GDMBR Day 32

• Start: Lynx Pass Campground, Routt National Forest

• Finish: Rabbit Ears Motel, Steamboat Springs, CO

• Miles: 37.6 miles

• Odometer: 1,220.2 miles

• Ascent: 1,800 feet

• Descent: 4,000 feet

• Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice

Highlights:

One of my favorite features of the Garmin InReach Explorer satellite communicator is the ability to check weather via satellite from anywhere. I usually get the “premium” forecast that delineates the weather hour by hour. My forecast for this morning said that it was going to rain early in the morning but be sunny by 7 AM. At 7 AM I was hunkered down in my tent in the middle of a rainstorm. I watched downloaded YouTube videos for a couple of hours and finally got out and packed everything up when there was a break in the weather. The rest of the morning and into the early afternoon was a delightful ride, descending 4,000 feet into Pleasant Valley on the way to Steamboat Springs. As I got closer to Steamboat Springs, I noticed larger and larger houses dotting the landscape usually perched high up on the mountainside with gorgeous views. Sometimes when I am bicycle touring I notice feelings of envy when I see beautiful homes in beautiful places. I also can’t help but wonder how long it takes to vacuum the carpet and dust the countertops in these huge houses. Ever since we sold our 3,300 square-foot home in Louisiana and moved into a 330 square-foot RV back in 2011, I have been pretty satisfied with smaller, more minimalist living. So while it would be nice to have one of those mega million dollar McMansions up on the mountain, I think I might be just as happy with a small cabin or tiny house (with a huge porch), but in the same location with the same beautiful views.

As I approached Steamboat Springs the wind blew the black clouds over my head and the rain began pouring down again. I was happy to make it to a very cool little motel called Rabbit Ears Motel. Despite this being a fairly short and easy day of riding, my legs felt worn out. I think the combination of the mud fest a couple of days ago and yesterday’s serious climbing have taken their toll. So I’ve decided to take a rest day tomorrow.