DAY 34: Florence to Pueblo: "A day cut short is a blessing in disguise"

July 2, 2016

DAILY STATS

Mileage: 46.95

Average Speed: 12.4 mph

Maximum Speed: 39.8 mph

Last night's "campsite" wasn't too conducive to sleep, so I was up by 5:30 and ready to go. I made myself a quick breakfast, repacked my gear, and was rolling by 7:30. I was aiming for the town of Boone, which was about 65 miles away. This plan, however, was soon to change for the better.

The park in the morning was much more pleasant than it was yesterday.

Leaving Florence, I biked past the infamous supermax prison, home to the likes of the Unibomber, the Boston Marathon bomber, and countless other terrible folks. The contrast between their freedoms and mine was striking.

Other than the prison, there wasn't too much to remark about with regards to the scenery. Lots of cacti, sagebrush, and grasshoppers as I wound my way down the last of the Rockies.

Goodbye Rockies! Thanks for the challenges and rewards!

I made it to Pueblo by noon and dropped by a coffee shop to recharge. I also had a filing lox sandwich while there. I wish I could cook like this with my little camp stove!

If only I could eat like this every day.

By the time I left the shop I was feeling great. I broke out my new map, mounted up, and got on the road. But just a few hundred feet into my ride, I looked back and saw a familiar wall of black clouds. Which meant rain. And lightning.

After much internal deliberation I decided against pressing on, for fear of getting stuck in another tricky situation. As luck would have it, my last-minute plea for a warmshower was answered by Mike.

Mike was an amazing host. He showed me around town, took me to the grocery store, and completely changed my preconceptions of Pueblo. In return I treated him to dinner, and we both walked away filled to the brim with great food.

I said it before and I'll say it again: it's folks like this that make bike touring so memorable. Thank you Mike for showing me around your city!

So, despite being cut short, my day turned out to be quite nice. And, given my progress up to this point, I think a shorter day was well-earned.

Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 2,206 miles (3,550 km)

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