June 18, 2010 – 42 miles

I slept until I felt well enough to stand without getting sick again. We packed slowly and were on the road by 11:30. First stop…Subway.

I was hungry, but nervous about eating. After last night, I was under the impression my body didn’t want food in it right now. Riding without food in my stomach is not an option, so I chanced it with a footlong and a soda. It stayed down!

I still didn’t feel 100%, but was fit enough to ride. No idea how far I can make it, though.

Out of Steamboat we followed CO 129 to Clark. There was moderate traffic with intermittent shoulders. Lots of cyclists passed going the other direction.

The sun was strong and hot in the valley. I occasionally needed to stop and sit to overcome nausea.

In Clark, we visited a well-stocked convenience store. It seemed like all the motorists on this road stop here. I recognized many of the cars parked here as ones that passed me earlier.

I bought and slowly drank an Arizona Green Tea. We discussed our options for the rest of the day and decided to take the Columbine Alternate. It avoided a large climb and allowed us to ride further on pavement.

We had the choice of staying in Steamboat Lake State Park, a lodge in Columbine, or wild camping on national forest land.

We made it to the state park early in the evening and decided to ride further to Columbine. The lodge was fully booked and the grocery store closed. Option three it is, then.

The pavement ended past Columbine as we forked left onto loose gravel. From here, we were going mostly downhill which, with the gravel, was very slippery.

After a few miles we found a dry clearing to call home for the night. We pitched tents and cooked food. I opted to eat a Mountain House meal – one that I have carried since Antelope Wells, NM! The food stayed down, but I wasn’t feeling 100%.

I would have preferred to sleep inside tonight to get a better night’s sleep. Not to mention avoiding the nightmare of becoming sick again while in the tent.