August 14, Wednesday

 

Brrrrr. It was bloody cold this morning. The temperature last last night probably dropped to about 40° and was maybe 50° by 6:30 this morning. We were still dressed in our down jackets as we headed out and continued to be dressed warmly until shortly before we reached the creek the directions have told us we would have to ford.
There we discovered a beaver had built a dam; the creek was now about 30 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet deep. We all hiked up our shorts, put water shoes on and waded at 8:30 in the morning. Jamie, John and I made two trips (three crossings), but Roger held his bike horizontally, fully loaded and crossed in one shot. Even though the water was icy cold, we were all quite warm, in just shorts and jerseys by the time the fordings were complete.
Up and down and up the ridge about Radium, Colorado and down to the Colorado River we went. I did a little sideways traverse when my bike's wheels were tired of rolling and I ended up with some raw steak looking road rash. Naughty, naughty bike! It also likes to go towards pointy, bumpy rocks, even though I am yelling at it to go around them.
Climbing again out of Radium, up and over a watershed divide and down into Kremmling, where out reward was the same fabulous Mexican restaurant both Jamie and I enjoyed separately in 2010 on the TransAm.
The views today were amazing, including the railroad and whitewater rafters along the Colorado River, aspen and small creeks. In Kremmling, after a big lunch, our motivation to finish the remaining 18 miles was substantially diminished, though the margaritas may have played a part.
The same campground, Red Mountain RV park, as 2010, still fabulous and welcoming to cyclists, became our new endpoint in Kremmling. We deposited a six-week collection of feathers collected from our tents into John's tent, to feed his concerns that his bag and coat were exploding. He was amused.