Into CO thin air (9/29/23 Fri)

My ride into the Nebraska sunset ended about an hour later and still in Nebraska. The sunset was an amazing artwork of blue, white and pink chalk dust. After the artfull dust toss was perfect, someone dragged a stick through in half a dozen places (plane contrails). In my rear view mirror was the full moon. The temps felt wonderful 10 degrees cooler now at 85F, waiting untill about 0300 to get down to a chill 60F.

Up before sunrise, seems easy here. Perhaps because my watch is getting further off the local time. I'm only one hour off in NE but shortly into CO that will increase it to 2

The campground office didn't open until 1100, and had no forms in the "after hours" box for me last night. So I left a phone message and tossed a $20 bill into their drop box. I think my primitive campsite would have been $15.

After riding a stretch last night I didn't have a lot of gas in the tank. I went as far as I dared go with the gas I had. Stopping for a quicke bite at Wendy's and fueling up for my border cross into Colorado.

Like every state boarder, entering Colorado, was a change of landscapes. The immediately evident change was a low cloud cover and cooler. Secondary was the corn feilds turned into rolling cow pastures. I didn't really notice that I was gaining elevation, but I was about 4600 ft above sea level while approaching Denver. After Denver I started climbing. Then noticed the same thing I did inJasper/Bamf, that I can't determine when I'm going downhill. I sware it looks like I'm going down and the gps still shows elevation gains. In Jasper I was shocked to see the river running the wrong way, then realized it was more llikely my wrong thoughts. Same here when it clearly looks like steep down and it's level or slightly gaining.

The first rise just west of Denver peaks around 7200 ft. But going down the back side of that my bike's engine sputtered and I had to pull over. First thouught was a fouled plug. Then considered vapor lock, like Callan's strom. After poping open the tank lid, it ran for a bit again. Failing again around 9500 ft, after peaking and once again starting down. Third failure was over 10400 ft and not really much incline at all. Each time poping open the tank seemed to help for awhile. A few times I rode through the roughness, by keeping the revs in a sweat spot.

I managed to find the Breckenridge Troll at the Illinois Creek Trailhead. Then eventually found a troll sticker and dinner in town before my meter ran out. Breckenridge is a very beautiful location. Having the ski slopes displayed off your dinning room is pretty amazing.

Leaving town towads Western Colorado and over 11,000 feet. Managed to eek that one out without bike failure. Also realized I carry octane boost that may help, if it happens again. Started thinking it may just be bad gas. So having run most of it, I filled up again, and haven't had the issue since. If it occurs again, I'll try the octane boost.

As the weekend is bringing some rain, I wanted to get a start west so I would have a chance to escape bad weather. I selected Blacks Canyon for a next stop, but it was 4 hours away so I would need to locate a campsite on route.

While looking for a backup campsite I found I was near a BLM campground on my way to the selected national park campground. I decided to try the BLM site, only because I would have arrived at the other campsite with 10 minutes of daylight. Here at this BLM camp I would have 30 minutes of daylight. Turns out it was great. Stellar views down two valleys, some sheep and other travelers. And free is my favorite color.

Since my planned campsite had water, I didn't carry too much water in. A guy from another site gave me enough for my morning coffee. It's cooled off to around 60F as shadows fell and stayed there until I went into the tent at 2130.

Very little cell coverage though. Just enough for slow texts, and a few minute talk with Anne.

Overnight temps in the low 40F with a 10mph wind. I had that morning coffee with my riding pants and boots on. But cool and windy means dry tent.

The sheep posed for a daytime photo on my way out.