And we are out of Colorado! Since the last post, the team has ridden the entire state, seen the Rocky Mountains, and held many great events. On June 12, we rode from Craig to Steamboat Springs, where we encountered the first of many days of rain. That was a rough ride, with the rain pouring down on and passing cars kicking water and dirt all over us. Little did we know what was waiting for us the next day. In addition, we also found the sign to the Continental Divide, or at least where it once was. It had been destroyed by the time we got there. That night, we stayed at St. Paul Episcopal Church and got to visit Casey’s Pond, a senior living community in town. It was an excellent opportunity to hear the residents’ stories and learn from those who are caring for people who have Alzheimer’s every day.

The next day was one of the most difficult of the trip so far. Our ride from Steamboat Springs to Gould was unrelenting with the challenges thrown at us. For the first 20 miles, the team climbed nearly 3,500 feet up Rabbit Ear’s Pass, our highest point of elevation during the trip. The descent may have been even worse, 40 degrees, cutting wind, and cold rain. After that, the team had to call it for the day or risk becoming bicycle-shaped popsicles on the side of the road. We made our way to the small community of Gould, which was less of a town and more of a spot in the woods. However, we had a thoroughly enjoyable stay at the cabins, where a friendly face greeted us: Bike4Alz board member Dana Hesse, who helped us out and kept us company.

*Team 11 sitting on a ledge at Rocky Mountain Park.*

On June 14, we rode from Gould to Fort Collins, which held some of the most stunning views I had ever seen. Weaving through the mountains and following a rapid river down the whole way was terrific. A whole day of descent helped rest our legs too. Later on, when we arrived in Fort Collins, we stayed at Christ United Methodist Church and had an event at New Belgium Brewing, both of which were arranged with help from Scott Hapner of United Way of Larimer County. After our event, we met up with some of the Colorado State Fijis and made new friends. The next day, the team went up to Rocky Mountain National Park and the nearby town of Estes Park.

*Team 11 in front of the Golden, Colorado sign.*

On June 16, we left for Denver. On the way, the team stopped in Boulder to visit the Rapha store, which also had a built-in café for a mid-ride refreshment. Finally, we arrived in the city, not before some more rain and a couple more falls, resulting in some retired jerseys. On our rest day the following day, we spent the first half of the day in Denver, walking around downtown. For lunch, we stopped at Stout Street Social, a Denver favorite among some riders. For the second half, we walked up and down Pearl Street, a pedestrian road filled with shops of all kinds. To top the night off, the team traveled to Golden for an event at Buffalo Rose. While there, we met Sara Prevost, the Alzheimer’s Assistant Director of Cycling Events, who, after hearing about our many ventures with the rain, provided the team with “Ride to End Alz” cycling windbreakers. It was great to meet with her and hear about her experiences and efforts in the fight against Alzheimer’s and see the support the Alzheimer’s Association provides.

*Team 11 getting ready for the next stretch.*

From Colorado Springs, we traveled to Limon, where we stayed at First United Methodist Church, not without first stopping at the Arby’s, which was around two miles short of our final destination. In addition, we also discovered that Luke Howard’s older brother and Bike4Alz Team 10 member, Will Howard, had signed into Netflix the previous year on one of the church’s TVs, and it had not been signed out since.

To wrap up Colorado, the team rode the annual Bike4Alz 120-mile day! We woke up bright and early, around 5:30 am, to prepare for the long road ahead. For the first 30-mile stretch, the team felt great. The wind was at our backs, and we felt like we would fly through the day. However, the wind shifted, and for the next 90 miles, we encountered a 15mph headwind. We finished just before sundown, and I do not know if I have ever been so happy to see our trailer. So much so that instead of taking the two extra right turns to finish it out, I picked up my bike and carried it through a field between us. Thankfully, the good people at the United Methodist Church in Sharon Springs, Kansas, lifted our spirits with a great dinner and saw us off to our next destination with breakfast, beginning our first full day in the state.