A little of this, a lot of that to start the trip

I’m writing this post from beautiful Buffalo, Wyoming where they don’t call the wind wind but rather natural enthusiasm. And there’s a whole lot of natural enthusiasm in these here parts. And also a whole lot of pouring rain. Went for a bike ride this morning up Crazy Woman Canyon and got chased out of the Bighorns by hail and then by what can only be characterized as a wall of water descending out of the lead colored skies. Oh, and let’s not forget the lightning that was close enough that you heard the crackle before the bang. It was truly biblical and a fitting start to a trip that will hopefully see us in Jasper, Canada inside of a week. That is if our good friends to the north are in an accommodating mood and still allowing Americans to cross the border, notwithstanding the nasty battle over tariffs and such.

Oh well, the road that beckons always throws something new at us. Just a couple of days ago I was doing some drywall work up near Leadville and complaining about how hot and dry it was at 10,000 feet. I did get a chance to spend some time in the mining district above the town and here’s some of what I saw...

Right now I could go with some blue Colorado skies and some warm, or at least warmer, temps. I have a feeling that as we head further north the sweatshirts may make an appearance but who knows... only time will tell!

Giving up retirement for... Bike to Work Day!

My former coworkers would be proud of me. I actually was up at the crack of dawn (well almost...) to join the 21,000+ registered cyclists for this year’s Denver Bike To Work Day. A beautiful cool morning made for a spectacular trip downtown but the forecast is for it to get a tad warm so I’ll support my fellow riders on the way home in spirit. By the time I got back to my starting point it already was turning into a sweat fest. This year I saw signs indicating there would be aid stations this afternoon as well. For the 25+ times I participated as an actual commuter my only complaint was that there was plenty of aid stations for the ride INTO work but none on the way home so kudos for the organizers of this year’s event to coax or cajole volunteers to man (or woman) the aid stations again in close to 100 degree heat.

Heat can be a killer to cyclists especially if they fail to stay hydrated. It was obvious that some of the riders out this morning are only occasional cyclists and if they spend their work day in cool air conditioned comfort they’ll be paying a hefty price on the way home. 

Of course the real test for the organizers of Bike to Work Day is how many of these occasional cyclists make the effort (and effort it takes) to ride not just today but on subsequent days this summer.  By the way I was feeling (and sweating) by the end of my ride the thought crossed my mind that Denver’s organizers might have to give some thought to moving Bike to Work Day earlier in the year. The month of May is actually Bike to Work Month nationally and it would definitely be cooler although in Denver May, especially early May, can still bring the threat of not just cool but downright cold weather so there’s no right answer.

So kudos to all those intrepid riders who took part today. And to those on the e-bikes (battery assisted bikes which are apparently becoming more and more popular) who zipped by me I’m not jealous. Nah, not the least bit...

A hot time in Leadville...

I'm sitting in a conference room on the Colorado Mountain College in Leadville, CO waiting for a Town Hall meeting to start. This morning my wife and I participated in Lake County's wildfire evacuation drill. We have a cabin in the area and thought we'd be good citizens and help out the folks who'd potentially come to our aid if a wildfire did rear it's ugly head up in this neck of the woods.

It was a dry winter at 10,000 feet and there have already been some small spot fires but according to local fire officials even those early small fires have been demonstrating fire behaviors not usually seen until late July and August.

Fire is of course a natural occurrence. The problem is that more frequent smaller fires have been suppressed for too long allowing for the fuel supply (trees and brush) to build up to dangerous levels.  Based on the turn out of agencies participating in the drill they take the potential of fire very, very seriously and appear well prepared (as well prepared as is possible...) but nature, and fire specifically, knows no real master so all of us involved in today's exercise can only wait and hope that the real deal never occurs. Yet we are left with the realization that it perhaps is not so much a question of if, but when.