Journey to the Top of the World

On July 3, we embarked on the most epic ride of the trip: going over the Rockies.  Lindsay was definitely nervous about the ride since it is the Rocky Mountains after all.  The grade stayed around 5 to 6% for most of the climb so Lindsay took her sweet time averaging about 7 mph.  It was definitely a long ride but it allowed me to enjoy the beautiful scenery and truly majestic Rocky Mountains. 


The trip did not come easy though.  There were intense winds blowing from every which way.  One gust pushed Lindsay over while she was on her bike; another literally moved Lindsay and her bike over by a foot on a gravel road; and the last brutal wind pushed Lindsay into a gravel ditch that was next to a beautiful meadow.  Lindsay nearly walked up a hill because the wind was so bad.  She was deathly afraid of being blown over a cliff which thankfully didn't happen.  


It was quite a relief when we reached the top of the mountain.  The winds definitely did not cease and it was horribly cold but it the trials and tribulations were absolutely worth it.  A marmot greeted us at our lunch stop--we all thought it was either a gopher, groundhog or, in Christina's case, a beaver.  After spending a bit of time trying to stay warm, a group of us headed a mile down the mountain for the Visitor's Center.  We toasted hot chocolates and coffees and Lindsay proceeded to buy a number of Rocky Mountain memorabilia including a bandana, a long sleeved t-shirt and a Colorado pin.  


The descent was equally as epic and Lindsay constantly feathered her brakes due to her accident anxiety--no one wants to careen off the side of a mountain and die.  I felt so free as the wind blew through my silky brown fur.  There was nothing like it.  And to top it all off, the Continental Divide was on the way down.  We stopped to take pictures to commemorate the occasion. It was the ride of a lifetime for Lindsay and I'm glad I was able to hitchhike along with her.