Jeremiah Watt

As it turned out I was camped about 1 mile from that junction where HWY6 once again joins up with I-70. But I was not going to see the road early today. Oh, I was up early enough but I started out with a flat tire on my bike, the rear of all places. This is the tire that I had put on new in Junction. The tire had gone flat the day before, and now again thie first thing before I could even get going. By 8:30 that morn, I had gone about 500 yards and had 3 flats and my tube was one patch after another in row. SO the fourth time I said to my self all right I have had enough, and put a brand new tube in place of the old. I can’t really tell what was wrong, since the new tube is holding up just fine maybe the tube was old or rotting???

Finally back out on I-70 and was riding for 11 miles of repaving and shoulder work, by golly it was a teeth shaker. I pulled over at a rest area, and as I was walking in to take a drink I met a lady that had a broad smile on here face the moment that she seen me. I was sort of taken aback, …….I normally don’t cause that sort of reaction even with my wife. She asked me “says how’s that seat feel now???. Then she confessed, her and her husband are also cyclists and they had just moments earlier passed me out on 70, and could see my arms and jowls just a bouncing. So I bent strait over and asked her if it looked to be beaten flat??????? We both had a laugh, and talked bikes for a bit.

I am now in Glenwood Springs, a very pretty place and quite the health spa type retreat. This is where I am to get on the Glenwood Canyon Bike Path. I had not ridden more than maybe a mile and I came up behind an obviously older fellow, so I pulled up at his speed and we made small talk and I departed. I rode just a wee bit further and stopped to take a picture looking back down the canyon.

The elderly fella rode up beside me a stopped, now I could tell he was older than I thought at first. I introduced myself and found out his name was Jos, but pronounced Joe. He is 83, and moved over to USA from Germany after the war and has called America his loving home ever since. Jos was wanting to visit now, so I let him carry on as he wished. It was easy to tell that Christ is active in Jos’s life and thoughts, I ventured into the subject of the youth of USA. Jos feels somewhat alarmed at the state of the America these days, it is like Americans have forgotten what it is that makes America so special amongst all the other nations. It didn’t start with this generation of youth we have today, this has been going on since the 70’s. Many of us thought that it was a cycle and we would go thru it, but I don’t think so, it just gets more perverse as we go along. As for Americans in general, they have forgotten to stop and look at there own country, to enjoy it’s beauty by walking and hiking, instead of eating and sitting in the camp trailer. Jos has ridden across USA twice on his bike. And just last year, he and an old friend from Germany rode across Germany together, from the north to the south of Bavaria. Quite the guy.

It was time to take my leave and hit the cranks again, the bike path was just great no more worries about heavy traffic coming up from behind, just ride and take pictures. The path winds along the banks of the Colorado River and is just stunning, each turn offers a new a fresh look at the river, some places calm, and others a flurry of white water tumbling over the rocks strewn along the bottom. I am not sure how many pics I took, but a lot. I am somewhat of a pic nut anyways.

I seen many Rafts full of tourists out enjoying themselves, and a lot of Kyaker’s as well.

There came a place where we come up along side of the Shoshone Power Dam, and down near the spill way I could see a large group of Kyaker’s. SO I decided that I was ready for a break, and grabbed my camera and headed to what was a launching sight for these water bugs called Kyak’s.

One fella caught my eye amongst all of them, I guess because of the equipment he had on. I noticed a small camera lens mounted to his helmet, no to mention all the other trappings of a white water kyaker. The fellows name was Ron, and if all the youth of America turn out to be a nice a fella as he is, well, I guess were really not in any sort of trouble. Ron teaches Kyaking during the summer months and Snow-boarding during the winter, claims the is no better life to be had. I am really interested in the water sport of Kyaking, it looks to be quite a challenge and very fun………never know, I just may try it someday.

I finished up with the bike path and entered onto Hwy6 once again for the slow grind up to Gypsum and then the backway into Eagle.

I think that there is some money being put into this town, and it is going to grow a lot by the looks of it. I found the beautiful new Library in Eagle and done up a little blogging from there. Took a spin thru the heart of town and spotted a bike shop. I decided to stop by and see what they had for soft cushy seats for old fat farts like me. Found a version that I felt offered me some relief, bolted it in place and tied the other onto my trailer, believe me I look like Hobo-Joe now with the plastic bags and plastic bottles etc tied to the trailer. Decided to head on towards a small campground up near Wolcott that I had been told about, and I rode another 8 miles or so and never seen the campground, its getting nnear to dark and I want off the bike. I see a small patch of dirt down against the banks of Eagle Creek, and decide that is going to be home for the night.

I set up camp, and start a fire on my little stove, I boil up some water and put it into my little pouch of de-hydrated chicken&rice bag, boil up a little more water and add a Earl Grey tea bag and there you have a fine meal. I am pooped and sleep does not take long to come.

Good Night and God Bless