August 26, 2022
Briefly on the Transamerica
Silverthorne to Granby
It's still overcast in the morning as a cycle path take me out of Silverthorne. Once the trail runs out, I'm know descending towards Kremmling on a busy highway, which is part of the Transamerica bicycle touring route, the main cycle route across the country. However, the road shoulder is narrow and rain is threatening.
Soon a light drizzle begins. It's just not a memorable ride as all I'm focusing on is the deteriorating weather and the regular traffic.
Thankfully as I meet Green Mountain Reservoir, the rain has cleared.
I could go around the lake on a slightly longer route but for no reason I will stick to the highway. Helpfully occasionally a dirt track beside the reservoir allows a break from the traffic.
Thankfully as I pass the reservoir, the road shoulder has widened and finally from the opposite direction two touring cyclist appear. They are doing the Transamerica trail, otherwise I haven't seen any cyclist today. I hope the rest of the Transamerica trail is a better ride than this section.
After 10 miles of rolling hills highway cycling, the now smaller Colorado Rivers reappears, 4 weeks after I last saw it further downstream at the start of my Colorado ride at Glenwood Springs.
After crossing the active railroad which my Amtrak train took further east, I'm entering Kremmling, an unremarkable town, which at least does have a small information centre in the chamber of commerce.
I'm hoping to find out more about my ride east, which will follow both the Colorado River and the railroad, a route I took by train in 2014.
I haven't found much to see around town, so after visiting a supermarket on the edge of town, I'm soon heading east, hoping to see some trains today.
I'm passing through a dry landscape and it's a reasonably warm afternoon but thankfully I'm making reasonable time. I am particularly enjoying how close at time the railroad and the river are near the highway, especially when passing through the scenic Byers Canyon. I had hoped to see a train passing through the canyon but unfortunately none are appearing.
As I approach Granby, a shower of rain appears, so I'm glad to make it to a town which Amtrak stops at. There isn't much at this small, quiet unmanned Amtrak depot. I'm hoping while I'm in Granby, that the California Zephyr will pass through. It never appears, maybe it's delayed.
Across the tracks, among baseball fields is a small railroad museum with a few trains on display. However unfortunately it's closed today and it doesn't appear it will be open tomorrow morning.
While utilising the Wi-Fi at the local library to call home to Australia, I see that a local photographer is having a talk this evening. It sounds interesting and a nice way to pass an hour especially as rain is still around.
Throughout the talk, the older gentleman shares photos of growing up in the Rockies. Despite the photos being mountainous in nature, due to the predominantly older rural audience who can relate to his experience, it feels like I could be back home being shared photos of the someone growing up in the flat Australian Mallee lifestyle.
I'm probably going to wild camp on the edge of town tonight, so while I wait for it do get dark enough, I will take the opportunity to wash my clothes at the laundromat as it's been a week since I have had the opportunity to do some washing.
After having a burger for dinner in a local bar, a spot among trees beside the small Fraser River right next to a baseball field will do for me to stealth camp. Despite being relatively close to the railroad line, it looks like a quiet out of sight location, so hopefully no one will notice I'm here.
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