"It's all downhill. Right?"

You may have noticed our blogs and pictures have been fewer and further between. Over the last couple of weeks, our days have been so full of creating new friendships and exploring local sights that it has been difficult to "sacrifice" our time sitting at a computer. It also hasn't helped that there have been very few computers! You may also notice that our details are a little more hazy- we are officially lost in the experience, pedaling along like wayfaring strangers, focusing on the present, rather than the details of what's already happened. That being said, instead of writing out our day to day experiences, this post has many, many pictures that we think sum up the last few weeks. Enjoy....we certainly have!

Packing up in the Rawlins playground

Sunrise leaving Teton Reservoir in Wyoming. 

The "Baaa!" Alarm, an early morning surprise

COLORADO!

The first flat for Joshua. Not a bad place to fix a flat.

Camping at Steamboat Lake

The Family!

Lewis loves us THIS much

The dam below, seconds before meeting Tre, making our duo a trio

Early morning ford. Don't forget to breathe!

The view from our basement hostel room at Hotel Easton. We were greeted with fresh hot buttermilk pie!

Our first rain.

The beginning of the best bike path on earth, Silverthorne to Breckenridge

Weeee!!!!!

Showing the USA Pro Challenge on the big screen

Breckenridge from Boreas Pass

The cold ninja. Notice the snow in the grass.

Huddling in the trees.

Como. Great food and warmth!

Strongbow Cider?! Yes please. 

Beautiful scenes as we search for water and camping.

Seeing our campsite in daylight. Beautiful night campfire with many coyotes howling through the night.

The majestic 14ers.

Salida, officially dubbed the friendliest town on earth. 

"Butterfeet"

Meeting Gen outside the bike shop in Salida, making our trio a....quadruple? Many days of fun to come!

Music in the park in Salida.

The crew.

Heading up to Marshall Pass. Another afternoon rain/thunder/hail/wind storm.

I made it!

Surfing the Divide.

Early morning at one of our favorite campspots- just 6 miles after Marshall Pass we discovered a beautiful grove of aspens nestled next to a creek. We spent a fun night by the fire, warming up with whiskey and hilarious stories. 

Headed to Del Norte

We spent a day and a half in Del Norte with fellow cyclists Gary and Patty. Gary took Tre and Josh on a local tour of singletrack, while Gen and I relaxed at the house. Later we enjoyed some of Patty's homemade curry lentil soup that I wish we could've packed along. This was one of the best memories so far, making friendships that will most certainly last for some time. Can't wait to see you guys in Bellingham!!!

THE Bike Shop. 

The day we left Del Norte, we summitted Indiana Pass, our highest elevation of the entire trip at almost 12,000 feet. We started that day at 8,000, meaning we gained 4,000 feet in 23 miles. It was a tough climb, but felt great!

Skinner Flats. On our descent, Gen encountered a hunter who had snagged his first elk. He sent Gen along with the fresh tenderloin, which we thoroughly enjoyed at camp!

This is where things get hazy....I think we are leaving Horca here...not sure. Later this day

 we were met at the top of La Manga Pass (our last Colorado climb), but an open tailgate full of food. Turns out, a local camper found out where we were headed, and passed us to the top to provide us with fresh food! Phil and Julian saved the day with hot dogs, cheetos, gatorade, root beer, clementine soda, blackberry soda, beef jerkey, avocados, beer and more! We gladly carried the heavy food to camp! We crossed into New Mexico that evening, and ate like kings and queens.

The top of our hardest climb yet, where we all had to dismount and hike-a-bike up steep, loose shale. In the last two days, Josh, Tre and myself have all had flats, some of them unfixable. Cross your fingers that our last spare tubes make it to the next bike shop!!!

The Snack Shack! Gen and I with the owner Sylvia. I think we spent about 1.5 hours here eating junk food and chatting. 

I call this the, "I'M SO HAPPY I'M IN NEW MEXICO!"  face.

 Previous to this picture was by far the best downhill of the entire route. I was plugging along a very tough uphill, my thoughts wandering and I remember thinking, "Hm, I can't remember if April was going to change her last name when she got married. I'll have to remember to-" and all of the sudden I am cruising downhill on steep, curvy, hard-packed dirt. Those of you reading this who know me can attest that you've probably never heard me holler in joy. If only you could've been there, because I was grinning from ear to ear, singing out loud, and whooping and yelling. Eventually, the never-ending downhill shot us through our last aspen trees into the drastic heat of the desert. Whew, that was fun.

Ah. New Mexico, finally!

Camping out at the Old Abiquiu B&B, where cyclists camp for free. Relaxing in front of the river at "Wanda's Cove." Another moment of "Where am I, and how did I get here?!"

The last night of the fantastic four. 

The view from "Wanda's Cove."

Rest day in Abiquiu, where I am writing from. 

This cross is from 1866 (I think that's what I read anyways)

Three crosses.

One of the most beautiful churches I've stepped in to. Very peaceful, with many artifacts placed throughout.

Exploring. 

Tomorrow we leave Abiquiu for a 2 day desert ride to Cuba. We are at 2320 miles, with somewhere around 700 more to go! Water is sparse, the sun is hot, and the roads sandy. But we set off mesmerized by the desert scenery, and with the prospect of more friends to make and adventures to find.