Day 29, Ridgway to Cimarron (Pleasant Valley): A Down, Up, And Down Day; Bud's Found Money Collection Grows

August 20, 2017

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Mileage Today; 49 Total So Far; 1,389 Remaining; 212

Climbing Today; 2,702 Total So Far; 81,018 Remaining; 13,396

Max Grade Today; 5.2% Average Uphill Grade; 1.2%

Average Speed While Riding; 10.3 mph

Mechanical Issues; None

Photos Credit; Bud, unless noted otherwise

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Bud speaking;

From our starting point in Ridgway, we had about a 25-mile downhill run into Montrose. That sounds great, and it is, but for the non-cyclists I should elaborate a bit. A long downhill stretch just means that the topography is mostly downhill; there will usually be some small uphill portions as well. And if the grade is gentle enough, you will still have to pedal to move along; it’s just that it will generally be easier to do so.

Here’s Sis early in the run to Montrose;

Sis Commences A 25-Mile Mostly Downhill Run

Sis was leading the way. I think she was anxious to show that she had gotten past the weak moment yesterday and she now had her head back in the game. Maybe. Or maybe she just knew that she had to reach Montrose before we would go inside somewhere warm for “second breakfast.” At any rate, she was moving along fairly rapidly; not only were we generally heading downhill, but a tailwind developed about ½ way to Montrose and gave us even more impetus. We’re following the Uncompahgre River downstream;

It was genuinely cold in the chilly early morning air. I was glad for my gloves purchased last night from Family Dollar’s most cheerful sales rep. Somewhere along the way Doc shouted out; he had seen 2 elk in the trees above the road. I had my telephoto lens mounted for wildlife, but I completely missed them. Oh well.

When we reached Montrose, I took the lead and we penetrated the outskirts looking for our breakfast spot. We were searching for “Starvin’ Arvin’s” because Family Dollar’s most cheerful sales rep had recommended the place. As it so happened, Family Dollar’s most cheerful sales rep was from Montrose; she was just filling in at the Ridgway Store because they were under-staffed. Highway 550 eventually turned into Townsend Avenue, just as Family Dollar’s most cheerful sales rep said it would, and shortly afterwards we spotted our destination.

Hungry As A Bear? Come To Starvin' Arvin's

Starvin' Arvin's Was Recommended By Family Dollar's Best Sales Rep

After enjoying a good breakfast and the warmth of being inside, we left Starvin’ Arvin’s and rolled on through downtown Montrose. Here’s a bit of the culture of the place;

We left the city and began the climb towards Cerro Summit. Here’s a view as we are climbing looking back towards Montrose;

Halfway Up The Climb To Cerros Pass, Looking Back Towards Montrose

We did eventually reach the summit of the pass.

Here’s a view of Montrose from the summit; as you can see, we’ve come a long ways.

From the summit, we descended towards the small town of Cimarron. There’s not much in Cimarron, and that’s putting it mildly. But here’s a view of the river, and it really is worth looking at.

Not far outside of Cimarron we reached our destination for the night when we arrived at Pleasant Valley. Here’s Doc and Sis enjoying the company of a man of few words inside the office/store/restaurant at Pleasant Valley;

Tonight we are sharing a loft room. Here’s a view of Doc doing some office work while Sis catches some rest;

And here’s a shot that shows the dedicated lawn crew at Pleasant Valley.

The Lawn Service At Pleasant Valley (Photo Credit; Doc)

Pleasant Valley is basically ran by a single individual, and she is way too busy; and that makes her a bit unpleasant. She said that the food service was too much hassle and she would quit operating the restaurant next year. There were warning signs posted on the community laundromat to not give out the unlock code to anyone. When I was pumping up a bicycle tire that night, the manager knocked on our door and told me that she was trying to sleep below us and to quit whatever I was doing. Basically, the truth is that Pleasant Valley wasn’t very pleasant. I’d recommend that touring cyclists find another option for overnight lodging.

It's another early start tomorrow, so good night all…

Today's ride: 49 miles (79 km)
Total: 1,388 miles (2,234 km)

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