Day 40 - Walsenburg, CO to Pueblo, CO

Again with the detour... But this time it was 66 miles out of the way. Darn you I-25 for being too dangerous! With that said, I completed the longest ride of the trip! YAY! It's all downhill from here? 

The detour took us once again into very mountainous territory. At least it was pretty!

We were told at the route meeting this morning that the first 80 miles would be uphill but that the last 40 would be a breeze. I was eagerly awaiting a nice downhill and I expected to get to the host soon after we began the descent. Unfortunately, we weren't aware that there was going to be a Dust Bowl reenactment just outside of Pueblo. I seriously thought there was about to be a tornado. The winds were terribly strong, the clouds started to meet the ground, dust made it hard to see, and huge rain drops were starting to fall. Needless to say, the ride took a lot longer than I thought it would: 12.5 hours from when we left Walsenburg, including breaks. 

During the Dust Bowl 2014, tumbleweeds were blowing all over the roads. One got caught in my wheel. 

Pueblo is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world's largest continuous painting. The Pueblo Levee Mural Project is a 3 mile long mural located on the city's concrete infrastructure that runs along the Arkansas River. Although, this picture is not of the Levee Mural, is does depict the artistry and style of the city. 

At the beginning of the descent, Marine hit a rock and lost control of her bike. She was was attempting to take a sharp turn, but ended up hitting the guard rail. She was thrown over her bike and landed 20 feet down a rocky embankment. Thankfully, she only has superficial injuries: scrapes and bruises. Nothing was broken and there was no trauma to the head. She handled everything like a champ and we are having to force her to slow down. The first thing she said to me when she got back from the hospital was, "So do I make the blog?!" Yes, Marine, you make the blog. I love you very much, I'm relieved that you are more than okay, and I'm so glad to know you.

The Catty Corner:
Erika: "I just can't get over our phobia of the van. Like... It's real!"