Eads, CO

We reluctantly left Gillian's this morning after chatting with her over breakfast. She is a very resilient woman to have weathered such a disaster as the fire that took her house. The house we stayed in has only been there for a week! She really is the Trail Angel that Adventure Cycling christened her. We talked about life in general and she explained how the cyclists who come to stay add to her life. Once again, we found a welcoming home on the first day out. A week or so down the line, we'll be wishing for such a respite. She made us promise to explain the situation to any cyclists who are heading her way and send them to her.

We were constantly amazed at the wide open spaces. There was hardly any traffic at all until the town we pulled into tonight. There was horizon as far as we could see the whole day. The riding today was rather uneventful. We set Eads as our goal, since that was the first place that had a motel. We rode and rode through towns that were really nothing more than a Post Office. Arlington, CO (much different from Arlington, VA!) was just a few houses, but there was a picnic table and outhouse. They were presumably there for cyclists, since not only the TransAm route goes through there but something called the Prairie Horizons route.

We ate lunch of peanut butter and bananas and pedaled on to Eads. We are checked into the EconoLodge and are getting ready for dinner at the K & M Restaurant. The only thing missing from here is a cell phone signal! Tomorrow, we head for the town of Tribune. We are making good progress, though we haven't seen too many cyclists since the six who were headed west yesterday.We did just meet David, a young guy heading the same direction we are. He rode all the way from Pueblo today, over 110 miles. Ah, the energy of youth!