August 19, 2022
San Luis Valley
Manassa to Moffat
Knowing how flat a ride it is between Antonito and Poncha Pass, I wasn't particularly looking forward to this 100 mile ride in the San Luis Valley.
The first part of the ride to Alamosa is okay as I make good time on a highway with a decent shoulder, while a still active railway line is beside the route all the way.
Alamosa is quite but has some interesting sites to see, including the visitor information in the old railroad depot. Which offers bicycle tools for me to use, so I take the opportunity to pump up my tyres.
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While since I'm the only visitor in the local museum, I'm given a personal tour, including been shown the numerous paintings of local people, things and landscapes, on the outside of the building.
The Rio Grande flows through town, allowing me a brief chance to cycle beside a river which eventually becomes the border between Mexico and the USA.
Leaving Alamosa, I'm on a busy highway, while I can just see the formation remains of the old railway route. Initially I'm travelling fine in this flat landscape with only small towns every so often. While on either side of the road, mountain ranges are visible. For a lot of the ride I can see to my east a large sand dune, but I can't access it due to road closures.
After briefly chatting to a recumbent cyclists about my ride, the wind suddenly picks up and since it's a side wind, it's slightly slowing me down.
Along the way randomly beside the road is a UFO site, with plenty of alien statues and ships to admire. However, as more clouds are appearing, it feels like rain is imminent and it's getting colder now, so I will keep moving.
As the town of Moffat appears in the distance, suddenly a heavy storm arrives. Soaking me all the way to town. Helpfully a Dollar General is open, allowing me to refresh myself in this very cheap variety store, which does have some basic preserved food, among a lot of other cheap stuff. Helpfully there is a drinking water fountain and some wi-fi.
Thankfully, in this small, the local park has a shelter and power. Allowing me to get out of the cold wind. Still I'm wearing my thermals for the first time for this trip. While some how I have lost my Spork, presumably I left it at last night's fair ground.
I'm not sure where to camp as there is not much in Moffat and there wasn't any where suitable beside the road on my ride here.
Eventually a spot behind the local high school is dark enough and away from traffic noise for me to sleep comfortably in my tent.
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