyone who wants one. See you then!

(e-mail me here if you are coming: braunagn@gmail.com)

Reflections Upon Our Trip

2008-10-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yes the bicycling trip to Panama came to an abrupt end in Mexico; yes valuable equipment, time, and money was expended on the trek; yes it was not how we wanted it to end. And...YES! we are glad to have had the privilege to embark on such a journey! Dave and I spent 50 days traveling from Golden, CO to Los Mochis, Mexico: 1500+ miles on bicycle where we lived on the side of the road, in welcoming homes, or amongst friends. Traveling in such a manner had its benefits: the gentle, subtle change of the landscape was perceivable; the sense of progress could be felt with everyday of pedaling; of the many people we encountered: the moments were made more rewarding knowing that only through bicycling would we have met them. 'Personal progress' was made as well: the many nights under the stars settled in with a book or our thoughts was an excellent environment for us to mil over the day's ideas and notions. Overall, the experience was something we will take with us into the pursuant moments of our lives.

People have asked me, "Are you disappointed that it ended how it did?" My usual response is, "Not having my bicycle is a small annoyance but overall - no. The whole point of the trip was accomplished: we actually set out to do it."

The next question is usually, "What did you like best while on the road?" Answering this requires some thought as remembering the whole of the journey takes some time. Yet, for me, a fulfilling part was experiencing the habits of a people: not to gauge or judge - simply to observe. A few examples: in the state of Chihuahua, the willingness of townspeople to help strangers; the hurried pace of American driving; or the calm demeanor of Durango, CO. In addition, meeting new and exotic individuals was rewarding. They had some interesting things to say; from topics pertaining to far off things like 'Paris: the city of philosophy', to things that related directly to us: one man in Buenaventura, Mexico believed that our doing this trip would allow us to observe the 'customs and tendencies' of America and upon returning home the ability to perceive them more easily, thus gaining a freedom over them. Whatever the topic, I was glad to listen!

This whole trip has been a rewarding experience not only for the two cyclists but also for the individuals who have watched them - in fact, without this 'support group' of open houses with warm showers, courteous individuals and their helpful advice, friends and families back home, the whole trip would have never been realized! And so, a BIG thank you is in order! We want to especially thank the following people:

Jim Reed - for the blog maintenance; saving us in Fairplay, CO; the funny postings; and of course believing in us.
Holly Bidle - the care packages, phone calls, and going out of your way to make sure we were on ours.
Brian & Juliana Braunagel - the SPOT tracker and the sense of security it brought to, not only us, but everyone back home.
Friends and Family: thanks for the encouragement and support guys :)
The Moskowitz Family (Fort Collins, CO): for letting us stay at there place when we were training.
Rivera Family (Golden, CO): for the trip planning advice and the international cellphone - without these things we'd have not gotten far.
Hobobikers Randy and Nancy (Denver, CO): The FIRST-HAND experience and advice from having travelled nearly the whole breadth of the Pan-American Highway - hats off
Brendan Harrison (Golden, CO): Brendan works at Peak Cycles in Golden and went out of his was to help us get back on the road when we were in need of a new wheel. Thanks man!
Pamela Stone (Fairplay, CO): the open heart and hospitality of Pamela was beyond compare - thank you for the library help, and most of all letting us stay in your apartment for two days!
Candice Lemon (Durango, CO): Her delightful hostel (Durango Hometown Hostel) was hard to leave - the showers were warm, the beds comfortable, and the conversations great.
Ralph & Carlette (Aztec, NM): Ralph owns Cottonwood Cycle Shop in nearby Farmington, NM and is looking to open another shop in Aztec. Thanks for the night of rest, the food, and all the bicycle amenities!
Devin & Laurel Wala (Payson, AZ): Met through couchsurfing.com. -Wow, we enjoyed the biggest TV in probably all of Arizona! The food was great and so was learning about the travels these two have done with their children. - The next plan is a bicycle touring trip across America to raise money for cancer research.
Olivia Skull (Gainey Ranch, AZ): Another friend met through couchsurfing.com - Olivia joined us for the Sigur Ros concert in Tempe - and we wont forget the fun times had at her house!
Doug McConville (Tucson, AZ): Doug and I go way back - and we'll keep going forward too. - Thanks for the insight on film legend Kubrick, the sleeping space, and just catching up.
Bonita Cid (Bisbee, AZ): Kind enough to let us stay around her place and use her massage therapy equipment while we waited for the final pieces of equipment to arrive before heading into Mexico.
Thomas Martin (Buenavista, Chihuahua, MEX): Thomas lended his 15+ years of experience from having lived in Mexico to us in the form of translations, common slang used around town, and what to look for and avoid to stay safe.
Gabriel (Buenavista, Chihuahua, MEX): This was a very kind and gentle man and could cook up some mean Huevos a la Mexicana for us in the mornin'
Jarret Roberts, Priska Schar, Thais Madeira, Ashley Shoemaker, Jess, and the rest of the travellers we met (Creel, Chihuahua, MEX): The hotsprings were awesome(!), and hearing about each one of your personal stories was a great way to see how travelling the world has affected so many in such differing ways!
Two small kids (Creel, Chihuahua, MEX): for helping us make the train on time.

and finally

THE DOGS OF MEXICO: for helping me realize how freakin' fast I can go on a bicycle - pinches perros!

Again, thank you - everyone - I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

PS - If you would like, Dave is going to compile the photos from the trip; e-mail him if you'd like digital photos: dave.bidle.reed@gmail.com

Busted

2008-10-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we gave it our best shot, but the bikes were stolen off the train so we've come home.
The situation was all around bad: we got off at the final stop of the night around midnight (in Los Mochis) with our bags but soon discovered that the bikes were not where we left them on the final car (which, as it happened, was the staff only cab). We talked with the few remaining employees and they spoke in quick and nonchalant Spanish, of which we understood very little. What we did pick up was that in the very last town we had passed through there was a group of punk kids who often threw rocks at the train, and that they had probably taken them. They wouldn't help us much beyond that except to say that we could call the main office in the morning. So we slept in the train station, with the sound of the very train which had just stripped our bikes from us running the whole night long, sleep was an impossibility either way. The following day we took a train to Mazatlan, saw the slightest glimpse of the ocean and caught the first direct flight home to Denver. The call to the train office concluded that we should "write them a letter"...
We've come to realize that this event was the result of flat out bad luck (albeit some very expensive bad luck), but we were at least safe and sound by the end of it all.
So it goes and we've recovered rather well- it is mighty nice to be back home with all the luxuries and amenities. Now it's time to start planning something new to pass the time, and try and forget that fateful day.

Copper Canyon and Creel

2008-10-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival in Creel we ended up missing the intended train but it was fortunate, as we were able to party with some fellow backpackers- who promptly convinced us to stay another day and bike to some hotsprings.

The ride there was an incredible 13+ kilometers of steep cobblestone roads that descended into a canyon. But with our new friends Jes, Ashley, Jarret and _ the ride went by in a flash.

A group of Mexican police officers followed us down with copious amounts of beer and some good cheer, which made it hard to leave this most amazing place.

But we got anxious to get back on the road, so we ascended the valley (laboriously), and hoped on the train heading east towards Los Mochis.

It was a beautiful ride.

Soy la montaña

2008-10-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

The title of this post comes from the new phrase which we´ve adopted to get us through the excruciatingly long climbs over the Sierra Madre mountains and the consequent Continental Divide. It has got us to a touristy town called Creel on the border of Copper Canyon, a gorgeous vast expanse which we hope to see in full tomorrow when we take the train to the coast (Los Mochis first, Mazatlan second). Initially we thought we´d be biking the entire way through, but we´d need some burly mountain bikes from here on, so the train it is. Then, to make up for lost time we´ll be busing from Los Mochis to Mazatlan, another coastal town with some very cheap hotel rooms ($10 a night!), then it´s back on the bikes for some coastal touring, it´s gonna be hot, it´s gonna be awesome.

As far as the ride thus far is concerned, things are wonderful. The drivers are very nice, giving us plenty of room; and there are quite a few policia and military to make us feel right safe. The only annoying bit is the number of trucks we´ve encountered, and the amount of diesel exhaust they expel right in our faces. Also the dogs, they´re quite relentless at times, Nick got chased by two of them today for a good 100 meters in an all out sprint. By the time I came around they were tired out, but I decided to pepperspray one of them, and he dropped quite quickly. Hopefully now they´ll know not to mess with bikers.

A good representation of what we´ve seen so far.

Some churcies from Colorado...ugh

Campsite number...four?

The start of Copper Canyon.

These ones are for you, dad.

Ah, bliss...

We're in Mexico

2008-10-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, and hello from south of the border! Dave and I are fine, healthy and safe. We entered Mexico on the 11th at 6am in the morning. We started out early to avoid the bordertown "safety problems" that everyone seemed to be worried about and traveled just over 100 miles to the small town of Janos so as to be away from the border. We stayed in a hotel that night and travelled to Nuevo Casas Grandes on the 12th. We are currently in Nvo. Casas Grandes and will be leaving for the city of Buenaventura soon. I am thinking there won't be any internet for the next week so below is a map of our planned travels = 5 days on the bike and then a train ride over the sierra madres to the town of Guamucil. We will try to get in contact with everyone when possible and we should be able to get internet access again when we arrive in Guamuchil = if not, the next major town of Culiacan will most definitely have internet. Alright, wish us luck, bye for now!

Ver mapa más grande

About that time

2008-10-10T08:13:00.001-07:00

We've been just kickin' it in Bisbee with Bonita for the last two days (waiting for some contact lenses to arrive via the not-so-prompt postal system), but now it's time we went for the border. The break was a productive one though, as we maintenanced the bikes and researched Mexico and the levels of risk at each of our destinations there.
Despite a few negative hearsay comments about traveling in Mexico from people around here we've decided that the route we've got will be good and safe just as long as we don't involve ourselves in the drug trade. We were also told that most often people north of where you are traveling into will have a biased negative opinion about those places south from them; and further that we should only consider actual accounts of incidents that have happened to people directly, not what they've heard secondhand.
On a lighter note, last night I decided to utilize Bonita's nice big kitchenspace and made some fajitas,

Which were good.

Tonight we are headed for Douglas (right at the border), and then will be turning off the cellphones as we head further South through the state of Sonora and into Chihuahua. If you'd like to get ahold of us please use email instead, as we won't be able to check voicemail all that often.
Additionally, if you'd like to check up on where we are please use the "Spot" link in the upper right hand corner of the blog.

Doug

2008-10-09T11:37:00.001-07:00

Last of the states

2008-10-07T20:42:00.001-07:00

Tucson went by in a flash, and we have no photo with Doug... yet. But many thanks to him for letting us crash and showing around the city.

On our way out of town we rode by an air museum, unfortunately though we had a schedule to keep, so this is all we saw.

Then this.

And more of these.

And of course.

Hometown represent.

Our tax dollars, hard at work.

Yikes.

We had three separate recommendations to hit up Kartchner Caverns on our way to Bisbee; and although it was 20 miles out of our way and $20 out of our pockets, was well worth it. Cameras weren't allowed, but I found some pretty damned good ones on google:

Tucson with Friends + Bisbee, AZ

2008-10-07T15:56:00.001-07:00

Well I forgot to get a picture with my friend Doug McConville who housed us for two night - we were having a bit of fun :) But I wanted to thank him for showing us around Tucson and also being a great host! Doug is majoring in film studies and will eventually become the next Kubrick. Well, his knowledge of not only the actors and actresses in the movies but his understanding of the concepts, motifs, and direction(s) the director is employing with the work seems like child's play to him. We watched "2001: A Space Odyssey," (something I have been wanting to watch since the trip started) and Doug shed some light on the movie as a whole.

Currently, we are in Bisbee, AZ which is about 20 miles from the Mexican border - we should be entering the country in approximately 3 days. Make sure to give us location suggestions about where we should visit! With the remaining time we will make final preparations and designate a specific route for Mexico. The journey is just about to begin!

Lots to See in Mexico

2008-10-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

The blue markers are the places we are thinking about going, the green are the places we plan on going. Let us know of any places we should check out!

The show plus a few

2008-10-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

We bummed around Tempe for two days while we waited for the show, which mostly involved exploring the ASU campus,

and hanging out with my friend Emily Sterling, who's doing Teach for America and living in Glendale. I've known her since my days at the University of Puget Sound, and it was awesome to hang out with her once again and catch up on everything.

Then came the big night, and it was utterly incredible. The opener was a rather low-key instrumental band by the name of the Parachutes.

Who were followed by the icelandic band Sigur Ros.

While their set started off a little loud and convoluted, it soon became more structured and upbeat as they transitioned into a bonafide rock show.

All in all it was quite the experience, and they certainly played a full fledged set that highlighted the bands discography.

After another night spent with our couchsurfing friend Olivia it was time to get back on the road. It wasn't easy though, as my front pannier got torn off by a firehydrant and Nick's wheel kept rupturing the valve stem. We got both items fixed and working again- but it cost us plenty of needed time. In the end we hunkered down near a field in the southern region of Phoenix, and were woken very early by a tractor- at least we got to see the sunrise...

Sigur Ros at Red Rocks

2008-09-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

This band is why Dave and Nick made a huge detour through Arizona on the trek to Panama. Sigur Ros was at Red Rocks on Sat. night, and I shot this from the 2nd row, center. More videos on youtube. Icelandic dream pop! It was an incredible evening under the stars. The lead singer made up his own language - Hopelandic, so it was tough to listen to the lyrics! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-I2kRYAA2I

Have fun tomorrow night, guys!!!

Scottsdale/Tempe

2008-09-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Scottsdale was a much more enjoyable place thanks to couchsurfing. Here we are with our host Olivia:

And her vinyl.

We have since moved on to a hotel in Chandler which Nick's parents set us up with (thank you!). We'll be hunkered down around Tempe until the concert on the 30th.

Stalling for time...

2008-09-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

So we seem to have ended up at the gates of Phoenix (in the smaller town of Fountain Hills) much ahead of our intended schedule. But no matter, there's a very nice library that keeps us apart from the sweltering heat all day, and we can ride to our intended campsite during the cooler nights.

First, we'd like express our extreme gratitude to Devin and Laurel for hosting us for the two nights we were in Payson- it was hard to leave such hospitable (and comfortable) accomadations.

Devin's Arsenal.

Unfortunately though, we didn't leave Payson well enough prepaired, and got in a bit of jam over two (yep- one each, within ten minutes of each other) blown out tubes, which left us with just a single working spare...
Once again, pumping away:

We made the decision to continue directly to Phoenix rather than take the scenic route towards Roosevelt Lake. The lake route would have taken us on a dirt trail that we feared would bring about more flats and leave us stranded, so on we went on the "Beeline" highway.

We did manage to find a rather cool place to camp though, at the end-of-the-line so to speak, off a side road.

Fountain Hills is nice enough, although last night we nearly had to pay a whopping 20 bucks for a lousy dirt campsite. Luckily the ol' "we don't have any cash" trick played out in our favor, and got the night for free.

Edward Abbey

2008-09-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

I agree completely! Cars and RVs get in the way of the mining equipment.

Reflections on the southwest

2008-09-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

To pass the time Nick and I usually do one of three things: study spanish, stretch, or read. Studying and stretching are boring topics for conversation so we mostly talk about our books. I'm reading Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire, with its most fitting subtitle: A Season In the Wilderness.

Most intriguing to me has been Abbey's desire to rid all National Parks of motorized transport, replacing the roads instead with more hiking and biking trails.

"these hordes of nonmotorized tourists, hungry for a taste of the difficult, the original, the real, do not consist solely of people young and athletic but also of old folks, fat folks, pale-faced office clerks who don't know a rucksack from a haversack, and even children. The one thing they all have in common is the refusal to live always like sardines in a can--they are determined to get outside of their motorcars for at least a few weeks a year."

This drive has been thwarted by what he calls "Industrial Tourism" which is driven by money and big business in pursuit of it.

"With supersensitive antenae these operatives look into red canyons and see only green, standing among flowers snorting out the smell of money, and hear, while thunderstorms rumble over mountains, the fall of a dollar bill on motel carpeting."

However, Industrial Tourism not only hurts the wilderness which is destroyed by it.

"The chief victims of the system are the motorized tourists. They are being robbed and robbing themselves. So long as they are unwilling to crawl out of their cars they will not discover the treasures of the national parks and will never escape the stress and turmoil of the ubran-suburban complexes which they had hoped, presumably, to leave behind for a while."

And here's the best part -the solution: force everyone who enters a national park to leave their cars at the gate and walk. Or better yet, ride a bike, which he says the national parks could provide free of charge for visitors if they used the money that would have been spent on building more roads.

"A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."

I think that pretty much sums up why we're doing this.

Additionally, he suggests that this system will better utilize the land at hand by

opening it up to being experienced more thoroughly. Of course, for those unable to ride or walk, he maintains that there should still be a shuttle service to take visitors through the park.

Even Mickey approves of this plan!

In search of wisdom ...

2008-09-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Thought of the Day: Fatigue...or Test?

2008-09-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

I was able to plead with Dave to stay in Holbrook for one more night: we'll stay in a motel. After riding the 100+ miles to get to the city I was completely fatigued; physically and mentally. The body was in starvation mode (I've been eating constantly ever since) but what compounds the situation is the mental desire to want to stop, as in give up.

I'm not the sort of person who let's himself go down easily but I would be lying if i said there was not a longing inside me to go back, to stop. But I thought about this a bit: could it not be a test? one of independence? A prime motivator in my choosing to do this trip was to test my independence. Could I continue to venture farther away from my comfort zone and experience the untested aspects of myself or would I waver and in the end, fall back, leaving myself untouched or unchanged?

It is hard to leave the things in life that bring one comfort and happiness. But at the same time, undiscovered, higher feelings of happiness can be sought out if one does exactly this; and above all, a strong independence is needed for such an undertaking.

-Nick
braunagn@gmail.com

Still at it

2008-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well we finally found some internet amongst a dry spell that lasted all the way through northern Arizona. Here's what's been happening since we left our most gracious hosts Ralph and Karletta-

Nick tried real hard to harness the power of this grid to become the Hulk and bike real fast.

But to no avail, although we did make it into Arizona.

Since then we've just been camping out.

Amongst these guys.

And doing lots and lots of this-
STEP ONE

STEP TWO

There was glass on the roads throughout the four-corners region which caused us much agony and suffering. Alas, we knew it would be flatter here, we just didn't know it'd be full of flats...

The ever elusive death falcon.

Horse races

And views

Be forewarned ...

2008-09-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is the other side of the "Welcome to New Mexico" sign that you'll see on the way out ...

New Friends, New Mexico

2008-09-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's satisfying to know that we've now biked the entire length of Colorado (from the northern to the southern border), but there's still plenty to go.

Robert, a fellow tourist from Taos.

Leaving our new friends and the comfortable beds of the Durango Hostel was tough, especially because we got a late start (6pm), but the sunset was enough to make us truck onwards happily.

"The skyline was beautiful on fire"- Godspeed you! black emperor

Although we did miss the Rabbit show...

Currently, we're being housed by the tremendously gracious couple who own the Cottonwood Cycles bike shop in Farmington. Their names are Ralph and Karlette, and the house is quite an upgrade from the previous night spent sleeping in the rain.

New Member Joins Team

2008-09-09T22:25:00.001-07:00

In a surprise announcement, media superstar Oprah Winfrey has joined the team as the third rider. According to Nick, "Adding Oprah to the team will give us a competitive advantage, especially with her international recognition in Central America." In a rare bit of candor, Oprah admitted to being "burned out" with the Obama campaign and looks forward to "spending time with some real men."

David sure has changed ...

2008-09-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

Circa 1998 St. Louis. Cropped from doofy group shot. Waistline slightly distorted.

A few more

2008-09-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

A common view

A not-so-common visitor,

And this is our friend Steve, whom we met in Del Norte. He was on his 42nd day of the Continental Divide trail, going from the Canadian border to the Mexican one, solo.

The sign at the top of Wolf Creek Pass, our highest point of the trip. We were quite glad to not have been doing it in a Model-T.

Notice how easily this could be translated to "DR" Ranch.

A Week's Worth

2008-09-08T16:16:00.001-07:00

So we're back at it again after a false start, and on our own bikes...

This was what caused the delay:

But then, Santa Maria blessed us with good weather and open roads.

Despite all the warning signs,

The views and the roads were just fine.

And so was the food.

Ah, gotta love that open road

Hola de Durango, CO

2008-09-08T15:29:00.001-07:00

Hello from Durango! Dave's bike is in tip-top order now: not only have we recovered from our deficit, we are now ahead of schedule by one day. Our longest days lead up to Durango: 60+ miles took us to the base of the continental divide and 75+ miles the following day led us just outside of Durango. We've been traveling continuously for five days now and will be resting up for one day at the local hostel:

http://www.durangohometownhostel.com/

It was amazing having a shower at the hostel today! It felt...hedonistic! I don't feel guilty though, the reward was well worth the effort: 329+ miles from Golden to Durango.

Dave should have some photos up soon, keep an eye out for them.

Thought of the day: We came to a tunnel along the continental divide (hwy 160) two days ago and I though about the possible symbolism for the structure. My stab at it: a man enters a tunnel but exits the other side someone else. His appearance and expressions are all the same but he most definitely is not.

-Nick B.
braunagn@gmail.com

Click on this link to see more pictures from Fairplay ...

2008-09-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

Daring Duo Continues Trip On One Bike

2008-09-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, David's bike is toast so the bold young men have elected to continue the trip on one bike. The team feels that this may actually be a better way to travel since they can take turns driving and sleeping. "We'll be able to ride throughout the night and cover much more territory." exclaimed Nick.

Ok Steve, go ahead and comment on this ...

News Flash: Intrepid Explorers Stranded In Fairplay With Broken Bike

2008-09-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

The daring duo has experienced a technical glitch that has stranded them in Fairplay (aka Foreplay), Colorado. David's rear wheel is toast. They're expecting a new wheel to be delivered to Golden tomorrow afternoon (Thursday). Once it arrives, a not-so-speedy courier (me) will be transporting the wheel to Foreplay so that the journey can continue.

Actual photograph of David and his broken bike.

2008-09-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

And they're off!!!!!

Bueno Viaje

2008-08-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

And so begins our 4 month journey through Mexico and Central America. What will we encounter? what challenges will we have to overcome? What will we see? These and a thousand other questions are racing through my mind. I am excited and nervous all at once: two traveling partners we will no doubt have with us for the entire trek. Months of preparation have gone into this trip, making us capable. Yet the unknown is always present. We leave this life to pursue another - what that is exactly will be discovered and sought out each day. I take with me an open mind and above all a willingness to change. Goodbye friends! To where we are going no one knows, but I am certain it will be a better place!

-Nick
braunagn@gmail.com

Gearing to go

2008-08-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's almost that time- two more days and we'll be off on the adventure that will last us four very worthwhile months. As we scramble to get all the last-minute required gear: water filters, hub parts, and folding tires (to name a few); the excitement has grown but so too has the realization that we're leaving it all behind. The cell phones will be turned off, there won't be any T.V. for a while, and our communications with loved ones will be limited to intermittent episodes from the towns that we'll occasionally pass through. Yet it still feels like the right time to do it, Panama here we come.

Skiing In August

2008-08-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Mount Evans - 8/10/08

2008-08-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Despite our resounding doubts over an "easy" ride up Mount Evans from Golden, things turned out fairly well on this little outing. Our buddy Brenden from high school had promised us a mostly mellow route up there and delivered with an excellent ride which left us feeling good and tired but not utterly exhausted.

Nick and I joined up with Brenden and his buddy Gavin (who took all these photos) at the ripe hour of 8am for our departure from Golden. We made our way west up the lariat loop of Lookout Mountain then continued to snake our way through the Mount Vernon Country Club.
We had to do a bit of highway riding along I-70 once we came to the Genessee area but it wasn't long until we came into Evergreen.
From there we continued through town until coming upon the Squaw Pass road, which took us out towards Echo Lake, and the start of the climb. We took a moment to rest and refuel at the little shack at the lake before starting the cold and moist ascent. Those of us without decently warm gear were forced to buy some at the store, but none of it fit very well.

From the base it was a steady 15 miles to reach the summit, and we all fell into our own steady pace that got us there within a couple of minutes of one another.

This would turn out to be the warmer part of the journey however, as the cold winds blowing against our exposed skin on the downhill was enough to make me stop and warm up.
Once below treeline again things started to warm up though, and we were able to start enjoying the speedy descents.
All was smooth sailing until we came to the final stretch leading back down Lookout, and things turned into a torrential mess of rain in just minutes, and forced us to retreat into Buffalo Bill's grave and dry out. Cold and damp, we made our way back down to the comforts of our respective homes.

Wyoming Training Ride - 7/16-20/08

2008-07-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Huzzah, we made it. Five days and 300+ miles, and many lessons learned.

The road out of Fort Collins

Our first night was spent in this sweet little spot off the side of 287, right near the CO/WY border.

Then this happened:

That's my seat not having anywhere to attach to, so I had to Macguyver it:

After hobbling up to Laramie I got a new seatpost from the local shop. The owner was most helpful, so you should check them out if you're ever in Laramie and need bike stuff- All Terrain Sports

We then came into Medicine Bow, WY after a long trek north.

We decided that instead of trekking further north to Casper, we would take some time to explore with our unloaded bikes. Our first stop was this windfarm:

The next stop was in a place called Elk Mountain, which had but one hotel/restaurant. But the views were good and the vibe was friendly.

The alternative route back from Elk Mtn consisted of a road that was in the process of being redone, hence all the heavy construction:

All that dirt riding wore out Nick's already bald tires to the point of punctures happening every few miles, so we decided to hitch back down to Laramie the following day. The lesson which we learned from this was to ALWAYS have spare tubes and patch kits along for longer rides.

Following the tire upgrade, it was off to Fort Collins:

Only to be denied camping spots at the two locales that we knew of...

Lory, boo.

Horsetooth, double boo.

Luckily, my buddy Jeff's parents were able to put us up for the night and feed us two delicious meals of chili and pancakes. Many thanks to the Moskowitz's for their generous hospitality.

Then it was back on that road home:

Things to Bring for the Future

2008-07-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wyoming gave us a good deal of experience about what we'll need on our main trip to Panama; here's the list of things (in addition to our current supplies) we found that we either want to bring along or improve upon:

Things to Bring:

Toenail clippers
lighter
flashlights
toilet paper
replacement tent clip(s)
pak-towels
babywipes/toilettes
garbage bag(s)
sponge/steel wool
bike tarp
shorts with pockets
1.5L nalgene bottles (no bladders)
duct tape
mosquito repellent
compass
pepper spray (for the stray dogs)
batteries (for camera)
sewing kit w/ floss
power strap(s)
spare chain links and new chains
more spare tubes and patches
bicycle lights (for evening riding when needed)
stove cleaning kit
knives
hand sanitizer

Things to Improve Upon/Figure Out:

securing front panniers from raddling
determine fuel source for cooking along the trip
deciding how to travel with a spare wheel setup
tent location (in shade/not in sprinklers)
securing bicycles and panniers

Wyoming: check

2008-07-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here's the google earth file for our recent five day trek north to Medicine Bow, WY.

Further details/photos coming soon.

Google Earth Rides

2008-07-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a google earth file with all of the rides that Dave's been doing around Boulder.

Peak-to-Peak Bike Tour - 6/17-19/08

2008-07-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a story I wrote for the Mountain Ear newspaper on biking the P-to-P with Nick. We're hoping to do a longer trip up towards Wyoming sometime this week.
(All the photos are here)

If there’s one thing to take away from having explored the entire Peak-to-Peak highway, it’s that there is plenty of culture to be found among the mountain folk. But it’s a culture of the more simple kind- one that exists among log houses and winding dirt paths; and where just about everyone gives a wave as you pass by.

This vibe feels especially good when complimented by the scent of pine and a cool breeze. For me it was the ultimate escape from the daily grind.

Choosing to bicycle this 60 mile stretch of road from Black Hawk to Estes Park went from grueling to downright exhausting during the first evening. Our uphill progress was slow yet steady as we came up from the foothills of Golden (just west of Denver) to our camp within Golden Gate Canyon state park. It was a gain of about 3,000 vertical feet over the course of 20 miles, but it put us within a reasonable distance of the highway. Under the full moon, my buddy Nick and I slept exceedingly well.

We awoke rested and ready to take on the full day of riding ahead of us. Rollinsville was just a small jaunt away, but they lacked a public restroom or running water for us to refill with, so on we went to Nederland.

The road got steep again as we climbed past Ned and towards Ward, but the glimpses at Mount Audubon made us hopeful. Upon cresting the hill, two rewards were bestowed upon us- a full view of the snowy Indian Peaks mountain range, and a winding downhill that went on for miles.

Following our blissful descent was the small town of Ferncliff, and what we soon deemed to be “the land of the Inns”. There were a handful of houses-turned-bed-and-breakfasts on the road to Allenspark, and then came the full on Cabins and Hotel-esque Inns.

Upon exiting the town we came across a very bizarre sight- a large sign adorning a cabin chalet that said “Coming Soon! XXX Porn Gallery”. It seemed so blatantly out of place that we thought maybe it was a joke. But everything about it seemed real.

Further down the road, nearing Wild Basin, horse stables became the dominant theme. It now seemed that with each new turn came a different sign advertising horseback rides along the mountainous trails-- and then there was Longs Peak.

Longs is a behemoth of a mountain- rising to fourteen thousand feet, it has claimed a number of lives due to its technical ascent routes. The eastern headwall is a massive vertical rock face, and just looking at it can convey the amount of respect it demands from those who wish to climb it. On this particular day we were quite glad we weren’t up there climbing, as a very ominous thunderstorm had moved in and was about to engulf the summit.

As we rode into the storm the rain went from a light drizzle to a dense sleet, and we opted for a timeout in the small town of Meeker Park. There we chatted with a convenience store clerk (who doubled as the cook), and got a further glimpse into the mountain lifestyle. It seemed that gas prices had already taken affect on a number of businesses along the peak-to-peak, but there was enough local traffic to keep this particular store afloat; although the clerk couldn’t say the same for some of the other more tourist-dependent places in the area.

When it looked as though the rains had subsided some we got back on our saddles and headed out for Estes Park. Though now that the roads were soaked, we decided to take our time on the downhills, much to the dismay of the drivers who got stuck behind us.

In Estes we stopped at what we thought was a public picnic area to heat up some pasta to refuel our emptied stomachs. Just as soon as I had out the stove however, a man on an ATV rode up to us and told us to leave. Apparently we were in the Marys Lake RV Park, and this guy thought we were deliberately trespassing. As we were packing up to go, he went off to his compound, only to send over an even angrier guy who cursed and threatened us. We humbly apologized and told him we’d be on our way, but he just didn’t seem to grasp the idea that this was a harmless mistake.

As we rode into town where we hoped to find some public picnic tables, I couldn’t help but lament over the fact that we’d encountered these two irate people among all the other friendly and helpful ones. Not wanting to let it spoil our trip, I decided that an RV Park was probably one of the first places to feel the hit of the gas hikes, so perhaps it was for economic reasons that they showed so much animosity.

Once we could finally finish cooking our meal in peace things began to run smoothly again. In fact things went so smooth that we decided to keep on trucking to Fort Collins where we’d have a hot tub and beds awaiting us. These thoughts kept us going for the next 40 miles as we screamed down the Big Thompson Canyon road, cruised into Loveland and then shot north to Nick’s friend’s place on the south end of Fort Collins.

After a full-fledged dinner followed by a soak we were desperately ready to crash, but as I was falling asleep I remember thinking back on the hundred miles we had just ridden, and couldn’t help but smile. The day had treated us well despite its minor setbacks, and I had a new found appreciate for the mountain communities.

Let's start this anew

2008-07-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

so please disregard all of the posts below, they're from back in the day when I was still at the University of Puget Sound, and I can't quite figure out how to make them go away.... let the new ones begin

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jenna

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dylan?

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kaylie

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lauren

2005-02-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

dylan & lauren creepy

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anne

2005-02-01T14:38:00.005-08:00

dave no goggles

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lexi

2005-02-01T14:38:00.003-08:00

annika

2005-02-01T14:38:00.002-08:00

kaylie

2005-02-01T14:38:00.001-08:00

dylan

2005-02-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

lexi grin

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lexi spaced

2005-02-01T14:37:00.002-08:00

Stu

2005-02-01T14:37:00.001-08:00

lexi hump

2005-02-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Lexi

2005-02-01T14:36:00.003-08:00

Caitlin

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Kaylie smile

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Anne

2005-02-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

Lauren

2005-02-01T14:35:00.005-08:00

kaylie

2005-02-01T14:35:00.004-08:00

stace case

2005-02-01T14:35:00.003-08:00

jenna

2005-02-01T14:35:00.002-08:00

dave

2005-02-01T14:35:00.001-08:00

Stu

2005-02-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

girls girls girls

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girls

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blackout

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glare

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skyline

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window

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