Sunday, May 31, 2017: Damn, to think that I began contemplating this whole American Dirt gig back in the winter of 2009, and now here I am nearly 8 years later still painstakingly working through this thing. It’s consumed such a massive chunk of my time, my being, my sanity, my money, my health, yet like the knucklehead that I am I just cannot give up. 

So here we are, about to embark on what I hope is truly the end of this long journey, and I hate to say it but at this point it feels pretty anticlimactic. I’d love to say otherwise, but this is the truth. I think because it’s been stretched over the course of three years, that seems to take some of the thrill out it. But then again, heck I’ve been tinkering and readjusting this route such that it’s really taken that long because of all the recon and research. Anyway, the difference between doing this thing in one fell swoop and doing it as smaller chucks for three years in a row, that’s definitely taken some of the thrill away for me right now. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I am anxious and anticipatory about getting out there on remote jeep and single tracks and riding through some amazing country. That’s always been the driving force behind American Dirt for me - to be out there in places that most - nearly all - people will never have the privilege to visit. To experience the remoter parts of the United States, to be alone in the wilderness, to feel at one with the countryside, that just gives me such a kick in the ass. I  love it, I respect it, I’m kind of hooked on it, that feeling of exploration and discovery. 

So that and the “not quitting” thing is why we’re out here for the third time. Now my fitness is not where I’d like it to be as we close in on the starting point in NV, but that’s pretty much a mute issue. All I can say is “it is what it is.” Period! Last year’s medical situation coupled with my age has put me in a place I’m still not used to being at, namely fully knowing that a frailty now exists with my life. I’m no longer the world-beater I once believed I was. My weaknesses have been exposed, and I fully recognize it today. Even in my early fifties I believed I could always draw on my fitness and pull something seeming ridiculously hard out of my ass. I no long have that kind of confidence in my physical prowess. 

I guess that’s part and parcel of the whole aging process, and accepting that fact, well, that’s something I’m now learning to do. I haven’t quite embraced it yet, but I’m gradually massaging it into my psyche. I have to respect that today. Which means I go into this trip knowing I just cannot “rely” on my past fitness and accomplishments to pull me through. I have to put a governor in myself to hold back my mental drive from my current fitness level, because they’re now leagues apart. But hell, I have to defer to the fact that I’m alive and well, and able to get on the road to even consider finishing this thing. That’s a blessing, and that is where I’m at. 

So we left OHI Sunday morning and did a nice little drive just west of St. Louis. Ended up camping in this pretty seedy little campground on Rt. 79 in Missouri. Heck, we had a nice warm day, no chances of bad weather, what the what - might as well camp out and save a buck. So this was THE only game in town outside of St. Louis. But wow, what a total dump. Looks more like a flop camp for dilapidated campers and cigarette smoking hillbillies. Now the owner was a nice enough guy, but the sites were just so run down. Like the first thing I do when I get a site is check to make the electricity works, that because I always try to get electric site so I can hook up my computer and charge our phones. 

Well, no electricity. So the owner had to come back with his tool box and fix this rotted out electric box that had wires which become unattached to the incoming main electrical line. Took about 45 min till we had electricity. Then we just chilled in the sun and had a nice tuna salad for dinner. Yea, that’s yet another side of the new Pete for this trip, the nutritional side. Last year’s medical situation had pretty much given me a “Come to Jesus Moment” with respect to my mortality. So despite the fact that my blood profiles were really good throughout the whole ordeal, I still was kind of guided into a much healthier eating pattern by the exercise physiologists and cardiologists, if only to help with the statin drug to dissipate the remaining blockages in my coronary arteries. 

Those days of absolute gluttony and sin with respect to my food intake - GONE! I’m a fish, fruit and salad guy now. Yes, I miss the days of eating at all-you-can-eat buffets, Sonic’s, and at pub/burger establishments etc., etc., etc., but hey this is the card I’ve been dealt, and this is the hand I have to play, like it or not. I have embraced it as the months have moved on…to the point to where I really DO enjoy a tuna salad for dinner, to where I really DO like fruit for lunch or after a hard ride, to where I really DO eat as much or more veggies for dinner than protein. I’ve learned it’s doable and satiating!

Our wonderful little dinner and relaxation with some after-dinner wine was ruined by an ever increasing swarm of gnats. They pretty much forced us into the van where I had to open the rear windows and install the bug netting so we had air circulation minus the tiny beasts. With busy Rt. 79 just a couple hundred yards away, the evening was noisy and not very conducive to sleep. We both slept like total shit. For the life of me, I just cannot understand why anyone would camp in this campground for more than a quick night while on the road. It’s just so lacking in any kind of amenities or scenic peacefulness. It’s more like a roadside flophouse.

Got up early on Monday, beat feet out of the trailer park from hell, and just did a gonzo mission to Denver. That was about 750 miles with just a couple of restroom breaks and a quick stop at a Subway for a tuna and veggie sub. Got to Drew’s house in Denver around 7:30 PM Mountain Time. Just chilled on Drew’s porch and sipped wine on a warm and wonderful evening, as we laughed, goofed and got caught up on each other’s lives. 

Now since we’re in no real hurry to make NV, we’re hanging at Drew’s place for a couple days. This is because we’re waiting for my bud Dave to arrive in UT. So here’s the plan: Dave will join us at his house in St. George, UT, this after he does the Mohican 100 mt bike race on Saturday June 4. Then he’s flying to Salt Lake City, then taking a shuttle to St. George to meet up with us sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning. So we actually will not be leaving for last year’s end point in NV until Monday June 5 or Tuesday June 6. Dave will be doing the entire NV to the West Coast journey with me. THAT will be pretty darned nice. So anyway, we have a week of R&R before Dave hooks up with us. 

Drew has a nice place out here in Denver, with near instant access to the Cherry Creek bike trail just four miles away via some very mellow neighborhood roads. So, with great weather, great sights, good friend, good riding, DONE! We did a nice 2.5 hr ride up and around Cherry Creek Reservoir on Tuesday, then grilled some fish, scallops and veggies while relaxing on the deck. Then on Wednesday, Judy and I did another loop on the Cherry Creek trail for about 31 miles. 

We bid farewell to Drew on Thursday morning shooting for Moab, UT as the day’s destination, this because an old trail dog friend of mine, Brad, now works for the park service in the area, and second…well, because Moab is Judy’s all time favorite place to visit. Funny that Moab is Judy’s fav place, because to me this city kind of turns my stomach just as Estes Park, CO does. Now don’t get me wrong, the environment is just amazing. It’s one of the premier mt biking meccas in the US. Then add to that the beautiful La Salle Mts., to the south and you’ve got a fantastic outdooring venue. No, it’s the whole downtown scene that I have trouble with, the gazillion tourist trinket shops, the plethora of hotels and eateries, the throngs of people walking and driving down the 25mph main drag. It’s just tourist trap heaven, a total cluster**** - which is why Judy just loves it and why I just hate it. 

So a slight detour to Moab was a must. Had a great driving day from Denver across the front range and up and over Loveland and Vail passes. Then it was clear sailing all the way through Grand Jcn and into UT. We pulled into Moab at about 3 PM, got a hotel right next to this pedestrian bike trail that Judy just loves, changed into our bike gear, then did a 1.5 hr ride up Rt 191 north out of town to the trails end, then back down into town again. Felt good to get the legs and lungs working after 6 hours on the road. Did my MUST EAT stop at Gilberto’s, this authentic Mexican place, where we picked up some to-go burritos we could munch on as we watched the Clev-Oak game. Brad rolled over to our hotel during the game to hang for a spell. Man, hadn’t seen the guy since he put me up in his Fort Collins digs back in 2011 during my second Trans-USA bike trip. He looked pretty dang good for a 55-year-old guy. 

Shoot, I first met Brad back in 1986 when we were both much younger pups and worked at ROMO - Rocky Mountain National Park. Been friends ever since, though we’ve had spells of up to 10 years without bumping into each other. And as with Drew, when we get together it’s more inane, juvenile joking and goofing than anything else. Funny how you just can’t take the 12-year-old out of an aging adult male. At times it’s pure stupidity. 

So we left Moab early Friday morning for our next destination, St. George, UT, another 5-6 hrs southwest. By the time we reached St. George the temp was at 102 degrees. Got to Dave’s winter paradise home just north of town…absolutely beautiful! This is like a VACATION within a vacation. We feel like we’re staying at a Club Med dacha for goodness sake. Many thanks to Dave and Debbie for their hospitality!

Let I said, by the time we rolled into town the temp was just torrid, so no ride for either of us on this day. Just did some grocery shopping, cooked dinner and called it an early night. 

Today, Saturday, June 3, we got on the paved bike trail and did a mission into town so I could have my bike checked out at Red Rocks Bicycle Shop. Problem is my rear hydraulic brake began sticking back in CO. Something was not releasing such that the calipers would not release from the rotor. I thought maybe it was the fluid or air in the lines. So I hadn’t used the rear brake for days. Well, the bike trail into town is a nice little 2-lane wide asphalt ditty, that’s got some pretty short, but pretty steep ups and downs, like 15% grades. Judy decided to walk the steepest of the group, which is like approaching the crest of a roller coaster where you barely have vision of the track beneath you for a split second. 

The riding is just fantastic out here, road, mt, pedestrian trail, you name it. Heck just the ped. trails alone constitute many tens if not a hundred or so miles alone. We got rolling at 8:30 AM, which was probably a bit on the late side for trying to beat the heat. So by the time we got into town we were pretty much getting into the high 80’s-low 90’s for heat. 

Guys in the bike shop gave me some bad news: my Sram Guide brakes that I have are kind of on recall because of some of the pistons were milled a bit too big. Thus, the larger pistons tend to stick. Good news is that Sram is willing to warranty them, bad news again is that it would take the shop a week to get my warranted brakes back in. I had to buy a new rear brake system with a new rotor. Went with Shimano XT. Cha-ching! I hope to warranty the brake when I get home. They had me taken care of asap and the deed was done. Also put on a new saddle because the current saddle just wasn’t feeling right. I have a feeling that over the past year the morphology of my ass has changed…for the worse!

Bike ride back up out of St. George on the bike trail was fun, in that a couple of those rollers were steep indeed. We’re huddled back inside Dave and Deb’s house like a couple of prairie dogs sitting out the heat of the day in their den. Will do some dinner here at the house and then relax out at the pool later in the early evening when the heat goes down a bit. 

I swear, this kind of heat is just not to my body’s liking. Makes me feel lethargic. I’m hoping I kind of acclimatize a bit over the next couple of days. But wow, I can really feel it, and that’s not because of my recent medical situation - been that way all my life. I function well in cooler climes, that’s just my make-up. Ok, off to soak in the cool pool.