DAY 17: JUNE 17: GRAND JUNCTION (CO) TO MONTROSE(CO)

Time Zone : Mountain (GMT -7)
Todays Distance: 72 miles
Cycling time: 5hrs 58 mins
Average Speed: 12.1 mph
Today’s cumulative ascent: 2725 ft
Average Heart rate: 107 bpm

Distance so far: 1221 miles
Ascent so far: 45,607 ft.

Todays profile:

Today’s Route:



Dedication: Today is for Sadam, Aminur, Naphisabet, Sonia, Sainkupar, and Sangita in Providence, Shillong wishing them and all the children every success. Be good.

Today was meant to be recovery day before the climbing in the Colorado Rockies. The distance(72) was less than the average (80) and no serious climbs along the way although we gained over 1300 feet in altitude. We are now at 5820 feet and Monarch Pass on Thursday is at 11,312 feet. A lot of feet to be gained in 2 days. Well, we’ll take it as it comes.

The route out of Grand Junction was a bit involved so Sue (from Grand Junction) went through the details at Route Rap on Monday evening and also volunteered to lead us as a group out of town. At 7.30 am the pelethon pulled out en masse into the morning traffic on G Road. The roads in Colorado have their own logical sequence. The east/west roads are lettered (A,B,C etc) while the north/south roads in Grand Junction are numbered according to their distance from the Utah state-line (29 Road is 29 miles from the state-line. I even spotted 28¾ Road and B½ Road. ) At one stage today I was chuffed to be cycling along 32 Road….my personal auspicious number.
Part of the rout out of town was along the Colorado River Trail…a 10 mile bike path along the river. The river was flowing strongly against us and evidence of recent flooding was clear. There seem to be miles and miles of dedicated bike paths with regular access points for pedestrians, strollers, skaters and cyclists with a limit of 15 mph. Will we ever see the likes at home?
Occasionally there were maintained ponds with wildlife along the way with the Grand Mesa as a backdrop. The Grand Mesa is the largest table-top mountain in the world with an area of 500 sq miles on top and a height of 10,000 feet. It was on our left for most of the day between the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Both rivers meet at Grand Junction…hence the name.
At one carpark the resident goose didn’t appreciate being disturbed in the early morning and let it be known. This bike-path brought us out onto 32 Road and clear of the built-up area. The valley around Grand Junction has the largest known concentration of oil-shale (the rock that burns) in the world, enough recoverable oil to meet the US demands for 110 years. Due to technological difficulties the harvesting of this oil is not economic. Present situation may lead to a re-think.
This brought us over the Colorado River and heading for I-50 East which we would follow for the rest of the day…. Easy navigation from there on. Early in the ride temperatures were pleasant but at noon it was reading 91 degrees.
Before we reached I-50 we were confronted by a prominent house – definitely every room with a view. It reminded me of cycling in Tuscany in 2006 where every town, every farmers place was perched on a hill. In the immediate environs of Grand Junction there was an amount of cultivation fruit and grapes. There is an extensive wine industry with a wine trail linking the various wineries for the benefit of the tourists. Vineyards here at 5,600 feet above sea-level are among the highest wine-producing regions in the world. The area’s warmdays and cool nights are conducive to producing top wines.
By the time we got on the I-50 the desert had taken over again and only scattered small-holdings were to be seen conducting small service industries but no land cultivation. This should be our last day of cycling through these vast high deserts. Such a vast expanse of land. The absence of water is a big problem. Where there is some water, the desert produces. If a man can be put on the moon and beyond, why couldn’t the desert be made to flower? Not a novel idea.

When we dropped down by mid-day into Delta on the banks of the Gunnison we had green fields of flourishing corn and bales of hay.
Today’s only SAG was at the summit of a short but stiff climb but there were extensive views in all directions across the Colorado desert. On these last few days there has been a heavy draw on the water barrels. On both sides of the route the same table-top horizon was with us.
Into this high ground some magnificent canyons are carved and week-end warriors take to the rough roads by jeep and by quads to be atone wit nature and survival. The majestic canyons aren’t by the Interstate but occasionally we got a glimpse of the odd un-remarkable canyon. One could just imagine how the big ones might impress.

















We have had a fair share of long straight featureless roads over the last 10 days. I can only imagine how wearisome driving on them can become and the resulting danger from tiredness and fatigue …. the big danger. As at home, crosses mark the spots where lives have been lost. Moving into the Rockies proper tomorrow, I expect that we will have more variety.

Lunch today was in Delta City on the banks of the Gunnison river and I topped it off with a Root Beer Float…… gorgeous. I’m reliably informed that it is the real American thing just like apple pie. From Delta it was just 22 miles to the motel but temperatures were rising steadly and called for more sunscreen (better than reaching for rain-gear).
Many times during the course of the day, the SAG wagon passed up and down and made water available. It can be hailed in at any passing for whatever reason. Gives a great sense of security to know that it is there. The cycle staff are ever-conscious of our well-being and nothing is too much for them.

By early afternoon, we had arrived in Montrose with snow-capped peaks overlooking the town. We are not the only cyclists in town. The Ride the Rockies tour with 2,500 taking part are in town tonight also. That is a 7 day tour and both groups will pass on the same rout tomorrow……. It will be a little crowded and confusing so we will wear the America by Bicycle shirts to avoid confusion.
Another good day of cycling and no flats in our group…. just 4 today. We are a unique bunch which I will elaborate on in a future posting. A good nights sleep and plenty of water tonight is of the essence for tomorrow. Looking forward to it already.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.

PS On the bike path today while I was cycling by myself for a period, a gentleman in a wheelchair was accessing the path. I waved to him bidding him the time of day but all he could do was smile. Raising the hand was not possible. Would make you think and thank.)

SPOTTED TODAY: Passing a Presbyterian Church on the outskirts of Grand Junction this sign caught my eye: ‘ Seven days without prayer makes one weak’. Interesting!