4/08/2011 Colarado Springs, about 24℃, morning shower, afternoon storm
21km, around town, Total 3511.
Slept in till 0930hrs. Today was a bit of a regroup day. The motel was rebooked (Motel 6) and I headed over to REI, to update on a few other bits and pieces. The pharmaceutical bottles were leaking the cooking oil and a compromise map holder was needed.
Negotiating the traffic here was hard work, bikes and eight lane distributer roads can be trying, but moreso when not 100% sure of ones route to a desired destination.
Ever so at the forefront of my mind was a similar situation in Canberra a few years ago when on a motor bike tour, I was dismounted by a motorist and had to abandon the trip due to injury and a written off form off transport.
This must not happen on this ocassion, I thought. Foward handedness was needed.
The beauty of a push bike is that, foot paths can be retreated to if a recalculation is necessary. At the front of some of the bigger intersections I was actually signalling to the driver alongside me of my intentions. They were all considerate.
At REI I was introduced to a staff member my age who had clocked up 100,000 miles of touring over twenty years, such a helpful guy we swapped all sorts of experiences, Johns were mainly short tours.
I told him about my inability to secure an Ortlieb map holder. He had just bought a new Ortleib bar bag and a holder came with it, He said dont buy an after market item and said I could have his old one.
I successfully got back to the motel in heavy rain in a manner not available to cars or motorcycles, not attracting one horn blast was a miracle.
John had arranged to come and catch up and give me the map holder at the motel. He arrived, we spent more time chatting. He gave me back road directions to Pueblo, south of here some 50 miles where Tony is with his brother.
Tony said his brother would like to meet me. The kids had been horse riding all day.
I don’t like documenting future plans, however an early start will see me head south tomorrow.
Saw a good tee shirt logo today, hoping this doesn’t offend anyone.
It read, “Wanna play army? I will lie down and you can blow the hell out of me”, a low volume chuckle was my reaction on the owners passing.
21km, around town, Total 3511.
Slept in till 0930hrs. Today was a bit of a regroup day. The motel was rebooked (Motel 6) and I headed over to REI, to update on a few other bits and pieces. The pharmaceutical bottles were leaking the cooking oil and a compromise map holder was needed.
Negotiating the traffic here was hard work, bikes and eight lane distributer roads can be trying, but moreso when not 100% sure of ones route to a desired destination.
Ever so at the forefront of my mind was a similar situation in Canberra a few years ago when on a motor bike tour, I was dismounted by a motorist and had to abandon the trip due to injury and a written off form off transport.
This must not happen on this ocassion, I thought. Foward handedness was needed.
The beauty of a push bike is that, foot paths can be retreated to if a recalculation is necessary. At the front of some of the bigger intersections I was actually signalling to the driver alongside me of my intentions. They were all considerate.
At REI I was introduced to a staff member my age who had clocked up 100,000 miles of touring over twenty years, such a helpful guy we swapped all sorts of experiences, Johns were mainly short tours.
I told him about my inability to secure an Ortlieb map holder. He had just bought a new Ortleib bar bag and a holder came with it, He said dont buy an after market item and said I could have his old one.
I successfully got back to the motel in heavy rain in a manner not available to cars or motorcycles, not attracting one horn blast was a miracle.
John had arranged to come and catch up and give me the map holder at the motel. He arrived, we spent more time chatting. He gave me back road directions to Pueblo, south of here some 50 miles where Tony is with his brother.
Tony said his brother would like to meet me. The kids had been horse riding all day.
I don’t like documenting future plans, however an early start will see me head south tomorrow.
Saw a good tee shirt logo today, hoping this doesn’t offend anyone.
It read, “Wanna play army? I will lie down and you can blow the hell out of me”, a low volume chuckle was my reaction on the owners passing.
