Three
Wheels Across America
Colorado
(Conrad crossed into Kansas on Friday.)Thursday, 7th October Lamar, CO
(35/2,659 miles) Conrad’s start off-route to buy a replacement bag.
Wednesday, 6 October 1999 Eads, CO
(23/2,624 miles) Conrad called Florida today. All was well but the cell phone reception was very poor and he said he would try again when reception improved. He did successfully call Tring and reported a problem with his handlebar bag, on which the frame has broken. Conrad has decided to divert to go via Garden City, KS where he hopes to sort out or replace his broken bag. The diversion runs pretty well parallel to the official route and is more or less the same distance, although on bigger roads. He leaves the official route tomorrow and plans to be back on route on Sunday at Larned, KS.
Tuesday, 5 October Haswell, CO
(71/2,601 miles) No news from Conrad today.
Monday, 4 October 1999 Boone, CO
( 21/2,530 miles) No news from Conrad today.
Sunday, 3 October 1999 Pueblo, CO
(23/2,509 miles)
No news from Conrad, although unconfirmed reports indicate that he made it safely to Pueblo. Connie & Alan, Conrad's grandparents, are planning to hold a "Bring & Buy" fundraiser in their home in Witney, England on Wednesday, October 6th.
Con successfully had his bottom bracket fixed and bought a tool so that he could keep it tight himself. He later reported that Pueblo (which has a population approaching 100,000) was not a particularly nice place, with "gangs" in the streets, although he had no problems with them. However, he did have his flags stolen! Obviously, Pueblo is not small town America he has learned to love.
Saturday, 2 October 1999
Friday, 1 October 1999 Wetmore, CO
(20/2,486 miles) Conrad called home to Tring today from Canyon City, before he set off. He is having a small bike problem. His "bottom bracket" has worked loose and there is no bike shop here, so he will travel the 36 miles to Pueblo hoping it will hold together. Conrad should picked up his mail at the Pueblo Post Office tomorrow. John in Florida, who is keeping Con’s films and the web site up to date, had a request for photographs of Conrad from "Dazed & Confused" magazine in England, which goes to print today. They are publishing a "letter from Conrad" – this will appear on the web site in due course.
Thursday, 30 September 1999 Canyon City, CO
(20/2,466 miles) Con lingered an extra day at Royal Gorge enjoying the world's highest suspension bridge but he couldn't take pictures because of a flat battery in his camera. He bought post cards instead.
Wednesday, 29 September 1999 Royal Gorge Park, CO
(66/2,446 miles) Conrad called today at 11:30 EDT. He successfully conquered the Hoosier pass in the snow yesterday. It took 2 hours to go 10 miles, the last 2 miles of which were tough switchbacks. It only took half an hour to descend to Fairplay. (Go back and read Sunday 26-Sept for a humorous story!!) He has crossed the Continental Divide for the last time and is descending about 6,000 ft in two days. He shared a room in a hostel with a fellow Englishman from Leek in Staffordshire who had been in New Hampshire and was with Conrad looking for a cheap room for the night. The weather has improved no snow, clear and bright with a view of lots of 13k and 14k mountains. He is at 9,950 ft now. He had a enchilada for dinner last night and ham, cheese, scrambled eggs with hash browns for breakfast in the Fairplay Hotel. Looking back he says McKenzie Pass was the most spectacular and the Dixie Pass was the most difficult - long and hot!
Tuesday, 28 September 1999 Fairplay, CO
(35/2,380 miles) Today Conrad climbs to the highest point on his trip - the Hoosier Pass at 11,452 ft. It appears that the weather is not co-operating as snow showers are forecast, although the wind is only 10 mph.
Monday, 27 September 1999 Silverthorn, CO
(36/2,345 miles) Con stayed in a hostel in Silverthorn.
Sunday, 26 September 1999 Kremmling, CO
(61/2,309 miles) Conrad called Florida today at 9:15pm and Films 9 through 12 are now available on the web site. All is well with Conrad but he has been struggling against some headwinds. The climb up Muddy Pass was long and difficult because of the headwind but the descent to Kremmling was "a dream". He is encountering more traffic since entering Colorado, especially since joining Route-40. Kremmling has a population of 1,000 and a public library so he may send e-mails tomorrow. He reported that he has had free camping since Rawlins. He is having chilli tonight. He usually cooks breakfast and dinner and buys lunch if he can find a store. He considers Hoosier Pass, 11,542 ft, a done deal now, even though there is rain and snow forecast for Tuesday when he expects to reach the highest point of his trip. We told him that the weather forecast was for warmer temperatures each day this week so if it looked bad , wait a day and it should get better. There was no official campground here but he decided to camp in the City Park. Pitching his tent after dark in order to be discreet. When he woke up he discovered a small problem. The City Park has an automatic sprinkler system that pops up out of the ground and sprays everything. Unfortunately it was freezing overnight so his tent was just one thick sheet of ice when he surfaced in the morning!
Saturday 25 September 1999 Walden, CO
(50/2,248 miles) Conrad left a voice mail at 9:25pm EDT saying only that he was in Walden, Colorado. He has crossed one more state line. He said he would call again tomorrow. He has no bike or tent problems. The temperature is not a problem. Although it is cold at night he is warm in his tent with his sleeping bag and mat.
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Last Updated
29 November 1999
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