Day 30, Breckenridge to Guffy, CO. 66 miles

Day 30 started with a good Breakfast at The Bivi.  Granola, fresh fruit, yogurt, sausage, pancakes plus an assortment of other goodies.  The bunk room was full with 6 of us.  No one snored... bonus.  Left a little after 8 and started the 10 mile grind up to Hoosier Pass, arriving about 9:30.  Definitely noticed the altitude at 11,500 ft.  Then downhill into Alma and Fairplay. 

Then the challenge of the day began.  Construction...  all CO285 traffic diverted to my road CO9.  For 25 miles I got to deal with lots of traffic with no shoulder.  Glad to have that over with. 

Had lunch in Hartsel.  Then headed for Guffey.  Almost no traffic on this section, but construction about 10 miles in.  Not a big deal though.  Arrived in Guffey about 2:30pm.

Bill, the owner of Guffey Garage has been hosting bicyclists since 1976.  Really enjoyed chatting with him and seeing all the creations.

Only 1500 vert to go!

Yup.

First Route 76 marker

Last view of the Rockies

Can't add anything to this..

Guffey Garage

Bill's 76 certificate.  He didn't ride,
but betting he hosted a lot of riders.
Wish I had one of these...

Yup, dead steer in front of my bunkhouse

Day 29, Dillon -> Breck -> Dillon, 36 miles round trip

Day 29, July 7, 2019
After a 10 day hiatus from the bike, I decided to do this jaunt to reduce the distance to Guffey, CO from about 90 miles to 70.  It was also all on a bike path which seemed like a good way to deal with 4th of July holiday traffic.  I also did this ride without the usual baggage, but the payback was doing an out and back.  Who ever heard of such a thing on the Trans America?!

Anyway, the ride started in Dillon, near the REI and headed over the Dillon Reservoir Dam and around the reservoir, then south to Breckenridge following the Blue River along the 10 mile range.  It is quite scenic and from what I have heard from other cyclist, one of the best parts of the trip.  I've sen it many times during my skiing excursions to the area, but it is still captivating.  It was great weather and nice temps the whole day.  I met two gentlemen on the TA headed west and then drafted someone heading back from Breckenridge.  Imagine being drafted by someone on a fendered 35lb touring bike at 25 mph for 5 miles.

I'll be staying in Breckenridge 7/8 to officially start round 2 on Tuesday.  Hoosier Pass will be right out of the box....

Oh, and the seat...  there is a reason that everyone rides one of these things and the company has been around for like a 150 years.  Yup ***** 5 stars.

Leaving Dillon

Dillon Reservoir

Frisco, CO

Doesn't get better than this....

Breck street art?

NO cars, trucks, or Rv's!

Updates for Round 2

I'm fortunate that I live basically at the half way point and I'm able to modify my gear for the next half, which I expect to be hot and humid.  I doubt very much that I'll be experiencing freezing temps for the next round.

Tired...

A while back I noticed that the front tire of my bike had some strange deformities (3 or 4 of these around the tire).  Since I have the same tire front and rear I was able to compare and the rear looks fine.  I'm not sure if this is because of it being a fold-able tire.  Maxxis has discontinued this tire... Anyway, I decided to replace the tire rather than have something happen as I tend to rip on the downhills.

A Seat for my seat...

Everyone that I have met so far has been riding on one of these....

Tent

For the first half, I was in the mountains most of the time.  I used my Black Diamond Firstlight tent.  This is a single wall tent with internal poles made primarily for alpine environments.  The tent was ok, but if it was humid it would end up with a lot of condensation inside (they used to be made my Bibler, or "dribbler" as they were known).  It is very light though, so I was willing to deal with it.  

The BD Firstlight

Now that I'm headed into hotter and more humid environs I decided to upgrade to something that will be hopefully more suitable.  I purchased the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 PLATINUM.  This tent is a two person ultralight tent, weighing in just a little over two pounds.  Ultralight though also comes with downsides, one of which is very thin materials.  We'll see how this holds up as I use it.

kinda like wax paper...

Other things I'm changing out...  Lighter sleeping bag (doubt I need a 20 degree bag), jackets, jerseys, and reducing some gear.

Pearl Izumi Customer Service or Not

About a month before the trip, I purchased a pair of Pearl Izumi X-Alp Elevate shoes.  These are primarily a mountain bike shoe, but were recommended by a local bike shop.  These shoes come with a velcro closure near the ball of the foot and a BOA closure for the remainder.  I do like the BOA closure, it allows me to adjust the shoe while riding just by reaching down and turning the dial.  They fit well and I've had no foot issues with them.  I do like the shoe.

You'll notice that the BOA wire goes through nylon loops.  My original thought was that this would wear from dirt and mud and eventually cut through.  Well, mine didn't even last that long.  A little over a 1000 miles into the ride I noticed this...

It appears that the nylon was not singed enough and it pulled through the stitching.  Pearl Izumi has a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects, so  I emailed Pearl Izumi the photos and also told them I was in the middle of the Trans America ride and what could they do.  Their response was laughable.  "If you think there is a problem with your product, please go to....  and fill out our warranty form".  Yeah, no shit, I think there is a problem, that is why I sent you an email...  with photos.  To get a replacement, I will have to fill out their form (got access to a printer?), Remove the cleats, ship them to california, wait for them to process, and maybe get new shoes?  when?  Am I supposed to sit around a couple of weeks and wait for shoes, or duct tape my shower flip flops to the pedal?  

So I went and found some needle and thread and did a little creative suturing.  Improvising is a part of life on the road anyway.  I've decided to ride with it the rest of the way (I've put another 800 miles on them) and then deal with them after I've finished.   

So be warned, if your in the middle of the great divide trail or peruvian jungle.  Don't expect much if you have problems with your PI gear... 

What my trip is like in video