Shortly after turning west, I saw another cyclist up ahead in the distance. I was excited when I noticed a bunch of gear piled up on his bike. He was stopped along the shoulder so I caught up to him quickly, and I was intrigued by his appearance. Dave was a scraggly man, very tan, skinny, and well-seasoned. He wore heavy, high-top work boots and camouflaged clothes. I never saw his eyes, but you could tell they were kind behind his sun glasses, his face was smooth yet held deep smile lines. He missed quite a few top teeth and he stroked his long, curly, black beard as he talked. He likes to label himself as a rogue, and I think he accurately depicts all forms of the word. He's been traveling over 20 years hopping trains, hitching rides, and pedaling on various bikes that he's refurbished with custom-made bike racks made from floor boards and other object he's found. Dave even tried installing a motor to the frame of his bike, but he had problems with mounting the clutch so it remains an ongoing project. His bike was squeaky and all of his gear was held on with duct tape and nets. He collects tools and other things from the roadsides and sells them to people for money or trade, he breaks down the metals in phone plates to sell by the ounce, and he's a painter who sells his art wherever he can. He's thrifty and very smart. He taught me how to make my own battery with the alternator from a car and the heating element from a stove. With entertaining stories about running from the Mob and his future plans in life, we rode together for the better part of the day.
We crossed the border in CO together and parted ways in Lamar. I had arrangements to stay with the Turley Family (friends of the Allens) and Dave kept riding until dark, I think he ended up in Las Animas. We would see eachother again, however.
The Turley family let me set up my tent in their front yard and I got to attend a birthday party where I met some of their extended family. Monty, the dad, told me stories of his own experience on a ranch as a wrangler, and he got me really hyped up for my job this summer. It was a fun night of Mexican food and rowdy kids, and by the time it was time for bed I was exhausted. Thanks for everything, Turleys!
Slowly but surely the scenery is changing. The flat fields of green farmland and stinky feed lots are giving way to rolling hills with big oaks nestled in the shallow valleys. Charming small towns are becoming more frequent and traffic is picking up. Yesterday on my ride from La Junta to Peublo, I finally spotted the mountains in the distance. I believe Mt Pittsburg was to my north, and the Oak Ridge mountain range, containing Mt Herring, to the west. They were just a shade darker than the clear blue sky, with only two peaks of white accenting their height. Inside that shade of pale blue lies my future. I think I have too much gear, especially compared to Rita, an avid cyclist who hosted me (via http://www.couchsurfing.com/) last night along with her boyfriend Ryan, who reside together in Pueblo.
Rita and Ryan have both done long-distance bike touring, which is actually how they met. Rita did a variation of the trans-am tour, mostly alone, and stayed with Ryan via http://www.warmshowers.com/. After her stay she continued her trip where it ended it Oregon, and then she hopped on a plane back to Pueblo and they've been together ever since. Quite romantic. Rita carried less than half of the gear that I have, and though she almost froze to death, she still made it. I'm considering shipping some things home, but at the same time I haven't reached the mountains yet so I'm hoping I'm not carrying around my long underwear for nothing. Ryan is an impressive juggler and Rita is a teacher, and also a great cook. They are also both environmentalists and have a huge garden. They gave me lots of advice about my route, which I am now changing. I even got a shower and did laundry and slept in a big ol' bed. They were adorably in love. It was a great evening. Thanks, guys!!
In the past two days I've received donations from incredible strangers who want to help support my trip. David, from Las Animas gave me a donation, and even paid me a visit at my campsite to keep me company and talk bikes. Thanks, David!!
And then Heather, who I met outside of a gas station this morning on my way to the library also kindly donated. She let me take her picture but I promised I wouldn't share it because she said she had just woken up. Thank you so much, everyone, for all of your generosity. You have no idea how much it helps!!
I've wasted the better part of the day in here typing away so though I've left out a few things, I've got to get going. I'm heading to Westcliffe tomorrow, and then north to Salida from there. The next few days are going to be really rough, but extremely beautiful. The climbing starts now. Wish me luck!
