Today was hard on my bike - on all our bikes. We rode on gravel paths essentially the whole day. Not just gravel but washboarded dirt roads.

First we took a road out of Pueblo through the country. It was all loose gravel - 16 miles. Then we hit some normal road for 20 miles and that was fine. But then for some reason we hopped on a bike path - a bike path meant for mountain bikes. It was dirt and mud and puddles for another 20 miles. It was a lot like the Town Lake Trail, for you Austinites reading this.

I have no idea why we chose this route. I think some Tx4k alums were going to meet us half way and ride into Colorado Springs with us. But they never showed up. We could have just stayed on US 50 the whole way. Whatever....we got there in the end. We were lead into town by a cyclist who originally sent us down the bike path. He realized he had given us the wrong directions so he met us at the end of the bike path and directed us to the hotel we were staying at. A marriot hooked us up with a conference room and one room with a shower and bathroom. They also cut us a deal. We could get a four person room for $55. Naturally a few of us went for that deal and got a bed for a few bucks. And this wasn't some crappy motel. This is a suite. With a fridge, stove, dish sink and other nice stuff that hotels usually have....

We visited Garden of the Gods in the afternoon after a light shower of freezing rain. I had been there before but it was just as cool as last time. A few people climbed rocks..we saw an owl..and a rabbit...OH! We rode past Colorado College. I took a summer course there a few years ago - very nostalgic. It was nice to see a familiar sight too. On this trip everything has been so new - everyday we see new places and new people.

Dinner was made by some tx4k alums. Pizza, soup and tortellini salad.

To recap - An annoying and frustrating ride but a relaxing, beautiful afternoon and evening.