By Beulah Mae
Wind blown and happy. Bloodshot eyes, the tip of my nose is sunburnt, my mouth is dry and I couldn’t be happier. Herds of big horn sheep, bighorn sheep mingling with deer. A bald eagle doing lazy circles in the sky over the Rio Grande. A daytime moonrise, watching a big quarter moon peek in and out between the mountains. Speed goats and open roads. Apocalypse moments with no one in front of me or behind me for miles and miles.
I’m much more concerned about the weather out here than I ever was when I lived in CA. Today looks like it will be the last day up near 70 for a while. Next week it’s gonna get back down to the 30’s. Maybe some moisture, we need it so I’m not too bummed, but I knew I’d better get on my bike before I missed my shot. I have projects up in the fortress of solitude that is my craft room and guest quarters. Those can wait, this opportunity couldn’t.
I traveled some familiar roads and unlocked a new road, hwy 114 from Gunnison to Sagauche (suh-waach). Nice open roads, it felt good to get to kick it up in to sixth gear for some long stretches. Ever cautious, scanning the sides of the road for danger deer, because if there’s one you can see there are at least 2 or 3 you can’t see. No danger deer until I made it back home. I did see a small herd of antelope (aka speed goats). They were out in a field and I slowed to watch them and watch the road for more on the other side. Better safe than sorry. I wasn’t paying too much attention to the speed limits out there, just doing whatever made the bike feel best, I wasn’t in any real hurry.
When I Ieave my house I’m riding next to the Rio Grande for about a mile before I hit pavement. That road is The Silver Thread Scenic Byway. It’s a 117 mile journey that starts in South Fork, passes through Creede, over the continental divide, past Lake City, and ends at the Blue Mesa Reservoir. People travel from states away just to pass through and I’m already here! Once I leave my neighborhood I can go either left or right and the route I chose today was left. The shortest round trip route is 250 miles. I’m not gonna see a stoplight for at least 2 hours.
The Silver Thread Scenic Byway dead ends at the West Elk Scenic Byway. I was not on the scenic part for long as I headed in to Gunnison and my first stop light. I topped off my tank, stopped at a Napa auto parts store to get a new battery for my fob and found a pizza joint for a quick lunch.
Next up I unlocked HWY 114. 61 miles of easy going mountain passes, open valleys and big sweepers with nearly zero traffic. I had to pass one Texan. They were doing pretty good for the most part, but they brake weird in turns (IYKYK) and I didn’t want to stare at this guys butt all afternoon. I made a safe pass and had the road in front of me to myself for the next hour. I pulled over once to watch the antelope but I didn’t want stay too long and have Texas catch up with me.
I hit Saguache for a pit stop and then back on the road. At this point I can go on auto pilot. Just a bunch of straight roads til I hit Del Norte for the last leg home. I put it in cruise control and just took it easy. This time of year the cops are like hawks when you get near the towns, I saw one guy pulled over just out of town and saw at least 5 more sheriffs trucks patrolling between Saguache and South Fork.
I made my right turn at South Fork and that means today I will have ridden all 117 miles of the Silver Thread Scenic Byway by the time I get home. Side note: One time my friend Matt, who is a pilot, flew in to Creede and took Kyle and I on a flight to Salida to have lunch. When we flew back we came up the canyon from South Fork to Creede, and as we were nearing the bend at the Blue Creek Lodge we felt like we were in Star Wars flying through canyons like the Millennium Falcon.
Just past Star Wars canyon there was a herd of bighorn sheep mingling with deer in the fields behind the Cottonwood Cove Guest Ranch. (my fifth element* for the day) I top off my tank in town so I’m ready for the next adventure when I park my bike. A friendly flash of the brights from a truck just before the turn by the airport, alerting me to some danger deer, thanks neighbor!
I’m back on my dusty road home, sun shining straight in to my eyes like laser beams. As I round the last corner towards the cabin I see the garage door is already open, my husband to be (he’ll do) is down in the garage after finishing his time in the fortress of solitude, waiting for me to rumble in and settle down with him for the evening.
*Fifth element: The element of surprise. Unplanned, inimitable.
“Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Ramble Around 