Shane's riding...but where's Richelle?

After some 9hr plus days in the saddle, and 2 weeks since our last rest day, this week we rolled into Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for 2 days of R&R.  Eating, reading, replacing tyres, bottom brackets, brake pads, and eating some more!  Steamboat is a great little town for that!

But alas, yesterday morning it was time to hit the road again, a 70km day of gradual climbing up over Lynx Pass, and beyond.  Rolling out of town it was quickly apparent that not only were we climbing, but We were climbing into a bitch of a headwind.  By 20km in I was falling further and further behind Shane, so slow that I was wobbling all over attempting to stay upright, with my legs pretty much saying no way, we are NOT doing this today...and I was getting more and more pissed about being out there.  And knowing that I'd be out there for another 3 days of climbing until we reached Breckenridge!

Shane, bless his cotton socks was asking what was wrong, and through my tears all I could explain was that I just didn't want to be on the bike.  Not today.  Not for the next 3 days.  We managed another 10kms of trying to convince myself that I could do it, before we sat under a tree for some lunch, and I decided once and for all that i couldn't muster the mental strength to push myself through the next few days...I would go back to Steamboat and meet Shane further down the trail.

One of the toughest decisions I've had to make..

Skipping part of the trail that I have been following for over 2 months and over 3,000kms. But holy crap I've done over 3,000km that's massive for me, in reality I'm surprised I've lasted till now to crack!  And we are riding for the fun of it, what's the point in riding when you are miserable?

Leaving Shane to ride it alone, without me his chief map reader, and without me there if something happens.  This is the hardest.  But there's other tourers we know just ahead and just behind him on the trail, so there's people around.  His biggest hurdle will be to stop himself from covering the 250kms in one day!  And as a bonus, he gets to ride at his own pace without waiting for slowpoke here.  He says he doesn't mind waiting, but it makes me feel better knowing I'm not holding him up!

What will people think of me, bailing out when it gets too hard?  Ah who the hell cares I'm sure people will understand!

So I find myself today back in Steamboat. Shane rode back with me yesterday (returning with an amazing tailwind!) as we needed to repack all our stuff, so we both had a tent each (we have been carrying 2 for this eventuality!) and Shane could offload some of his stuff onto me so he could go a bit lighter.  He headed out early this morning, but not before stopping for a breakfast burrito at Taco Cabo!

I slept until 9am, packed up the tent and have been hanging out in Karen and Ray's RV with Bodie the Golden Retriever all morning reading and laying on their couch.  Karen and Ray are doing the Divide Trail as day rides, and car shuffling back to their trailer each night, at age 70 they are absolutely inspirational!  They have spoilt us with beers, dinner, spare tyres and great company.  They are out riding today while I veg out!  It's worked perfectly as they are headed to Denver tomorrow, so will drop me off at Silverthorne on the way, so I can meet up with Shane Sunday night or Minday morning.  This break was meant to be!

I'm hoping these couple of days will be the reset that I need, but I'll decide on Monday whether I take a few more or not...

Yes, I do feel I'm missing out, but I'm so super excited to be doing nothing right now!!!!

Bodie and I doing it tough...

The amazing Karen and Ray!

Shane rolling out by himself this morning..no backpack!!!