BikeandBuild.org

Yea, it's my B
So, it seems the farther we go, the more irresponsible I get about updating my blog. Instead of trying to update you on each day I've missed since we entered colorful Colorado, I'm just going to give you some highlights.

We had our first really good state sign when we got to Colorado, which really excited everyone. We spent at least 25 minutes at this sign taking pictures. This one was taken before anyone was ready, which makes it my favorite.

This picture is of the sunset over Pike's Peak, and was the backdrop for our camp-out on the Chico Basin Ranch near Colorado Springs, CO. It's an 87,000 acre nature conservancy with free-roaming cattle and horses and other wild animals. It was gorgeous. The ride into Chico Basin was our first sight of the Rocky Mountains, but because they're so expansive, we had about 4 days to think about climbing them...

Our first day into the Rockies began as we passed through the Garden of the Gods outside of CO Springs. It was incredible and well-deserving of its name, as you can see. Every day we've ridden through the Rocky Mountains has been breathtaking (both figuratively and literally, people have been having some issues with the altitude). The highest elevation we climbed to was 11,312 feet at the summit of Monarch Pass.

We took a tramway to the very top of the mountain and there was snow! Here Jordan and I (the Floridians) are having a snowball fight. Super-awesome photograph taken by Sam Thomas.

This picture was taken at the summit of Molas Pass just yesterday. We had 3 mountain passes to climb on the 4th of July over the "Million Dollar Highway" and it was beautiful. This legendary 30 mile descent into Durango, CO that we've heard so much about was...kind of non-existant. So we were all a bit disappointed about that. And we've had some pretty outrageous headwinds the last few days in the flatter areas, which is really unfortunate because that means if we're not climbing mountains, we're holding onto our bikes for dear life trying not to get blown off the road (or into traffic). Tomorrow's ride to Cortez will be our last day in the Rockies, and though I never thought I'd be saying this...I am really sad to see them fade into the distance behind us. These are some of the most beautiful parts of the country that I've ever seen, and I am borderline obsessed with Colorado. Absolutely my favorite state so far.
Here are some other tidbits:
In Colorado Springs we went to a bike shop to get new chains and stuff, and after I'd made my initial purchases, I was wandering around the store looking at other things while we were waiting on our ride. I found the coolest socks, they are blue and black and have the Colorado flag with the Rockies in the background around the ankle, and I had to have them. I went up to the counter to pay for them, and the guy just gave them to me.
Also in Colorado Springs, at the tail-end of a 9-day stretch of straight biking with no rest, we all got what has been deemed "the sickness." A 24-hr stomach bug ravaged the ranks of NC2SD10 and took out about 15 of us total, myself included (though I luckily had a milder case and wasn't as sick as some others). AND it was on Jeremy's 19th birthday, no less. Sorry, Jeremy, we'll make it up. So while it was really unpleasant to have so much gastric distress, I must say, I've never had so much fun being sick. We were all quarantined in a room together, periodically sprinting to the bathroom, cracking jokes, getting filmed talking about what Bike & Build has done to us, collectively groaning, eating saltine crackers and drinking ginger ale, downing Tums and Pepto, and it was honestly a really good time. Then we all slept for 10 hours and felt better.
KELLY GOT ENGAGED!! Congrats Kelly and Drew :D
Last night we celebrated America and Daniel's birthdays (4th of July) here in Durango with fireworks and dancing in a chinese restaurant (no lie). We all went to the multi-celebration dinner at the local brewhouse, and they were showing the Tour de France on TV. There is nothing more entertaining than watching real cyclists with a bunch of wanna-be cyclists. At one point they showed the topographic map of the Tour and when they panned over the mountain stages we all screamed like idiots. It was awesome. Sincerest apologies to Carver's Brewing Co. of Durango, CO. Love, Bike & Build. And HBD Daniel America Leader ;)
Finally, some new things I love to do:
1. Going to local coffee shops in the towns we pass through, reading a periodical and talking to people.
2. Spending 45 minutes in bookstores looking for books and reading parts of them, but not actually buying anything.
3. Going into bike shops. Just in general. I like to collect their water bottles, and touch bikes that are too good for me.
That's what I got for now. Hope it halfway describes how awesome Colorado is :D