After a bunch of much needed rest I was happy to leave my hotel room in Rawlins and get back at it. Today's ride had a nice change that involved abundant cloud cover, it was so nice to feel shaded for the majority of it. In the end It did rain quite a bit but I was nearly at the end of my day so it didn't matter much. I found a nice spot nestled in some Aspens and...yeah, did I tell you, I'm back in the woods!!! Dear God it feels so nice to be back amongst trees and streams. I found a spot to put up my tent and did so after the thunderstorm had stopped. It felt like a transition back into heaven to leave the high desert and return to forest and Aspens. I keep wanting to call them Birch but they are not, they really look the same to me.

Tomorrow I'll enter Colorado and then begin the REALLY HIGH climbs. I passed the half-way point a day or so ago and that was a nice milestone. A friend of mine that I hiked the AT with is coming to meet me in Silverthorne in a few days and that should be great. It's been ten years since that long hike and I feel a lot of the same reflexes on this trip. It really is a lot like backpacking but with a bike, bike-packing I believe the phrase goes.

It's got that black look up above so I best put this back under cover. I hope the donations will continue to come in as I enter the second half of this grand adventure. A sincere thanks to all who have donated or contacted me to say hello, it really means a great deal to me. Much Thanks.

I nearly forgot, a close second in highlights for today (after leaving the desert) was coming upon a herd of sheep. That was really something!