Ordway to Eads

This morning we stopped for breakfast at a country store and gas station on our way out of Eads. They sold biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, and omelettes. Hearty food for a long ride!

We rode 60 miles to get to Eads, Colorado. It was, once again, completely flat. The vegetation is really short too, with nothing more than two feet off the ground. You can see for miles. Mike found it all to be very boring, but that didn’t bother me at all. I am very much enjoying the break from climbing.

Eads seems like the kind of town where everyone knows everyone. We stopped at the grocery store and I overheard the cashier telling the person in front of me “be sure to tell Tom that we have his soap in now.” It all felt very wholesome.

We spent a long time this evening planning out where we are going to stay the next several nights. Each town we pass through has very few options, and we’ve already been left scrambling to find a place when the place we wanted was full. We’re hoping that planning ahead will mitigate that.

Highlights

• I saw two tarantulas on the road today. I was torn between making this a highlight and a lowlight. It was really interesting and surreal and also gave me the heebie jeebies. Apparently October in Southeastern Colorado is when the tarantulas migrate. So, this is the time and the place to see them!
• perfect weather for riding

Lowlights

• I suspected I ran over a tarantula yesterday accidentally but couldn’t be sure. After seeing two obvious tarantulas today, I am now confident that’s what happened. I feel bad for running it over and also grossed out.

Julie’s food

• Breakfast: oatmeal and coffee
• First Snack: Clif bar
• Second Snack: Clif bar
• Third Snack: apple, pistachios
• Dinner: veggie burger, chips, guac, veggie spring rolls, ice cream

Stats

• Total distance: 61.79 miles
• Elevation gain: 751 feet
• Weather: dry, high of 73 degrees Fahrenheit