June 15, 2014 - Post Ride Summary

2014 Colorado Bike Ride - Post Ride Summary

I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, til it overflows). John 10:10 - AMP

Mission accomplished! And then some. By any measure, I think LaDonna's inaugural bike ride was a success. 

One of the things I love most about bike touring is the unknown and adventure. You always hope and pray for good weather, but there is no guarantee. You start out with a loosely conceived route plan, but have to be flexible to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, and to factor in your abilities and goals. There are expectations of great scenery, but to see the amazing beauty and mystery of God's creation you have to lift your head up, look, listen and feel. Be present in the moment with all senses engaged.  Recognize the adventure available in each and every day and the essential kindness of most folks.

What I have found is that at the conclusion of these long distance rides I always come away with a sense of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. A wholeness that is seldom felt in the "normal" day to day of life and an awareness of God's grace and blessing there for the taking, if only we open ourselves up to receive. A feeling of hope. My goal is to continue learning how to incorporate this sense of wellness into day to day life, share, and somehow pay it forward to bless others.

ADDENDUM:  Thanks to my family, friends and coworkers - once again - for your help and support. I could not do this without you.

A special thanks to Dawne for her helpful input re trip planning and hospitality, and to Alison and Pam for taking care of us in Cuchara. 

As always, my sister Donna offered her enthusiastic encouragement as she followed every pedal stroke on "Find My Friend," but my Mom had the most important job of all - taking good care of Sassy while I am off living my "abundant life." 

Kim Basinger

Aurora, CO

June 15, 2014

LaDonna' Post Ride Thoughts

June 15, 2014

I am reflecting today on this magical bike ride that has taken me across 500 miles of pure beauty. I have never visited Colorado. And  I am so glad I decided to take this adventure. The magnitude of just how beautiful this country is has been my Oprah "a-ha" moment. 

I received an email today from a cousin who has followed this ride and her comment was that Colorado is one of her most favorite places, but.....She would not want to see this state by bike. I could not imagine it any other way. 

Biking has exposed me to a view I may of never noticed. We all go through life so fast that sometimes a simple pause is all that it takes to reflect on the soul. And believe me I paused quite a bit on this trip. Sometimes I chose to and sometimes life chose those pauses for me. Even before we left Austin there were many pauses as I learned to change gears properly. I had been doing it all wrong. My physical conditioning caused us to pause and rethink our destination choice, I never doubted I could do this ride, but I did wonder how long it would take me. 

When we began our ride out of Aurora I thought, " ok God, let's see what you taught me." My first incline, to me, was a mountain. Kim pedaled to the top with the ease of wings on her feet. I got off and pushed. But, I kept my head up.....always up.....And I was determined to see every sight around me. This challenge to get to the top became my goal and I would often yell to Kim....."see you  at the top".  And now, two weeks later....I still yell "see you at the top"' and Kim always waits, but I am now pedaling.......just like through life, pedaling......one pedal at a time......slow and steady .....at a very slow pace. I don't want to miss one sight.

Biking gave me an opportunity to enjoy the wildlife around me. Prairie dogs of all sizes greeted us as we passed. I think a few if the younger ones stood along side the road and waved. Antelope ran wild through the fields and I loved the day that Kim raced a Fox, she lost. Those moments were magical. I have never seen an open range. The cows were so close I could of petted them . And who has a camel in the mountains of Colorado? 

Snow on PIkes Peak in June. An artist's dream drawing. I found myself always looking up. 

When I reached the top the ride down took my breath away. I reached speeds of 33-34 mph. I wanted to close my eyes ,but I was too frightened by the ride. I will always remember the wind in my face and the look in Kim's eyes when we reached the bottom.  Sheer joy! One day I  wanted to yell to no one, but to everyone" can life be any better than this!". I have been surrounded and blessed by this beauty of land and people. 

And I have seen this from the seat of a bike. 

I could not imagine taking this trip with  anyone other than Kim. She has often told me of these moments, and now I know. I cannot wait for my next ride. 

And my final thought......life should be enjoyed by any means. You should enjoy the moments  that make you smile. You don't have to be on a bike to pedal contently through life, but....... 

Today, I am so happy I was on a bike ride through this wonderful state. I enjoyed every pedal. 

And today, I  am content. 

June 14, 2014

REAL LAST DAY OF RIDE!! WE MADE IT!!

6/14/14 Castle Rock to Aurora - 26 miles

My apology - I mistakenly titled yesterday's ride the last day. Actually, todays's 26 mile ride back to Dawne's house was the real last leg of the trip. And the only way to describe it is "magical." I decided to try a new route back to Aurora, following the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. I read about this trail at the outset of planning before we left Dawne's to begin the ride two weeks ago.  It was described as a 40 mile paved trail from Denver to Frankton. However, when I inquired at two bike stores in Aurora before beginning the ride, none of the people at either store seemed to have heard of the trail and did not have any maps. This did not seem to bode well, so I decided to ride the first part of the trail that ran through the state park across the street from Dawne's condo, then pick up Hwy 83 south before heading over to Castle Rock. As you may recall, this was a pretty high traffic route. Had I known what I know now, we would have taken the Cherry Creek Regional Trail the first day. But I am getting a little ahead of myself.

We took our time getting off this morning since we only had a 26 mile ride to Aurora on the last leg of the Colorado bike ride. Another beautiful bright blue sky and perfect temperatures. A few gusty winds, but mostly of the cross-wind variety as opposed to direct headwinds. Our route took us north of Castle Rock on Founders Parkway, and there were a few gradual inclines to warm up the legs. Soon, we were on N. Crowfoot Valley Rd for several miles. Wide broad shoulders and lots of bikers out for their Saturday morning ride. Along the side of the road we saw many prairie dogs perched on their dirt mounds, chirping away. They were so cute. I never could get my camera out to take a close enough picture before they darted into their mounds. Also a lot of healthy looking horses grazing in pastures and lush green fields. Just a perfect start to the day.

After about 10-11 miles, we got on the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. What a totally unexpected and delightful gift, i.e. grace.  A beautifully paved concrete trail that wound in and out behind neighborhoods, along the creek, and through fields of wildflowers and green plants. Lots of other bikers and walkers on the trail enjoying their Saturday morning. It was quite breezy, but that just seemed to enhance the winding cruise-like feel of the ride. A few people  stopped to ask about  our ride. The feeling was one of unencumbered freedom and pure joy. A fitting blessing to end the trip. Birds perched in trees and on posts alongside the trail and chirped. There were many benches and picnic tables along the way for rest stops. 

Approximately 6 miles from Cherry Creek State Park, the trail was closed for a few miles - probably due to being washed out in parts - and we were re-routed through some lovely neighborhoods. Eventually, we found our way back to the trail proper, and began to recognize some of the places we had biked past on the first day of the trip. We never had to get back on the main busy road, and at approximately 12:45 pm we found ourselves at the entrance to Dawne's condo complex. Happy and grateful for a stunning day to end the Colorado bike ride; sad it was over. 

Spent the remainder of the afternoon unpacking, washing clothes, and re-packing. Dark clouds gathered, and it rained and even hailed for a while. Another weather miracle, since it was perfectly clear up until we reached Aurora. When Dawne got home from work, we had a great time sharing the details of the ride. Dawne is a wonderful cook and fixed a terrific meal of grilled barbecue pork chops, corn on the cob and a delightful summer salad full of veggies. For dessert, LaDonna was in charge of putting together the strawberry/blueberry shortcake with Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream. We were all happily done in by 9 pm.

June 13, 2014

LAST DAY OF RIDE!

6/13/14 Colorado Springs to Castle Rock - 53 miles

Awoke to a beautiful clear cool morning. Not a cloud in the sky. We decided to forego the somewhat "iffy" breakfast at the Rodeway Inn and return to Smiley's, where we ate the first time through Colorado Springs. This is a little cafe on one of the main streets downtown that is cute in a rustic sort of way. Excellent home cooked breakfasts. But what I will remember most is the waitress that served us both times. Today, she was the only one there, taking orders, serving, and refilling coffee. The restaurant had quite a few patrons, but she calmly and efficiently took care of everyone - and with a pleasant and friendly attitude. I got the impression that she was centered in a way that enabled her to be present and address whatever came her way. This is much of the state of mind I have been trying to work towards the past couple of years. At any rate, she was a blessing to our day and got us off to a great start. And, oh yes, the breakfast was terrific again, especially the cheese grits.

We headed out on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, retracing our previous route to Colorado Springs. Rode alongside the River behind homes and past Colorado College. There were quite a few joggers, bikers and dog walkers on the trail.  

On the outskirts of Colorado Springs, we came up on a fully - and I do mean fully - loaded touring bike. It reminded me of the early days of my first cross-country ride when I came up on Andrew who was loaded to the gills. And McKinley. This gentleman was dressed all in black with a large shade hat, and looked something like Grissly Adams. A former construction worker, he started this current ride on April 1 from Asheville, NC. As he described it, he was "paper clipping " across the US. He rode south to St. Augustine, then west along the southern route, now up through Colorado and presently headed towards Durango. We discussed bike touring in general, routing, etc. What we like about bike touring and how so many people always tell us how they wish they could follow this dream. I gave him my Colorado DOT bike map, since I didn't need it anymore, and a few observations on the Colorado roads we had ridden. As we parted, I again felt exhilarated by the chance meeting, and reminisced again about my cross-country ride. Randy has been sending periodic emails and comments on the blog, and I miss not riding with him. He is currently on a very challenging ride out west - he never did like the mountain climbs. But sounds like the scenery is stunning. 

We kept on the trail, with a few minor mishaps in missing a turn or two, and eventually connected with the Santa Fe Regional Trail. Since it had just rained, we found that the gravel was even musher than before and washed out a little in places. We had to really pay attention to where we were riding. As the trail entered the US Air Force installation portion, we started hearing a roar overhead, and stopped to look. Apparently, there was some sort of exercise in glider training going on as we saw little planes towing gliders, releasing the gliders and then the gliders flying around and back in to land. We must have seen 6-8 of these. I found this fascinating, and struggled to get a good picture or two - difficult because of the angle of the sun and small size of the planes. One of those "you had to be there" moments. As we rode along, I kept looking for the baby bears we had been told about previously without success.  At another point, we came across three men dressed in full camouflage and toting these blue military rifles (the color was striking). One of the men had a German shepherd in tow and was hiking down into the creek. They looked like they were up to something, but hard to tell. LaDonna said that as she went by, one of them said "have a good day, mam," as if to say "keep moving along." An odd sight.

Off in the distance, we could see the Air Force Academy stadium. Just outside the US Air Force portion of the trail, we again came upon a resting shed we had stopped at previously and had a snack. It was getting quite warm at this point. 

At Monument, CO, we picked up a few lunch items, then continued on the Santa Fe Regional Trail to the end point at Palmer Lake. This portion of the trail was in good condition and we made up some of the time from the earlier poor trail conditions. We stopped at a picnic pavilion at Palmer Lake and had our standard peanut butter sandwiches and chips.

From Palmer Lake, we got on Hwy 105, and after an initial short, pretty steep climb (which LaDonna now easily negotiated), we fairly soared for 8 miles. A combination of downhill on a beautiful road plus a lovely tailwind. It was a blast and a biker's dream. We cruised along at 15-20 mph past the site of my bear siting, alongside lush green pastures full of healthy and happy looking horses and cows. At one point, there was this horse joyfully rolling in the grass, who then hopped up and started playfully chasing a calf standing nearby. It was fun to watch. At another pasture, there were 8-10 black and white llamas, with the most beautiful coats. Further on we saw a pasture of camels. They were really big, brown camels. I would have liked to have gotten some pictures of all this, but the animals were generally too far away, and instead I just savored the moment as I cruised with the tailwind. 

The coasting came to an end when we turned onto Tomah Road and started a 2.1 long, steep incline ride. For some reason, it didn't seem that bad - probably because I was still giddy from riding Hwy 105. I waited for LaDonna at the top and savored the view of the valley below. She approached - still pedaling - and smiled broadly. The fact that she now rides these inclines without having to get off and push is a significant milestone in her development as a touring biker. She told me that at one point she was about to stop and get off, when a gust of wind happened along from behind and gave her just enough of a push to keep going. We laughed and attributed it to another one of those "weather miracles" that seem to have accompanied us on the ride. From the top of the hill, we coasted down approximately 4 miles to reach the feeder road running alongside I-25 towards Castle Rock. I reached 37 mph at one point, with this unbelievably vast beautiful scenery stretched wide open in front of me.

We continued on through downtown Castle Rock and north of town to the Days Inn where we spent the last night on the bike trip. As usual, we were starving and found a nearby Outback, where we downed a delicious dinner. Our waitress was a biker and we had some fun sharing experiences with her.

Tomorrow, we complete the Colorado bike ride by riding 27 miles back to Dawne's home in Aurora. By any measure, the ride has been a success. 

June 12, 2014

6/12/14 Pueblo West to Colorado Springs - 48 miles

Woke up to very cloudy and overcast skies. However, the forecast was for just cloudy until possible pm thunderstorms, so I hoped that we might once again skirt rain and storms if we got out early. The map showed approximately 58 miles to Colorado Springs via scenic byway Hwy 115. This was the same route we took from Colorado Springs to Canon City in reverse.

It was quite cool outside, but luckily very little wind and Hwy 50 was a succession of easy rolling hills up and down. The scenery was pretty much that scrubby looking grassland, with mountains in the distance pretty much on all sides. We were once again on the Adventure Cycling TRANSAMERICA route. After about 10 miles or so, I pulled out Google maps and found a couple of alternate routes that appeared to cut across to Hwy 115 and eliminate a good 10 miles. The first couple of alternatives I eliminated because they were on county roads and, as we learned yesterday, these are often dirt roads. Didn't want to get stuck on dirt roads in the rain. So, we continued on Hwy 50 until I spied an alternative on K street near Penrose that looked like a shortcut on a paved road. Thankfully, I was right, and we cut off 5-6 miles.

As soon as we got on Hwy 115, there was a very long, slow, fairly steep incline of probably 3/4 miles. At the top, I prepared to settle in and wait for LaDonna, because I knew her legs had to be very tired from yesterday's 68 mile adventure on all manner of roads. To my surprise and delight, when I turned around, LaDonna was still pedaling and almost to the top! She had made it the whole way without having to get off and push. This was a huge improvement from the beginning of the ride and a major accomplishment. We celebrated as she caught up to me. I think the combination of having learned how to gear the bike more effectively and her increasing physical conditioning level over the past two weeks was the reason she was able to bike all the way to the top.

We continued on towards Colorado Springs, stopping for our picnic lunch of peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and chips along the side of the road. The scenery returned to nearby mountains, but luckily we were mostly on downhills instead of inclines and the ride was fairly easy. Approximately 5 miles outside Colorado Springs, a car stopped ahead and a man got out to ask about our ride and make suggestions as to where to stay and places to eat. He is a biker, but not much into long distance touring. Another example of the kindness of strangers.

The final 4-5 miles into Colorado Springs was pretty much a downhill coast. However, the traffic picked up and we had to really pay attention to the in-town traffic. Found a nice reasonable little Rodeway Inn and checked in. 

After getting cleaned up, we rode the 1 mile into town for dinner at Il Vincio, an Italian restaurant recommended by some folks at a bike shop last week. We hesitated, as there was a huge black storm cloud brewing and it definitely looked like rain was coming. However, we threw caution to the wind, rationalizing that the rain wasn't supposed to come for an hour or so and that if we got wet it would only be for a mile. The dinner was fabulous. We had a small spinach, red pepper, pine nut and goat cheese salad, with a small artichoke, Gorgonzola, chicken, rosemary and mushroom pizza on this wonderful light crust. As we sat at the covered sidewalk table, it started to rain, followed by hail. I began to worry a little about the return ride to the motel. Alas, by the time we finished eating, the rain and hail had stopped. Another weather miracle - seems to have been the theme of the trip. We easily coasted back to the motel and settled in for the night.

Tomorrow we backtrack back to Castle Rock along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail and the Santa Fe Trail, approximately 50 miles, before the final leg to Aurora on Saturday.

June 11, 2014

6/11/14 Walsenburg to Pueblo West - 69 miles

This was a somewhat "schizophrenic" riding day as we rode on just about every possible surface and road condition. All my prior research into the route had indicated that there really is no good way to get from Walsenburg to Pueblo by bicycle. We left the motel early and followed the feeder road along I-25 for the first few miles. Then, Google lady directed us to turn right and pick up Co Rd 101. So far, so good. However, the pavement ended shortly after that and we began riding on what seemed a fairly well-maintained dirt road. Given my past experiences with Google lady, I was somewhat skeptical. But the scenery was stunning. We were on the vast grasslands east of the interstate and for as far as you could see it was just wide open spaces. The road was flat and there seemed to be a tailwind, because you could coast at approximately 13 mph without pedaling. A couple of antelope hopped up out of the brush and sprinted across the grasslands. They were quite large and had these huge white bushy tails. Made you feel good just watching them. Off to the west, we saw some windmills. The sight of windmills has become one of my favorite sites on my various bike rides. 

After 8-10 miles, there was a fork in the dirt road. A sign off the right fork warned of No Trespassing, so we veered left. After 3 miles or so, something just didn't seem right and after consulting Google maps I could see we were off course in the middle of this huge grassland. We backtracked and when we reached the fork could see that the No Trespass was actually Co Rd 104 - my guess is that some landowners were trying to discourage random people from going down the road. We took Co Rd 104 all the way to I-25, where we were able to access a feeder road again for about 5 miles. At one point a grey fox hopped onto the feeder road in front of me and sprinted ahead for about 1/4 of a mile before leaping back over the fence into the grasslands. At the end of the feeder road, we had to make a decision to either turn right on another Co Rd off to the east, which would eventually come back to I-25, or get on the shoulder of I-25 for 8 miles or so. We opted for I-25 since that would cut the route by a good 5+ miles and avoid another dirt road jaunt. Riding the interstate is not prohibited here, except where specifically designated, and the shoulder was wide and smooth. Also, the traffic was lighter than we had previously seen and we had a tailwind. We fairly cruised all the way to Colorado City, where we got off the interstate and started following the Google route again. The first part went fine; beautiful country roads with vistas of grasslands ending at the bases of mountains in the distance. However, this only lasted about 8 miles before the road turned into dirt. That was tough going for 5 miles or so. Then we got on S. Burnt Mill Rd for almost 17 miles. Again, a dirt road, but we were able to cruise 15 mph and made good time. The scariest part was that dark clouds began gathering in the distance and we heard occasional thunder. I kept thinking we were headed in the right direction to skirt another storm if we could just get past the nearest dark cloud fast enough. Fortunately, this is exactly what happened. 

After 17 miles on S. Burnt Mill Rd, we ended up back at I-25 with no seeming options other than to get back on the interstate. It was smooth sailing again all the way to Pueblo, then we exited to take the back roads to Hwy 50, which we intended to ride to Pueblo West. As we were once again consulting Google maps in a neighborhood, a nice man out on an afternoon ride came up and offered to assist us. He told us of a beautiful paved bike trail that would take us almost all the way to Hwy 50. It was a lovely shaded trail alongside a beautiful river, and a huge contrast to the various roads we had been off and on all day. Huge big shade trees. 

We eventually made it to Hwy 50 and headed for the motel some 8 miles away. It was approaching 90 degrees by late afternoon, and we were tired, but plugged on towards our motel. Approximately 2 miles before the motel, we came upon a Wendy's and stopped for what has become our favorite Apple Pecan Chicken salad, fries, and a frosty. As we ate dinner, the wind started kicking up and it became very overcast. So we hurriedly finished dinner and started out for the final 2 miles to the motel. The rain started just as we pulled up to the Econo Lodge. Al, the innkeeper, greeted us warmly and we found one of the nicest, cleanest rooms on the trip to date. We both took long, hot baths, fixed a pot of Via laced coffee, and settled in to watch So You Think You Can Dance. A fun and relaxing evening to end a very challenging day. I told LaDonna that I thought the challenge of navigating and riding the 69 miles to Pueblo West felt like good training for Amazing Race, if we could ever get selected for the show.

The forecast for tomorrow is cloudy  with pm storms. The plan is to ride the 50+ miles to Colorado Springs along scenic Hwy 115. 

June 10, 2014

6/10/14 Cuchara to Walsenburg - 30 miles

Woke up after a great night's sleep to another stunning day in Colorado. The temps overnight were supposed to be in the 30's - low 40's and Alison already had the fire going when I got up. The coffee wasn't far behind. Goody (Alison's Dad), LaDonna and I chatted in front of the fire while Alison fixed breakfast. Goody and Joyce met in Canada while he was working the oilfields and she was a teacher. They have been married 63 years, both have a great sense of humor, and both have many wonderful stories to share. 

After breakfast, LaDonna and I walked to Cuchara "proper" to find some free wi-fi at the Dog Bar and catch up on emails and the blog. It was another beautiful, clear blue sky, and perfect temperature with little or no wind. I pulled up Google maps to plan the next several days of riding and checked the weather forecast. We decided to take advantage of the perfect riding conditions and ride 30 short miles to Walsenburg to better position ourselves for the next leg to Pueblo West on Wednesday. As we were leaving the Dog Bar, Pam was arriving to do some work of her own.  We told her of our plans to bike to Walsenburg and promised to see her before we left.

Before leaving, we had lunch at the cabin and visited  a few minutes with Alison and her parents before loading up the bikes and heading out. I took a few pictures of the cabin and surroundings, but there is just no way to really capture how beautiful and serene it is there. Plus, there are so many trees you just can't get a clear view of the cabin - which is a lot of the charm. I was kicking myself for not getting any pictures the night before of the whole group. But, then again, it was nice to just enjoy the time without any "posing" disruptions. 

A special thanks to Pam & Alison for their warm hospitality. Our visit to Cuchara was a definite highlight of the Colorado bike ride.

LaDonna and I got off just around 1 pm and stopped off at the Dog Bar to tell Pam goodbye. Then, we coasted all the way to La Veta at 15-20 mph where we picked up HWY 160 again for the remaining 15 miles to Walsenburg. Had a terrific tailwind and were cruising along when I realized that my front tire was going flat - which was funny since I had just had this conversation with Alison about how few flats I had had on these bike rides. After fixing the flat, we proceeded to Walsenburg and found a motel for the night. The plan is to get out early in the morning and ride approximately 70 miles to Pueblo West. Hopefully, the weather will hold. 

June 9, 2014

6/9/14 Alamosa to Cuchara - 65 miles

Got up and out early for the 71 mile ride to Cuchara. My friends Pam & Alison from Austin have a cabin there and invited us to come by and stay. It is pretty much a straight shot from Alamosa on Hwy 160 to La Veta, then Hwy 12 over to Cuchara. What I didn't know as we started was what to expect with regard to the riding conditions on Hwy 160. Also, I wasn't sure  whether the climb to La Veta Pass, elevation 9413 feet, would be in the nature of a long slow incline or a series of steep curvy hills. 

Turns out that today's ride was one of the best of the trip. The first 30 miles on HWY 160 to Fort Garland was a straight, flat road with a 10 ft or so well-paved shoulder. Just plain fun. And the weather was perfect. Clear, blue skies and very little wind. On the way, we passed the turn off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which we would see off in the distance. We also saw a business establishment advertising "Cannabis" - legalized marijuana. Don't see that every day. We made good time to Fort Garland, and stopped at the local visitor's center for a sandwich, as we were already hungry. The lady volunteer manning the visitor's center came out and offered free coffee. 

We continued towards La Veta Pass on Hwy 160. Again, the riding conditions were near perfect, although the traffic was picking up a bit. That is my one complaint about biking in Colorado - the traffic. The scenery has been some of the best I have seen, and the roads themselves are pretty good. But the traffic is heavier than I prefer. About 10 miles before La Veta Pass, we began the long slow incline towards the top. At best, I was averaging approximately 6-7 mph at that point. LaDonna, to her credit, kept pedaling away, although her legs gave out just as we approached the summit. I think from the residual effects of the 81 mile ride in the wind from Saturday. However, she recovered quickly and enthusiastically executed a celebratory leap into the air.

The ride down to La Veta off the summit was nothing short of spectacular. One of the most beautiful rides ever. The two Grandote Peaks majestically perched in the distance with vast green lush grasslands as far as you could see. All while cruising down at 20-25 mph. This went on for several miles. Approximately 4 miles from La Veta, we turned onto Co Rd 450 and continued cruising the rest of the way into town. Beautiful little farms and animals along the way. The peaks still brilliant in the distance. I felt like I didn't want the feeling to end.

We stopped at a pub on the out skirts of La Veta to grab a bite to eat before continuing the last 11 miles to Cuchara. I called to update Pam on our progress and estimated time of arrival. Alison answered the phone and offered to come pick us up. Since it was going on 4:00 pm, and LaDonna's legs were pretty well shot, we took Alison up on her offer of rescue and gratefully took in scenic Hwy 12 by car. Alison filled us in on interesting tidbits about the community and some of the sites. 

The town of Cuchara consists of a couple of cute businesses and real estate offices on a short steep dirt road. Most famous is the Dog Bar, an establishment that has been there for some time and renowned for dogs that often accompany their owners for dinner. In Cuchara, there is a large Texas contingent of full and part time residents. I know probably 5-6 people from Texas that own cabins or vacation homes. Most of these are rustic cabins with loads of character. Pam & Alison's cabin is the epitome of the Cuchara rustic cabin. A large homey great room with a warm stone fireplace, which Alison expertly maintained. The outside deck is literally right next to a vibrant stream that rushes by with a roar. The cabin has enough room for up to 12-14 people to stay. There is this wonderful loft bedroom with windows that can be opened to allow in the soothing roar of the stream as you sleep. Beautiful birch trees all over the place and great grassy outdoor areas for their kids Savanna and Harrison to play. The kitchen has a large window overlooking the stream, and the kitchen table is another central area where everyone congregates to eat, talk and play board and card games. No television or electronics allowed - one of my favorite rules - and lots of sitting and visiting. Alison's parents, Joyce and Goody, were visiting as well, and some other friends and relatives who have homes in Cuchara dropped by for dinner. Alison, who is a wonderful cook, fixed a fabulous dinner for the 10-12 people there. And made it look effortless - a real gift. After dinner, we sat by the fire and were treated to a mini-concert by Alison. She played the guitar and sang a song she had just performed at friends' wedding last weekend, as well as some original compositions. She has a beautiful voice, and her mother Joyce beamed. At times Alison was enthusiastically accompanied by Harrison, who also proved to have a nice voice. There was such a warm, homey, contented feeling filling the room. Before retiring to bed, there were a couple of hands of "Foolish" - a card game that LaDonna and I were introduced to. I confess I am not much of a card player, and was pretty tired at that point. So, didn't really get it. However, it was fun to watch the others strategize and enjoy playing. 

How could I forget to mention Riley, the family dog, who is the best dog in the world? 

I retired to bed tired, very happy and contented. This is the way life is meant to be shared and lived. 

On Tuesday, we have the option of either staying over another night, or relaxing in the morning and heading for the short ride to Walsenburg in the afternoon to position ourselves for the return ride to Aurora, which should take 4-5 days.