It's funny that I descended Monarch Pass like a bullet a few days later. My descents of Hoosier Pass and White Bird Hill on the TransAm this year were much more cautious.

I remember descending that hill as I neared the end of my west-to-east Western Express ride. It was a long and steep descent! It would certainly be a tough climb for someone westbound.

A stellar human being.

I am sorry about your friend Dave. He seemed to have been a great guy.

And of course I remember you. And your Guatemalan coffee. I thought it was a shame that we were going in opposite directions because you seemed to be having a blast.

If you go to my Flickr page (Rootchopper, of course) and search the album Bike Tour 2022 you’ll see a couple of pictures from Jeff City

Yes, Cold Springs worked out great. Middle gate was a dump. I ate there and inhaled more cigarette smoke than I had in years.

That bike trail to Winters and back is my normal long distance ride. BTW, that bumpy rooted bike trail out of Davis has been repaved and many of the old beautiful trees were taken down.

He harassed you? With me he just kicked me off for posting a journal here.

I love that little motel at Cold Springs. I've stopped there twice now whenever I ride across Nevada. I was also assaulted by the Mormon Crickets you ran over. The motel at Middle Gate is worth a pass.

It's Joan O'Connor, I met you at the hostel in Jeffrey City this year. I didn't realize I had set up my login name as Susan James until I posted the comment (it's my sister-in-law's name). I chose that name years ago when I signed up for Cycleblaze because I didn't want that Crazy Guy from you know where to harass me on Cycleblaze as he did on his site.

For the life of me I cannot place who you are. Did we meet on the road somewhere?

I saw that same scenic sign and wondered the same thing you did.

That ride to Westcliff was the toughest ride of our journey, too.

Ah, so this is where you met them. I'm surprised you didn't know about the famous Ash Grove hostel.

I had amazing weather luck on this tour (well, once I cleared the floods of eastern Kansas). i had never ridden anything like the Western Express. It’s truly brutal. This year’s tour included the second half of the TransAm. I used everything I learned in 2019. Adapt to elevation. Monitor knee and hip pain. Take ibuprofen to keep inflammation from getting out of control. Take a rest day. Etc.