Day 42 - June 14 - Briggsdale, CO to Fort Collins, CO - Two Old Guys Take On A Continent

June 14, 2023

Day 42 - June 14 - Briggsdale, CO to Fort Collins, CO

Halfway There?

John’s Story

It was our coldest night in several weeks. It was 46° when we rousted out of our tents around 5:30 AM. Although there was very little water on our tents, the tall grass all around us was covered with tiny jewels of water that almost looked like frost.

OK, this video is from yesterday. In addition to watching out for rattlesnakes in the tall grass, I had to keep an eye out for giant red ant hills. Hello.

The first 23 miles of our day took us to Ault, Colorado. We went into a café in Ault planning to get a cup of coffee and perhaps a sweet roll. We ended up eating second breakfast. My small breakfast burrito was larger than most large breakfast burritos I’ve had elsewhere. I took advantage of being, at least for a short while, in “smothered in green chili” country.

I’m not sure why they call it green chili, beyond the fact that it’s made with green chiles. It’s almost never green. It sure tasted good though.

The indistinct smudge of gray mountains on the horizon at the end of yesterday’s ride took on a whole new look in the morning sun.

This shot was taken about 10 miles east of the junction of Colorado 14 with I-25. By the time we reached I-25, the snow covered peaks behind the smaller mountains in the front had disappeared behind them. We probably won’t see them again until after we hit the road again on Saturday.

These flowers are the precursors of the dry brown foliage I took a picture of a day or two ago. Perhaps this will help identify them.

I have to admit I did not find these flowers out on the open road, but I’m thinking they may be native to Colorado.

We arrived at our motel on the eastern edge of Fort Collins shortly after 11 AM. We had to wait for well over an hour before we could get into a room, but at least we didn’t have to wait until the normal check in time. We hurriedly unloaded the bikes, showered and rode to the nearest barber shop for some cranial landscaping. Ed’s haircut cost $22.50. My haircut plus a beard trim cost $22.50. I’ve seen barbershops advertise beer trims alone for $20 or $30, So I left a nice tip for the young barber.

My son Stanley, his wife Deneé and my grandson Aiden drove up from Colorado Springs this morning to spend the next two days with us. While we waited for them to arrive we rode to the nearest brewery for a light lunch. Funkwerks was the closest brewery. We each had a beer, and we shared some hummus with pita chips and sliced vegetables.

Next we rode to the Phoenix Cyclery to turn in our bikes for their wellness exams. We are each having our tires replaced and the bikes a good going over to make sure they are fit for the next 2000 miles. We each have a list of nits to pick with our vehicles, which we left with the bike shop owner. We will get our bikes back sometime on Friday.

Funkwerks brews mostly sours and wild ales (beer made with wild yeast) but we each found something to our liking.

Stanley and family picked us up at the bike shop, then we drove straight to the New Belgium Brewery to get tickets for the 4 o’clock brewery tour. Before, during, and after the tour we sampled several of New Belgium’s products.

New Belgium Fat Tire beer story in a nutshell. The founder was in Belgium when he had the idea to brew Belgian style beers. He was riding a fat tire bike in Europe back in the 80s when mountain biking was just getting started in the States, so he stood out. When he founded the brewery he named it New Belgium, and the first beer he marketed was a dark Belgian-style beer called Abbey. No one wanted to buy it. This was before the craft beer industry took off in the United States. Everyone in the States was still drinking Strohs and Coors and Falstaff and Sterling and Schlitz and Budweiser. He quickly reassessed the situation and came out with Fat Tire, a more mainstream beer. The rest is history.

Pernell Roberts sings for you.

Shady Grove

Ed’s Story

Woke up around 4:30 and noticed it was decidedly chilly. I stuffed my shorts, jersey, and long sleeve shirt in my sleeping bag to warm them up. I checked the temperature and it was 46 degrees.

My new sleeping bag I picked up in St Charles, MO kept me warm; unlike the one I started out with that didn’t. I didn’t even need to wear expedition weight layers with it.

When I got up I dug my tights out of my panniers. I haven’t worn those since we left Pennsylvania. Although I had shipped some stuff to Ft. Collins, I kept them.

With the exception of coffee, since I’m out, I had a good breakfast. I used all the extra water I brought with me in making dinner and breakfast and cleaning up.

Breakfast done and everything packed up we hit the road. We headed out wearing several layers of clothes, top and bottom due to the chill in the air.

We’ve seen these gates all over Colorado. They tend to close roads when there is heavy blowing and drifting snow. I have even seen these on the interstates in Colorado and in other states on past travels.

Our scheduled coffee stop would be in Ault, CO, which was 23 miles. Considering that was the only town before Ft. Collins it only made sense.

The ride had its ups and downs as usual. Even though we are only 144 ft higher here than last night (5003’ vs 4859’) we saw an elevation of over 5150’ on the ride. We have not quite reached a mile high yet,

We stopped in Ault for coffee at Gray’s Cafe where we ended up having a second breakfast. We could be considered hobbits on wheels. I had pancakes and hash browns, and coffee of course.

We shed our tights as we left but kept the jackets. We didn’t ride long before those came off also.

Not many pictures were taken on the ride today. Most were of the mountains which I’m sure John has already posted above.

We had 2 longer ascents before we started a 5 mile down hill to Ft. Collins. You still had to pedal because of the wind but it was easier than going up hill.

It was a little hairy crossing I-25 due to the traffic. When I turned onto Frontage Rd to go to the Super 8, a semi didn’t seem to want to stop heading towards me. He finally saw me after I slammed on my brakes and then he stopped.

We had to wait about an hour for our room to be ready. I gave one of my submarine veterans group members an update and a current photo to show the group.

While we were waiting I found a barber shop in the vicinity. In fact it was only 0.3 miles from the bike shop we were taking the bikes to.

We were finally able to get a haircut after 6 weeks. It is shorter than I normally have it but it feels good. What was great is that a shoulder and scalp massage was part of the package. They put a little (maybe too much) gel in my hair. I have since then washed it out.

Now that’s when you call “slicked back”.

We headed to the nearest brewery, Funkwerks, for a light lunch and an adult beverage. I had a German style lager while John had a Barrel Aged Belgium style ale.

Mmmhhh….beer….had some hummus, pita chips, and veggies with it.

On to the bike shop where we turned our bikes in and I picked up two packages waiting for me. More food and some cooler weather gear I shipped here.

Sampled several different beers at the New Belgium brewery as part of the tour we had there. I think their 1554 is the best. We can thank John’s son Stanley and his family as they will be visiting while we are here.

New Belgium brewery tries to come out with a new bike every year. This one was based on the Fat Tire beer, their longest lasting beer. They give a new bike to each of their employees after they’ve worked there for a year.

Back to the hotel where I opened what I picked up at the bike shop and what Stanley brought up from Colorado Springs. I had 4 packages shipped there. Another alternate address. I owe him a beer for his help.

I want to thank my wife Debbie for the cookies she included in one of my packages.

John washed clothes (I did them the last time). We ate at the Mexican restaurant next to our hotel. Just the four Chimahusky men as Deneé wasn’t feeling well.

The next two days are rest days here in Fort Collins. I will be setting up my new Wahoo GPS tomorrow since with the cracked screen it is not waterproof anymore.

Until next time, happy biking!

Today's ride: 41 miles (66 km)
Total: 1,905 miles (3,066 km)

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Bill ShaneyfeltBe careful with those big red harvester ants. They can sting, and it really hurts!
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1 year ago

Kelly IniguezHave a great couple of days off. We hardly ever schedule two days in a row off the bike while on tour. The second day is such a pleasure!
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1 year ago