"Camp out among the grass and gentians of glacier meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of Nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
- John Muir
What does it feel like to coast down a mountain for 10 miles of "gravity power"? After we reached the top of Berthoud, we whooped and hollered around dozens of curves, past wildflowers and several waterfalls. We sped down the mountain with glee and total elation.
(Love the ride down a long mountain pass because it's free, easy and exhilarating.)
Later in the day, we pedaled into Georgetown, a mining operation out of the 1850's. Original store fronts dotted Main Street with old locomotives and hotels marking a time long ago.
We pedaled through town to reach a road to take us over Guanella Pass at 11,500 feet. It wound around hairpin curves for hours and hours to get to the top. With each view, we enjoyed more incredible views and finally we saw 14,000-foot Mt. Bierstadt.
After another two days of pedaling we reached New Mexico.
(Yet another chapter completed and the last one before the Mexican border. New Mexico...hot, dry, desert, scorching sun, rocks, mountains.)
We pedaled through dry, hot canyons until we crossed over Route 66. From there, we followed Mal Paso which is an 80-mile-long river of volcanic rock that erupted 800 years ago, and yet today, it's mostly untouched with few plants living on its acidic surface.
(We crossed several routes of the old Wells Fargo transport company and bank.)
(Statue on the Mexican border in El Paso.)
(Frosty on the border of Mexico. The sign in the distance says, "Welcome to Mexico." We didn't cross over because of safety concerns.)
"A certain quieting of the mind occurs at the completion of a long bicycle journey. Whether you pedaled 1,000, 2,000 or 10,000 miles, the road comes to an end. You poured your heart, mind and guts into every mile. You pedaled up endless mountain passes. You labored across vast tracks of wilderness. You faced heat, cold, rain and snow. You dripped sweat. You baked in the sun. You pushed headwinds. You devoured a grocery store full of food. You suffered skin rash on your inner thighs. You gained a friend. You lost a friend. Crotch rot challenged you. Campfires transfixed you. At night, across the ink-black of space, shooting stars mesmerized you. The journey changed you. No greater joy can come from "the" moment of adventure when you conquer the final mile. It lives in your heart for the rest of your life."
- Frosty Wooldridge on tour, somewhere in the world
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Share these videos all over America:
In a five minute astoundingly simple yet brilliant video, "Immigration, Poverty, and Gum Balls", Roy Beck, director of www.numbersusa.ORG, graphically illustrates the impact of overpopulation. Take five minutes to see for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LPjzfGChGlE&feature=player_ embedded
"Immigration by the numbers—off the chart " by Roy Beck This 10-minute demonstration shows Americans the results of unending mass immigration on the quality of life and sustainability for future generations: in a few words, "Mind boggling!" www.NumbersUSA.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=muw22wTePqQ
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-- Frosty Wooldridge
Golden, CO
Population-Immigration-Environmental specialist: speaker at colleges, civic clubs, high schools and conferences
Facebook: Frosty Wooldridge
Facebook Adventure Page: How to Live a Life of Adventure: The Art of Exploring the World
Www.HowToLiveALifeOfAdventure.com
Www.frostywooldridge.com
Six continent world bicycle traveler
Speaker/writer/adventurer
Adventure book: How to Live a Life of Adventure: The Art of Exploring the World
Frosty Wooldridge, six continent world bicycle traveler, Astoria, Oregon to Bar Harbor, Maine, 4,100 miles, 13 states, Canada, summer 2017, 100,000 feet of climbing:
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