Week 1: You can do this.

Somewhere on Western Slope of Colorado on Oct 2, 2020 I left the homestead with only a small brownie and an apple in my stomach. Planning on stopping in town on my way out and grabbing something more substantial to eat, but in the excitement of being on the road again, I decided to forgo it. Down the road I saw the miscalculation in this.

It wasn't long before my engery was depleted, but it's always hard in the beginning. You're finding your legs, contending with learning to balance the weight of the gear loaded onto your bike, in this case, the heaviest I've ever ridden. You're out in whatever elements the day has blessed or cursed you with, cars whizzing by. It is easy to fall prey to doubts, but most will find it gets easier each day. Though, once I ran into a pair father and son teams of cyclists. One of the fathers still had, after close to a 1000 miles, it seemed to me, a shell shocked demeanor about him. Still, he was in it, doing it, and he'll never be the same.

I fell few miles short of my first-day goal and ended the day at The Gould Reservoir, camping on public land there. The next day was spent making repairs and adjustments to my bike and gear. I had planned originally to spend a few days and nights at the first place I landed, but on the second day, the doubts still lingered. I felt it important to get back on the road.

The next day I headed out with a goal, just do the remaining miles I failed to make on the first day. It was a better day than the first and provided some much-needed muscle memory confidence-doubt waned. Even losing the bolts that held my front rack on, causing the rack and panniers to fall forward didn't sway me. I was in it.

Over the next couple of days I found my legs, gained control of the bike, and increased my daily mileage. I found the ride along the Gunnison Gorge to the Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water in Colorado, stunning, reminding me why I was in it. The nights were just below freezing and the days cool.

On the fifth day I ran into a traveler with a bike and trailer resting at a pull-off overlooking the reservoir, chatted with him for a quick minute, chronic traveling homeless. Half a mile down the road at a rest stop I met an individual who has been walking from Florida to California with his dog since January of 2020. We talked for a while, then I headed back on the road, stopping to eat at some campgrounds down the road. Once back on the road, I met up with the first traveler, as he pushed his bike and trailer. I rode alongside him for a bit and we talked. After a while I gave him my best and headed to some free camping on BLM land outside Gunnison.

I made it to Gunnison on the sixth day, ran some errands, got food and water, and made my way out of town, heading towards Saguache, CO. The 114 between Gunnison and The Rio Grande National Forest is a nice section of road that passes through a lot BLM land along living water sources, offering a lot of dispersed camping opportunities.

I made into the Rio Grande National Forest on the seventh day and made camp near the top of Cochetpa pass. Thus ending week one.

To be continued.