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deCycles Mexico to Canada 2013
Journal Entry
Date: July 5
Day15: Friday
Departure: Estes Park, CO
Arrival: Cheyenne, WY

Distance:  101-miles.  18.0-mph ave.
Climate:  Cloudy, then sunny, then 30-min rain in afternoon.
Overnight:   First United Methodist Church of Cheyenne.

Goodbye Colorado!  It was amazing how fast we poured out the mountains into the high plains of America.  We departed Estes Park after an amazing fireworks display over Lake Estes the previous evening.  Our descent out of the Rockies was AWESOME!   Big Thompson Canyon....20-miles of downhill cut out of a river gorge.  Most groups averaged 25-mph and flew down that thing.  Almost everyone agrees they would love to come back here.   But once in Loveland at the base of the Rockies, it was evident the mountains were no more.  Then to Ft. Collins and up to Cheyenne, WY.  WY....as in why would anyone want to live here.  The population is sparse and space is wide open.

Lunch was at an abandoned farm out in the middle of nowhere. The afternoon break was at a ghost town called Rockport.  At that point, a storm loomed in the far west and we had to make a run for it. There would be no protection out there about 20-miles from Cheyenne.  Sure enough, we got drenched with a huge rainstorm raining needles.  The crosswind caused difficulty in handling the bikes.  Passing trucks sprayed us with more water but gave  us a push of wind.  Finally 10-mile from Cheyenne, the winds turned around, the road dried, and the riders were doing 28-mph pacelines.  We arrived in Cheyenne around 3:30pm, so the entire 101-miles were cranked out in 7.5-hours.  Wow!  This group can move.  They'll need that tomorrow when we are to cover 140-miles in the high plains of Wyoming.  

Tonight is laundry night.  20-loads worth.  Then some free time after the evening meal to see the capitol building and catch a concert downtown at the depot.  Early to bed to prepare for our longest day on the trip tomorrow.

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