Colorado, 2017. Antelope Wells, NM

I caught up to Tyler about an hour from the finish of the Tour Divide Race. Quite an effort by these folks.....14-30 days of riding, some even more, to get from Banff, BC to Antelope Wells, NM.

Videos too large for blogspot.....each about 60-70 seconds. If you want to hear what Tyler has to say, click here.

Heath Wade, from Australia. Tyler and Heath ended up prttey much riding together the last few days.

As for Heath, click here.

 Tyler (green) Mark from UT (red) and Heath at the finish.

 I had some beer, coke and some grub ready for the guys. The only shade around.

 The next day, Tyler with his 2 favorite foods, getting some calories back.

Colorado, 2017 continued.

Heading to Antelope Wells, NM

First dinner on the road, MN. Steak and asparagus.

 Hail in Kansas.

 San Juan Range. Nearing Santa Fe. Sangre de Cristo Mountains......Blood of Christ.

A stop along the Tour, Pie Town, NM. I also stopped in Silver City, NM, another stop on the Tour, and did a little ride on the Little Walnut trail close to town, to test my thigh. It felt fine.

Colorado, 2017. HPT, La Crosse, WI

Was planning this trip for a few months. I had decided to go in mid/late July on a solo trip hitting areas I haven't been to yet, especially Crested Butte.
Then in April on the BALLS ride when I spent the day riding with Tyler, he mentioned that he didn't have a plan for when he finished the Tour Divide. I volunteered to step up my trip a couple of weeks and pick him up at Antelope Wells, NM.
The plan started out me taking him to an airport, El Paso, Albuquerque or maybe Sante Fe and I would then take my 2 weeks. That got modified to me trailering the Honda ST1100 to NM and Tyler driving the Jeep and trailer back to Madison and me picking them up after my 2 weeks in CO on the STeed.
Then Tyler thought about joining me and after he got permission to take time off of work, the plan then was to just bring the Jeep and we'd take off together for CO after he finished the Tour.

Watching his blue dot on TrackLeaders, he was a couple of days ahead of schedule, so I left WI figuring he'd finish late Friday or early Saturday.

On the way Thursday stopped in at the Human Powered Trails (HPT) in La Crosse, WI.
It was a bit wet and slippery on the rocks and roots so I was taking it easy....then I came around a corner down in a draw about as far as the Jeep as possible and I slid out. Came down hard on my left thigh trying to protect my head. It was a bit serious, so once I knew nothing was broke I mounted up and took off before it started to stiffen up.....by the time I pedaled out and stopped and got ice the pain was quite serious and I was having a hard time driving and was actually getting a bit nauseous. I drove the next few hours with a bag of ice on my thigh. Was concerned I might have messed up my 2 week CO trip.

Covered about 80-85% of the trails. Had my fall out on French Connection, top left of the map.

Came up on this rock out on OBI or Twister.....somewhere out there. Dan is rider I've met during the Arrowhead and Tuscobia.

Some humor......

Passau, Germany

Passau, Germany (Bavaria). City of "Three Rivers". The blue Danube, green Inn and black Llz all meet here. All rivers come from a different watershed, so the colors are distinct where they meet.

Cool old castle (is there any other kind?).
Got in some nice walking in the hours we were there.

Way back in the 1100's they figured out to bevel the opening so 2 archers could fire at the same time....by not standing directly in front of the opening. There was other cool castle facts on the tours....just can't remember them all!

Not sure if this was our boat, but similar.

The town Cathedral.

Toss this guy on your back for awhile!

Duluth, MN Lester Park and Hawks Ridge

Coming home from Cuyuna back in May spent some time in Duluth. These trails are only getting better and better.
Up Lester Park (west trail), out and back across Hawks Ridge, down Lester Park (east trail).

Ozark Biking

Hit up some trails while Lynn and I spent time in the Ozarks. It was a wet spring here as well as many parts of the Midwest.
In general, very good trails that drain nicely and due to the shale type soil, don't retain much water. Wet, but no mud or standing water.
Trails: 
- Rode parts of the KATY near St; Louis with buddy Beans that lives there.
St. Charles, Daniel Boone. "WELCOME"

- White River Valley, Branson. This trial was closest to our condo so I rode it a few times. Nice trail.
"JAKE IS IN LOVE WITH SARAH" hummm....wonder how that's going?

Not a good pic, but an old cabin and cellar along the trail.

A few hikers out on the trail. Tried to roll around one by going up some exposed shelf rock. Slid out. Rock was jagged and sharp. No Emergency Room visit, though.

- Lake Leatherwood trails near Eureka Springs....including Bench Loop, Twin Knobs, Minors Rock and Dam Overlook. Again, good trails. Some climbing but nothing too over the top....pun intended.

Miners Rock outcropping.

Random formations along Dam Overlook.

Eureka Springs is an interesting town, worth it to stop in. Bike Shop owner was informative as well. The town it's self isn't bike friendly, but the owner shared info on trails, how to get to Lake Leatherwood via the backdoor, and housing info.

We drove down to Bentonville to look around and I rode a couple of hours on the Slaughter Pen trail system. I did some loops on the Pen trails, then worked my way to downtown via other trail systems and connectors. There is a lot here....and it can get very challenging if that's what one wants.

I met Lynn and the Bike Rack Brewing Company and they have the original of a print I have from an artist in MT....cool connection.

We stopped in Springfield, MO and we came across a Bike Museum. Well worth the time to stop in and check things out. James Allen is the owner, tons of stuff and great stories to back it all up. He had 3 Columbia 1900 era shaft drive bikes....but no Crawford.