Practice run from NJ to PA

Practice run from NJ to PA
Rescued from Trenton, NJ! What a nightmare!

Monday, July 13, 2015

Holy Hair !

What a nightmare getting the corn rows out! That took awhile. Free at last. Bugs and dirt are gone but, I am still dreaming that I am biking during the night to the finish.

Laundry time ! At least I didn't vomit like I did at the border from John and Peter's dirty socks.

Oh my hair!

Jill Siruchek working on the mop hairdo. Would you believe she pulled out a bug already. I better get to the hair spa.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Tour Divide 2015 . Mission Accomplished !

Hello everyone Thank you so much for following me. Lots to share and update on the blog. I will just need some time. The Gila National Forest tried to break me and Betsy Bike, but We made it.
I arrived at the finish line at 0424 this morning. Thank you to  Hal, John, and  Peter for waiting for me with your families at the finish line. A moment I won't forget.

Mistaken as a Rasta Stoner

Wow, I am tired. Adam and I are at our hotel waiting for a morning flight back to NY.

Mud. The start of the breakdown of bike

Only spent 6.00 at a convience store on way to El Paso airport. Cheapest stop in a month.

...No, I did not buy 3- 470 calorie cherry pies like I have been doing.

Thank you Dean. What a special moment for us. I love you.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Pie Town

Pushed like mad to get to Pie Town before Cafe closed. Missed it by 30 minutes. Broke down and cried over my bike. The lady at the cafe came out and told us of another place that is new up the street. The Gettin Place. She offered us free Pie . I am now eating Pie, small pizza, chicken pot pie, 2 cokes. Moving on soon.

Camp set up 9400 feet elevation. Best night out in tent.

I thought I was so hidden. Ha. Road is 6 feet to the left of bike . .. It was dark. What can I say.

Top of Canero Pass

More

Canero Pass

I was tired. Glad it was done. I would have kissed that sign but tons of cows around me. No need to get sick too.

New Mexico

I just made it to Milan NM truckstop. 120  miles today. I am not sure of sleeping plans tonight. I need to eat. I hope Pie Town tomorrow before cafe closes at 3 or 4.;

Cricket and I. She is touring Northbound with Kevin and Dave.

I hope I got your names right! I look forward to catching up with Cricket after the race. She in a skirt and blouse. I think she got it right touring!

LA Garita cafe. Off route half mile but worth 10 miles because I was out of fluid. I could not bring myself to filter water after seeing what the cows were doing in the stream....chlorine tablets and filter ...still couldn't do it.

Cuba

Hello all. Too emotional to say much. 77 miles of intense climbing yesterday. Some bike issues. Everything dirty dirty. Going to grants. Hotel finally. I love you all. Doing my best.

Oh Hail!

Just got caught in a terrible hail and rainstorm . soaked. At a Lodge changing clothes. May stay.

Bike is still dry under archway!

Gotta get going.

I have the Billy goat express on my tail and John/Peter. I don't want them to catch me. I have a 4000 ft climb over next 23 miles to get me to 11900 feet.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Good morning. Late start

I will post more when I can. I need to find food.

Hello from Salida

Thank you everyone for cheering me on. It's been a long 2-3 days as you have seen from my tracking. My mind is a blur right now, but I do recall leaving Breckenridge Conoco gas station where I ate dinner around 800 pm. I then headed up Boreas Pass which seemed to go relatively well. It was actually very beautiful from the Pass because you could see all of the city light below. The wind was pretty wicked up there with the elevation around 11,400. After the Pass, is where my problems started. Probably because it was rocky singletrack and almost midnight. I pretty much kept one cheek on the seat and one foot on the ground and scooted through the rough sections. It was pretty straight forward until other roads started coming into play without signs....Somehow I started climbing a hill for nearly a mile when I finally there in the towel for the night. I found a spot at 11,000 ft to try to set up tent and rest. I nearly froze to death because my body was still cooling down and sweating and not much area for heat to escape sleeping bag. I finally was so cold, I got up to try to figure out what road I was on and backtrack to cover all tracks. Of course there was a stream crossing at 445am with glacier cold water. Yes, I was absolutely frozen. I immediately took off my shoes and socks and used quart size  food bags on my feet to induce some heat.
...I finally made my way to Como but they had no services. Next up was Hartsel which had a cafe.
....will continue in morning , I can't keep my eyes open
Love jen