Out bikes were still at the shop this morning getting tuned up. The owner of the shop was a bicycle genius, a young man that had started his own company three years ago. He had originally worked out of his house, but two months ago he had opened up a shop right on Dolores' main street. He said that his location is perfect as it is right along the Adventure Cycling Association route (hence how we find it) and other major cycling network that goes from California to Quebec. He said that he has had people come from New Mexico to have him service their bikes.
You walk into the store, greeted by wind chimes made from recycled bike gears, and don't find much rhyme or reason to the organization as there are bike parts strewn about: bins of old bike cogs, sections of blown tires, old frame forks and pieces. They are pieces from bike that are useless to the average person, that he cherishes and recycles, making jewelry out of spokes, lamps (the base is the front wheel, the shade is made from spokes), wind chimes, belts out of chain links and tire. I think i may have speed a steering wheel cover made out of tire but i can't sure.
There is a display cabinet that houses a few energy supplements, displays his jewelry, and his cash register and paper work. Behind the wall he had about 20 metals from various triathlons and winter triathlon (running, cross country skiing, and biking), as well as mountain biking races, and others. Today he was wearing the Spartan Beast race shirt (that he participated in.. it is a half marathon with horrendously hard obstacles). I told him that i had signed up for the one that is taking place in Killington, VT this year, on September 22, and i wasn't sure if i would be able to make it back in time (definitely trying, but it is not looking so good). He immediately started giving me all of these tips, which i appreciated but doubt i would be wanting to jump headfirst through a tire into a barrel roll the day after i finish biking across the country... or put spikes in track shoes for better traction. I would do it more for the experience and for a good laugh at this point anyway.
Anyway, the far left corner of his store was where he did all of his magic: his repair bench. He replaced my chain (he was the second person who told me out was almost totally worn out) and replaced a baring in the front wheel that he said was completely warped (he thought it was my entire axle at first, wouldn't have been good) and then he tuned up the entire bike, and put more posing on my handle bars to see if out would help my hand. it was 11 by the time we left (So much for getting on the road at 9), we had wanted to make the climb to 10,220 feet today and make it to a campsite, but the late start was not that great of a start, (we left Cedar City at 10 the day we had the 10-500 ft climb, and e ended up sleeping in a shower stall.. Neither of us wanted to go down that road again) so we decided we would make it the majority of the ways up the mountain to Rico, set up camp early, and get up early and put some major miles in. Our decision was reinforced by the fact that the weather forecast was dismal and predicted thunderstorms today.
I felt like i was riding the bike equivalent of a Ferrari. It has never felt so smooth and easy to handle, even with all of the extra weight. The tune up was a small but great investment. I couldn't get over it for the majority of the ride.
Lindsay's iPod decided that it wanted to work today, surprise!! So, i used mine as well, and it is amazing the difference it makes... Even with one of the headphone in. I had refrained from using it when Lindsay's was being stubborn as it helps so much that i would rather suffer with her on some of those hills and tough days than to have her suffer alone... Team effort, remember? Plus, we are never sort on conversation.
The scenery was totally and equally as amazing. A stream separated the road from beautiful green pastures full of grazing horses and cows, with a backdrop of mountains covered in pine, some rocks visible. I swear that i saw every shade of green that exists in those mountains today, from tints of yellow to having a hue of blue from a distance. Crayola should really check this place out. It was peaceful, and serene (when the groups of motorcyclists weren't blarring by... I randomly actually asked a guy tonight who was standing next to his motorcycle what he thought would be faster, his Harley or my loaded bike.. I think he may have just pretended to be amused). I kept one ear bud in so i could listen to the stream that the road followed, and so talk. to Lindsay. I cant wait to see more of these mountains in the next few days. They say that green is the color of balance, harmony, and growth. What a beautiful thing to ride through.
The elevation map to Rico shows a gradual incline, and we were both kind of waiting for it to start. We sped through the miles... Rico was only 38 miles away, and it took 3 hours to get there, but i honestly feel like we went through some sort of time warp, because it felt like an hour. Our bodies were exhausted. It felt as though the muscles we have gained were just like "see ya later!" I am not sure if it was the elevation affecting us again, or lactic acid build up, (or the fact that i had only had 5 hours of sleep because i thought that eating the majority of a pint of coffee heath bar crunch at 4:00 pm was a good idea). It was bizarre. We both experienced. And then we reached Rico and realized from the elevation sign (8876 feet) that we had climbed 2000 feet, and we looked at each other, asking when the heck we had done that.
After we were settled, one of the locals had told us about natural hot springs down the road that we tried to investigate. On our way back we met these two lovely ladies on the side walk that were sitting behind a table full of clay hands and hearts. We began talking with them, and the artist saw our shirts and started asking questions about our trip. She insisted that we each take a heart that she was selling, so we would travel with love. It was very thoughtful of her and generous of her. She makes them all out of clay and smokes them. it sounded as though it was quite the process. It is so refreshing to met such wonderful and kind hearted people.
Time for bed. We have some mountains to wrangle in the morning.
You walk into the store, greeted by wind chimes made from recycled bike gears, and don't find much rhyme or reason to the organization as there are bike parts strewn about: bins of old bike cogs, sections of blown tires, old frame forks and pieces. They are pieces from bike that are useless to the average person, that he cherishes and recycles, making jewelry out of spokes, lamps (the base is the front wheel, the shade is made from spokes), wind chimes, belts out of chain links and tire. I think i may have speed a steering wheel cover made out of tire but i can't sure.
There is a display cabinet that houses a few energy supplements, displays his jewelry, and his cash register and paper work. Behind the wall he had about 20 metals from various triathlons and winter triathlon (running, cross country skiing, and biking), as well as mountain biking races, and others. Today he was wearing the Spartan Beast race shirt (that he participated in.. it is a half marathon with horrendously hard obstacles). I told him that i had signed up for the one that is taking place in Killington, VT this year, on September 22, and i wasn't sure if i would be able to make it back in time (definitely trying, but it is not looking so good). He immediately started giving me all of these tips, which i appreciated but doubt i would be wanting to jump headfirst through a tire into a barrel roll the day after i finish biking across the country... or put spikes in track shoes for better traction. I would do it more for the experience and for a good laugh at this point anyway.
Anyway, the far left corner of his store was where he did all of his magic: his repair bench. He replaced my chain (he was the second person who told me out was almost totally worn out) and replaced a baring in the front wheel that he said was completely warped (he thought it was my entire axle at first, wouldn't have been good) and then he tuned up the entire bike, and put more posing on my handle bars to see if out would help my hand. it was 11 by the time we left (So much for getting on the road at 9), we had wanted to make the climb to 10,220 feet today and make it to a campsite, but the late start was not that great of a start, (we left Cedar City at 10 the day we had the 10-500 ft climb, and e ended up sleeping in a shower stall.. Neither of us wanted to go down that road again) so we decided we would make it the majority of the ways up the mountain to Rico, set up camp early, and get up early and put some major miles in. Our decision was reinforced by the fact that the weather forecast was dismal and predicted thunderstorms today.
I felt like i was riding the bike equivalent of a Ferrari. It has never felt so smooth and easy to handle, even with all of the extra weight. The tune up was a small but great investment. I couldn't get over it for the majority of the ride.
Lindsay's iPod decided that it wanted to work today, surprise!! So, i used mine as well, and it is amazing the difference it makes... Even with one of the headphone in. I had refrained from using it when Lindsay's was being stubborn as it helps so much that i would rather suffer with her on some of those hills and tough days than to have her suffer alone... Team effort, remember? Plus, we are never sort on conversation.
The scenery was totally and equally as amazing. A stream separated the road from beautiful green pastures full of grazing horses and cows, with a backdrop of mountains covered in pine, some rocks visible. I swear that i saw every shade of green that exists in those mountains today, from tints of yellow to having a hue of blue from a distance. Crayola should really check this place out. It was peaceful, and serene (when the groups of motorcyclists weren't blarring by... I randomly actually asked a guy tonight who was standing next to his motorcycle what he thought would be faster, his Harley or my loaded bike.. I think he may have just pretended to be amused). I kept one ear bud in so i could listen to the stream that the road followed, and so talk. to Lindsay. I cant wait to see more of these mountains in the next few days. They say that green is the color of balance, harmony, and growth. What a beautiful thing to ride through.
The elevation map to Rico shows a gradual incline, and we were both kind of waiting for it to start. We sped through the miles... Rico was only 38 miles away, and it took 3 hours to get there, but i honestly feel like we went through some sort of time warp, because it felt like an hour. Our bodies were exhausted. It felt as though the muscles we have gained were just like "see ya later!" I am not sure if it was the elevation affecting us again, or lactic acid build up, (or the fact that i had only had 5 hours of sleep because i thought that eating the majority of a pint of coffee heath bar crunch at 4:00 pm was a good idea). It was bizarre. We both experienced. And then we reached Rico and realized from the elevation sign (8876 feet) that we had climbed 2000 feet, and we looked at each other, asking when the heck we had done that.
After we were settled, one of the locals had told us about natural hot springs down the road that we tried to investigate. On our way back we met these two lovely ladies on the side walk that were sitting behind a table full of clay hands and hearts. We began talking with them, and the artist saw our shirts and started asking questions about our trip. She insisted that we each take a heart that she was selling, so we would travel with love. It was very thoughtful of her and generous of her. She makes them all out of clay and smokes them. it sounded as though it was quite the process. It is so refreshing to met such wonderful and kind hearted people.
Time for bed. We have some mountains to wrangle in the morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment