Rest day on front range

Parking spot last night proved to be a bit more active than i estimated. 2 fright trains went by, the 100 feet distance just kept the engineer from looking into my windows. Temp never dropped below 70 making a sweaty sleep. Just after I crawled into bed I heard a car pull in right beside me, like next parking slot and there were others to choose. The engine was left running. I first thought police but after several minutes no car door opening followed by a rap on the van happened. I peeked out thru gap in curtains. Dark car, maybe SUV, engine running. Next thought was perhaps a couple parking or some kind of criminal activity. I debated about packing up and leaving. Instead I sweated in the heat in bed. I heard their car door open quietly followed by a woman’s hurling sound followed by a wet splat on the pavement then the car left. I wondered what hit the pavement. I shined my flashlight on the pavement and spotted  a white puddle w/ spittle in it. Yep, she wasn’t a swallower.

In the AM I opened the side door and hung inside the van. I was right on a thruway from office buildings and Whole Foods and there was almost a constant flow of people heading for goodies then back. A guy, Rob, comes over and introduces himself and said he has been reading m y blog. He is also a Turner addict w/ a Flux and Spot. Next Justin stops, he was one of the riders I sort of rode w/ @ Soapstone on Sat. They were faster riders and beat me back to parking lot and left b4 3rd t-storm. Then Matt pedals up on a bike. He was riding on the trail and saw a green van and he wondered if it might be the green van from BikeMag. He discovered it was. He is manager of Performance Bike store just down the way. He is so pumped. He invites me to the store just down the way to meet rest of his staff. I made the store. They had copies of the BikeMag that were awaiting my autograph. How cool.

Bid FT Collins adieu and headed back to Loveland for Tues AM frige service. I stopped @ Jax which is like a big hardware sportsgoods military surplus store just to poke around and enjoy the AC. Outside temp was flirting w/ 100 and it was hot. B4 walking into the store I invited myself into a conversation w/ 2 firefighters tending their firetruck. I wanted to know how they ran the engine and if there were specific job roles. Yes there are. Got to talking about firefighters carrying obese vicitms. Their back & neck injuries are caused by moving the obese.

Went into store and gawked at all the merchandise. Visual overload. Struck up a conversation w/ an attractive  young woman employee. Received some smiles and giggles. I felt warm.

Bought a CO Gazetteer because I will be spending July in CO & having a detailed map will be most needed. Bought salad makings @ Albertson’s and drove to shoreline of Loveland lake and parked in shade of 2 large cottonwoods. I was reading the Time Visions of Victory book when an older Ford pickup pulled up beside me driven by an elderly man. He started a conversation about my van. He is 80 and served in Korea, fought @ frozen reservoir battle (Chosin?) where US sufferd enormous losses, many froze to death. We both enjoyed the conversation. He told me war stories he never told his daughter.

The sun is setting, the park is being populated by shore fisherman.

Spoke w/ Grace today during my weekly Monday call. She and Mike are in Leadville for some course preriding. Leadville is 10,000′ or so. Thurs we meet near Breckenridge for long weekend.

Hey, any of you readers, I have a Chris King ISO QR 32 spoke hub laced to a DT Swiss 4.2d rim everything in black and never ridden on trued front wheel for $ 150 and a Fox Float 140mm travel fork tuned for a 150# rider recently rebuilt by PUSH for $450. I accept PayPal and will UPS your purchase to your door step. My van is getting full and, well, I can use the money. I could autograph it for you. Buy a piece of the Living the Dream odyssey.

Say Good Night, Craig.