The Monarch Pass

Today was another one of those crazy days that turned out to be easier than expected. Support team D (Alissa, Sebastian, Clara, Rachael and I) woke up at 5 A.M. - the earliest of the ride yet. We started in Gunnison, CO at Western State University, where there had been a late rap battle the night before. The riders woke up 30 minutes later because they had a 113 mile day ahead of them, and they all did great! They climbed to the top of Monarch Pass, which is one way to get across the Continental Divide. Afterwards, there was a very steep downhill through Salida into Cotopaxi. The actual trip had been calculated longer than it really was- the riders only had to bike upwards of 87 miles and some even skated into Cotopaxi in time for our lecture.

On top of today's mileage, there was a lecture event at 3 P.M. for 80 some high schoolers at Cotopaxi High where we will be staying tonight in the gym. Some riders decided to come to the event straight from the peak at Monarch Pass, and so eleven of us headed to the school to talk to some curious kids. They were great, and so was the faculty at the school- afterwards, we got to mingle and talk to some of them in a less formal setting.

Good job, R4WH! Denver, here we come!

-Farhaad