Royal Gorge, Colorado

The bike riding in Breckenridge is nice because of a network of bike paths. The only thing that made me mad was the snobby racers that wouldn’t acknowledge my existence. I like to say hello or wave to my fellow rider, but I found myself either cursing at the hot shots or yelling, “nice pants!” That made me feel a little better.

We crossed Hoosier Pass with little effort. The only real challenge is getting accustomed to the high altitude. Traffic was light, and the switchbacks had wide shoulders. The highest point on the TransAmerica Trail, Hoosier Pass takes us to 11,542. From there, we head into Pueblo, Colorado, then into Kansas. The downhill was not as fast as I expected because of a headwind, but we had a sustained speed of more than 40 mph for four or five miles.

We are outside of Canon City, pronounced “Canyon City.” The tourism is way too much for me. Royal Gorge is nearby, but is costs twenty bucks just to look into the valley. And people are paying for this once-in-a-lifetime view. Of a canyon. Twenty bucks.