It's flippin' raining.
It feels, late this evening, actually just like the Pacific Northwest. C'mon! It's our last week, days, of riding! We want sunny Colorado!
Didn't start originally like this today. It was actually quite pleasant though overcast when we left from Dumont Lake. We'd hope to get some more pictures of the incredible wildflowers at in the meadows leading up to and around the campground, but without morning light it just wasn't as vibrant so we missed out on that, but that's okay we got some yesterday.
We started on road on Highway 40 and soon came to the actual crossing of the Continental Divide, our last crossing, number 15, at Rabbit Ears Pass.
The road was quiet, construction crews were just beginning to set up as we got to our turn off of 40 onto Highway 14. This was, also, a fast highway for cars as well as cyclists, but not too much traffic and the shoulder, though at times rugged, was not bad. We had a blast riding with easy revolutions and really good speed (in fact, at one point I got to my fastest ever speed of 34.5 mph at a controlled coast!).
We rolled through farms and the beginning of the Arapahoe River basin. It seemed as if each farm was in some stage of harvesting its crop of grass so that the green fields really stood out and the smell of hay dust was downright pleasant.
We were really rolling along until we got to the junction of Highway 14 and County Road 34. Because we were still on our "Divide" trip, we weren't going to shy away from a little dirt and gravel road. So while at the library on Sunday, Paul had researched how to get from Dumont Lake to the area of the State Forest State Park which is in an area called Northpark, Colorado. Our route through the network of county roads was going to save us quite a few miles because the highway ran many miles north to the town of Walden before dropping back (just as many miles) south.
34 was pleasant and we were kind of glad to be back on gravel because that's what this route is about. But then there were some questions about whether we should veer left or right. There wasn't quite as much signage (unlike Wyoming) so there was some hesitancy, but we continued on and when we made it to our next junction, Highway 125, we weren't sure whether to go right or left because things were not as exact as when Paul had checked on Google maps. So we squirreled around a bit and then reasoned that our next county road was to the north (and if it wasn't, Walden (and Hwy. 14, would be)).
Still looking for our next county road (now 32) we saw a sign for Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and decided to go ask them. The trouble was, it was up a steep hill followed by a steep decent plus another mile of travel. Once we got up the steep hill and saw how much further it would be, continuing on to Walden was starting to look a lot better. We started to turn around and for some reason I looked at the AT&T go phone and saw that it actually looked like it might be working (it hasn't worked for most of the trip) and tried to call Finnian.
Fortunately he was home and was able to get on his computer and confirm that we, indeed, did need to go up and down the steep hill, past the headquarters to reach 34. We also called him a couple more times for reassurance when we had questions about the route. So, thanks to Finn for saving the day! (We did try to call Finn again once we reached the main highway but the phone wouldn't work - go figure.)
14 to 34 to 125 to 32 to 25 to 27 to 14 (right where it all started). It was a mix of just about everything from hardpack to sand, and a reminder of the Divide route. We donned and doffed and then donned once more our rain gear as clouds finally overtook us.
Once we made it to the State Forest State Park we, unfortunately, discovered that the immediate area was more for the maintainance buildings and that the actual campgrounds were a good 5 to 10 more miles down the road. And, then, it began to rain-- in earnest.
Meanwhile a KOA, with cute cabins that sat right next to the state park entrance, was looking like a good alternative. So we zoomed over there and popped in to check it out. They had two cabins left and we snagged one. By the time we got our bikes on the porch and sat inside for a moment to reflect on things, the skies let loose and the rain poured so we just lay down on the bed and took a nap and listened to a good three hours of thunder and deluge. Seriously.
The fire pit that was dry when we got here was totally flooded and overflowing when we stepped out to head to the showers. The rain continued, but nothing stopped the immense number of hummingbirds that were all over the KOA, apparently fostered for years and years and evidently filling up, like bears readying for hibernation, before heading south-- according to the guy here. Really amazing number and activity and audacity and sound and color. A treat. Shoulda gotten it on video...
So tonight we're safe undercover, not even very wet from the earlier rain. Bonus is that there's internet (albeit, we need to be sitting in the laundry room, the bathroom, or by the office somewhere (though, at least most of those places allow us views of the hummingbirds)). We're little anxious about tomorrow because of the forecast for 80 percent rain. Yep, feels like home, though home might not have the threat of lightening.... We will be riding, probably, in the rain all day tomorrow to get over Cameron Pass, and then, hopefully, find a campground, or maybe if we decide to and are lucky, find another cabin along the way for our last night out on the "trail" before we reach Fort Collins (which is a new destination on the route, but we're looking forward to seeing the much-taked about town, even if in the rain).
Day 33, Tuesday, July 29 - Dumont Lake to State Forest/North Park/Walden, CO, area KOA (woohoo). 53 miles, 4:45 ride time, with an average of 11.1 mph.
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