Update #29 - July 09, 2003
Denver, CO- 5,368.0 miles (8,588.9 kms.)

As reported in the last update, the weather has been a big factor. The temperature has been in the upper eighties or upper nighties. It was a little hard making sure that I had enough water on the bike. Towns in Wyoming were far apart and water sources were not that frequent. I have been carrying a water filtration system since Washington State but I haven't needed to use it to get water out of streams, etc.

The hardest part about this section of the ride was having to ride the shoulder along I-25. Traffic especially during the July 4th Weekend was really high and I was always concerned about something coming across the shoulder towards me or if somebody while traveling over 75 mph swerving over the Rumble strip onto the shoulder. At least, there wasn't much truck tire debris to deal with. I did have one flat because a piece of wire from an old truck tire went into the tread of the front tire. Being on the interstate, there was little or no chance of getting out of the sun. I took advantage of every overpass for short breaks.

Along the way, I climbed to around 6100 feet at Cheyenne, WY but I dropped quite a bit of it on the way to Denver, CO. Because of this, I was able to put in some long days. A couple of days ago, I rode from Chugwater, WY to Eaton, CO. This was a distance of 100.04 miles. This was my first Century Ride for the year. What helped me some that day was getting some assistance from a thunderstorm south of Cheyenne. The winds blew me along at around 20 mph for about 20 miles.

I was pretty fortunate in finding friendly ministers. I stayed in churches in Douglas and Chugwater, WY (both Baptist) and a Lutheran Church in Easton, CO. The pastor of the Douglas, WY church even took me out to a grocery store for a few grocery items and some sun screen. My poor nose has been really peeling. In Glenrock and Wheatland, WY, motel rooms were donated.

I did have one run-in with a minister in Wheatland, WY who told me that if I needed anything like a meal, I would have to go to the police station, have a background check done on me, fill out some forms, and then the ministerial alliance might give me a voucher for a meal at a local restaurant. This was after he had introduced me to the congregation as an itinerant minister and also gave me the chance to speak a few minutes at the beginning of the Sunday morning service. I'm not sure when I became a tramp to him. I had plenty of food on the bike so I didn't want to go through the loops for a possible hot meal.

Tomorrow, I'll be heading out to Colorado Springs. I should get there in two days. From Colorado Springs, I will either be heading south to Pueblo and then Eastward to Kansas or heading NE to U.S. 36 and then Eastward to Nebraska. I'm shooting for Council Bluffs, IA and hope to be there by the first part of August.

I'll try to post an update as often as I can if there are any changes in my plans.