Arrived

We traveled through the picturesque town of Vail. As we headed up a large incline, the van hesitated, sputtered and idled to a halt just as Mark turned into rest area. It was just before a mile long tunnel. Had the van decided to stop the proceedings there, it could have been ugly.

After a number of prognosis’s were offered, the van started back up and ran smoothly, so we took off again. We bought a spare fuel filter in Silverthorne just in case it was causing the problem.

After passing through Grand Junction at sunset, there the sign stood: Fruita 13 miles! We picked up some provisions in Fruita before driving out to the camp site beneath the Bookcliffes.

1384 miles in total in 22 hours!

Mark conjured up a brilliant chili meal which went down a treat. Except..that within half an hour the gourmet treat was making itself known around the fire through a number of enriched exercises of flatulence.

Jerome and I kipped early in his two man tent while Randy stayed up waiting for Aaron who was joining our group.

Jerome and I were up to see sunrise at 6:18am and get the fire going. Not sure what he is feeling, but there is a certain amount of trepidation about riding for a week with these hard-core riders. Last night Mark was giving us a quick informal briefing as he ate his chili, headlight strapped to his forehead below his red cap. “We’ll do a 5 miles warm up loop through Dead Man’s Rift and then pack up and drive over for a nice 30 mile loop which will include Devils Cauldron, Bent Fork Ridge and Gut Wrenching Decent (names invented, but along these lines. Believe me). Keeping saying to myself that if I just take it slow and easy, I have the staying power, yes I do, yes I do…etc. etc.