Walden CO to Kremmling CO - 69 miles.

By David Hardy

After a slow breakfast in Walden-per usual-Max led us out of Walden towards the southeast. About 9 miles in we started seeing trees! Soon we had left the Great Basin behind and entered the Rockies. And the cursed wind was finally behind us.

The crew finds a shady spot to hang out on Willow Creek Pass.

But we were in full climbing mode. A tough one up Willow Creek Pass-9700 feet. We crossed the Continental Divide yet again, then praise be, a sweet descent to Hot Sulphur Springs and milkshakes at a dairy bar.

Over 9600 feet at Willow Pass? We weren't even out of breath. Talk about the benefits of high altitude training.

Lunch in Hot Sulpher Springs, next to the Colorado river. The river is only 100 yards wide in these parts.

It's apparently monsoon season in Colorado with fierce afternoon storms. We huddled under the awning of the dairy bar to wait out the storm and again saw the solo lady rider. She was done for the day but we had more miles to go.

Seventeen more, to be exact, on narrow roads with no shoulder and irate cowboys gunning past us.
We reached Kremmling around 5pmand Ed called the local police chief. Chief Powell met us at a convenience store-all drinks for a dollar including Mountain Dew Smoothies!- and regaled us with stories. Cool guy with wit as dry as the desert. He recommended the nearby RV park for camping. Ed negotiated a deal and we got showers and camp space for practically nothing.

We score another great campsite, with showers.

As for food, the chief said the Chinese restaurant was the best in the area-perhaps the entire planet. As for the Mexican joint, well he had arrested practically everyone who worked there, so he figured they'd probably spit in his food so avoided that one.

But, alas, the Chinese cook was sick, so off to Mexicofoodland. We refrained from dropping Chief Powell's name when we ordered our chow.